[LIT] The BIG question - expert advice needed!

[Ty Dartez]

Hi Chris,

Here are my suggestions....others might tell you differently. I would 
say that content reading, whenever possible, should be taught within 
the content subject....it is more meaningful to kids when they actually 
need to use the skills immediately. As far as guided reading for 
content texts, it is important to decide what your goal is.....if your 
goal is simply for students to learn the content, you can scaffold the 
textbook, supplement notes, preview vocabulary, etc. This will help 
students to get the information that they need....however, if your goal 
is to use the content to help students to move up to a higher reading 
level, leveled texts are essential. Literature circles can also be used 
to supplement content textbooks so that students will be reading at 
their level. When I earned my reading endorsement, our instructor 
stressed over and over again that the best way to improve students'  
reading fluency and comprehension abilities by teacher-guided reading 
at students' reading levels......of course, my district doesn't want to 
hear this!!! It isn't a popular view, with the belief that Special 
Education students need to be getting exposure to the same vocabulary 
and content to which all students are exposed....unfortunately, 
however, when kids don't have opportunities to read books that they can 
actually read, their reading abilities will never improve, which is why 
I believe we have so many students reading below grade level....because 
they are always forced to read books that they can't read.

Thanks for listening, and I hope that that made some kind of sense.

May Dartez
6-8 Title L.A./GA

On Aug 25, 2007, at 10:15 AM, Ckingsbery at aol.com wrote:

> 5. *Content-area reading*. Probably some of you don't  teach all
> subjects, but I do, and I wonder if I should teach  reading the science
> textbook in science or in reading. Is  content-area reading a unit you 
> teach?
> Should I do it as part  of guided reading instead of whole-class?