Building Reading Engagement

for all Learners

John T. GuthrieUniversity of Maryland

Reading in South Africa

Progress of teachers and students PIRLS* Survey with 70 Nations NEEDU^ report - literacy

recommendations Student needs for fluency and

comprehension. Student needs for engagement. Teacher learning opportunities.* Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, 2012^National Education Evaluation and Development Unit. Report 2012

Reading engagement

What are the characteristics of the most successful, enthusiastic readers in your classroom?

What are the characteristics of the least successful, enthusiastic readers in your classroom?

How do you motivate your students to read?

Community and School Preconditions of Reading Engagement

Students in school, in class Books available—students read 1

book per week Students speak language of the

books Teaching focus on reading for

understanding Teachers become ‘child-centered’.

Learning ActivityBIRD FEATHERS

TEXT ON FEATHERSLong feathers of the outer wing provide flight power. Inner wing feathers are generally shorter. The inner coverts overlap the front feathers of the inner wing. Their down shows that they are also used for insulating the body.

Learning Activity

1. What do you see in the picture? Talk with your partner. Tell 3 things.

2. Read the passage. What did you learn from the passage that was not in the picture?

3. Share this with your partner.4. Share what you learned with the

whole group.

Review of learning activity Was the passage interesting? How did talking with your partner

help you?

Conclusion—collaborating increases engaged reading and understanding.

Classroom instruction and teaching: Five engagement principles

1. Help students read together2. Provide choices in reading 3. Show importance of reading4. Match texts to student abilities5. Enable students to read a lot

Guthrie, J. T. (2013). South African Reading: Teaching practices K-12 for engagement and expertise. Unpublished manuscript. www.corilearning.com

Engagement principle #1Help students read togetherGrades K-2 Partners rhyme words; partners alternate reading

pages of a story book; Grades 3-5 Partners read same pages silently, and write a

summary together Grades 6-12 Partners separately identify 3 main points of a text

and compare them and reasons for choosing them. Teams of 4 develop an opinion about a topic, write a persuasive essay and present to another team.

Engagement principle #2Provide choices in readingGrades K-2 Students choose a book for the teacher to

read aloudGrades 3-5 Students select one section of a history book

to learn and teach to teamGrades 6-12 Students identify topic and select several

texts to learn from and then write an integrative statement.

Engagement principle #3Show importance of readingGrades K-2 Teacher reads a story aloud; students state one thing

they enjoyed. Students read page in an information book; report 1 amazing fact to a partner.

Grades 3-5 Have students state what they learned from a picture

in comparison to a page of text on the same topic. Grades 6-12 Have students write a statement explaining how what

they read in a text connects to their observations or experiences outside of school.

Ben Carson

Age 10 Baltimore school Lowest in class Mother—TV 1 hour per day; Book 1

per week Teacher – Rock, Obsidian Class smartest Harvard graduate Neurosurgeon: Johns Hopkins

University

Engagement principle #4Match texts to student abilitiesGrades K-2 90 percent accuracy word recognitionGrades 3-5 90 percent accuracy read aloud fluencyGrades 6-12 90 percent accuracy in brief summaries

of a page of text

Engagement principle #5Empower students to read a

lotGrades K-2: Expectations: On grade reader: Home = 30 min;

School = 30 min. Total = 1.0 hr. Grades 3-5 : Expectations: On grade reader: Home = 30 min;

School = 60 min. Total = 1.5 hr.Grades 6-12: Expectations: On grade reader: Home = 90 min;

School = 90 min. Total = 3.0 hr. Diverse books, magazines, internet for enjoyment,

knowledge, usefulnessTeacher support Teachers provide time daily for independent reading, based

on interest and curriculum. Teachers assign home reading daily.

Engaged Readers

Read widely and deeply Interested Confident in themselves Value reading Share reading Grow quickly Reading Engagement = Skill +

Will

Educationalpractices

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Month 6

Skill/strategy Instruction*Guided reading andWriting**

XX XX XX XX XX XX

1. Read Together as Partners XX

2. Choice of Books or Texts XX

3. Importance: Pictures, Videos Hands On Activities XX

4. Match Books to Student Reading Abilities XX

5. Empower students to read a lot, Goals and Charts

XX

6. Integrate: All Engagement Practices XX

Implementation plan for engagement practices

Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction

Concept goals (Animal survival—Birds)

Comprehension emphasis Motivation supports Cognitive strategy instruction Information and literary texts at

many levels Reading a lot Writing multiple genre

Promoting Reading in School and Community

Reading is Fun Guest reader– at Celebration Book Fair—show books, give a book Dress up—characters in stories Explore your world

Birds, Rivers, Lions, Wind Observe, Read, Share

Conclusions

Teachers have advanced in competencies

Reading materials are expanding Students need to improve their

reading proficiency (skill) and engagement (will)

Teachers who foster the skill and will to read enjoy success and empower their students.

Closing thought

“It is through education that that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.”

-- Nelson Mandela