How Students’ Identities as Readers Shape Their Engagements with Texts Leigh A. Hall University of...

How Students’ Identities as How Students’ Identities as Readers Shape Their Readers Shape Their

Engagements with TextsEngagements with Texts

Leigh A. HallLeigh A. Hall

University of North Carolina, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillChapel Hill

Email: [email protected]: [email protected]

The Role of Identity in The Role of Identity in ReadingReading

Students construct their identities as Students construct their identities as readers at an early age.readers at an early age.

Reading identities are often constructed in Reading identities are often constructed in terms of skills with little attention to the terms of skills with little attention to the social and cultural factors that can influence social and cultural factors that can influence individuals’ reading development (O’Brien, individuals’ reading development (O’Brien, 2006; Street, 2005). 2006; Street, 2005).

Students’ understandings about who they Students’ understandings about who they are as readers contributes to their beliefs are as readers contributes to their beliefs about what they can or cannot do with texts.about what they can or cannot do with texts.

Models of IdentityModels of Identity

Models of identity are, “explicit accounts Models of identity are, “explicit accounts of what some people are like,” of what some people are like,” (Wortham, 2006, pg.6)(Wortham, 2006, pg.6)

They are collective agreements They are collective agreements regarding characteristics associated with regarding characteristics associated with common identities in a given context common identities in a given context

The norms connected to these models The norms connected to these models are deeply entrenched and difficult to are deeply entrenched and difficult to change.change.

Some Key Principles of Identity TheorySome Key Principles of Identity Theory

Some identities are more valuedSome identities are more valued Individuals who exhibit qualities of Individuals who exhibit qualities of

valued identities possess valued identities possess identity identity capitalcapital

People who enact valued identities People who enact valued identities are likely to receive more privilegesare likely to receive more privileges

The Role of the IndividualThe Role of the Individual

Individuals can shape their identities Individuals can shape their identities to meet their social or academic to meet their social or academic goals.goals.

They can accept models of identity They can accept models of identity they believe will meet their goals.they believe will meet their goals.

They can reject models that will not They can reject models that will not meet their goals.meet their goals.

Students Who Self-Identify as Students Who Self-Identify as Poor ReadersPoor Readers

May:May:

(a) choose to disengage from (a) choose to disengage from readingreading

(b) limit their participation with (b) limit their participation with textstexts

(c) not apply comprehension (c) not apply comprehension strategies strategies as they readas they read

(d) not seek out assistance(d) not seek out assistance

Conflicting GoalsConflicting Goals

Sometimes, students believe they Sometimes, students believe they must choose between achieving their must choose between achieving their social and academic goals:social and academic goals:

““I like reading and want to get better I like reading and want to get better at it. But not if it means showing at it. But not if it means showing everyone I can’t do it.” ~ Saraheveryone I can’t do it.” ~ Sarah

Models of Identity in Models of Identity in ReadingReading

Select two students: One you see as Select two students: One you see as a good reader, and one you see as a a good reader, and one you see as a poor/struggling readerpoor/struggling reader

Share one scenario about each Share one scenario about each studentstudent

Create a composite of what a good Create a composite of what a good reader and a poor reader looks like.reader and a poor reader looks like.

Models of Reading IdentityModels of Reading Identity

Poor ReaderPoor Reader Becoming a Becoming a Good ReaderGood Reader

Good ReaderGood Reader

Does not:Does not:-Use strategiesUse strategies-Monitor Monitor comprehensioncomprehension-Ask for helpAsk for help-Participate Participate -Read textsRead texts-Offer assistanceOffer assistance-Learn more than Learn more than basic factsbasic facts

SometimesSometimes-Uses strategiesUses strategies-Monitors comp.Monitors comp.-Asks for helpAsks for help-ParticipatesParticipates-Takes risksTakes risks-Reads textsReads texts-Assists othersAssists others-Share what was Share what was learnedlearned

Does:Does:-Use strategiesUse strategies-Monitor comp.Monitor comp.-Ask for helpAsk for help-ParticipateParticipate-Takes RisksTakes Risks-Read textsRead texts-Assist othersAssist others-Share what they Share what they learnedlearned

Models of Reading Identity: Models of Reading Identity: Poor ReaderPoor Reader

A Poor Reader Does A Poor Reader Does Not:Not:

A Poor Reader Does A Poor Reader Does or Might:or Might:

- Understand text- Understand text

- Know how to solve - Know how to solve comprehension comprehension problemsproblems-Learn the content wellLearn the content well-Get good gradesGet good grades-Know how to help Know how to help othersothers

- Know what some - Know what some words meanwords mean-Be able to learn some Be able to learn some basic informationbasic information- Enjoy reading/schoolEnjoy reading/school-Want to learnWant to learn

Models of Reading Identity: Models of Reading Identity: Good ReaderGood ReaderA Good Reader Does:A Good Reader Does:

- Understand what they read- Understand what they read-Asks difficult questionsAsks difficult questions-Gets good gradesGets good grades-Can help people out with texts/assignmentsCan help people out with texts/assignments-Has little difficulty “getting it”Has little difficulty “getting it”-Learns the content very wellLearns the content very well

GoalsGoals

I wanted to:I wanted to:

(a) create reading experiences for (a) create reading experiences for students that were responsive to their students that were responsive to their identities as readersidentities as readers

(b) better understand how (b) better understand how students’ students’ identities as readers identities as readers contributed to contributed to their comprehension their comprehension developmentdevelopment

MethodsMethods

Study took place over a period of three months at Study took place over a period of three months at two middle schools.two middle schools.

Both schools had failed to make AYP in reading in Both schools had failed to make AYP in reading in the last four years.the last four years.

Participants:Participants:(a) three sixth-grade social studies classes at (a) three sixth-grade social studies classes at

two middle schoolstwo middle schools(b) 52 students(b) 52 students(c) reading abilities were assessed with (c) reading abilities were assessed with the the

Gates-MacGinitie (2000)Gates-MacGinitie (2000)(d) Reader Self-Perception Scale (Henk & (d) Reader Self-Perception Scale (Henk &

Melnick, 1995) assessed how students saw Melnick, 1995) assessed how students saw themselves as readersthemselves as readers

Students’ Reading Abilities and Students’ Reading Abilities and Identities as Readers Identities as Readers

Identified As Identified As Low Low Performing Performing Reader Reader

Identified As Identified As Average Average Performing Performing Reader Reader

Identified As Identified As High High Performing Performing Reader Reader

Read Below Read Below Grade-LevelGrade-Level

11%11% 19%19% 10%10%

Read On Read On Grade-LevelGrade-Level

4%4% 10%10% 6%6%

Read Above Read Above Grade-LevelGrade-Level

2%2% 23%23% 15%15%

Classroom ProceduresClassroom Procedures

Students engaged in six steps:Students engaged in six steps:

(a) received comprehension strategy instruction(a) received comprehension strategy instruction

(b) read a piece of text and documented (b) read a piece of text and documented strategy strategy useuse

(c) engaged in a small group discussion(c) engaged in a small group discussion

(d) read second piece of text/documented (d) read second piece of text/documented strategiesstrategies

(e) engaged in second discussion(e) engaged in second discussion

(f) reflected on and discussed what they had (f) reflected on and discussed what they had learned about texts and strategieslearned about texts and strategies

Strategy Used Explain how using the strategy was/was not helpful

Making and Checking Predictions

Activating Prior Knowledge

Asking and Answering Questions

Classroom ProceduresClassroom Procedures

Strategies taught:Strategies taught:

(a) Becoming metacognitive(a) Becoming metacognitive

(b) Making/checking predictions(b) Making/checking predictions

(c) Activating prior knowledge(c) Activating prior knowledge

(d) Asking/revising/answering questions (d) Asking/revising/answering questions before, during, and after readingbefore, during, and after reading

Texts were selected that were written on a Texts were selected that were written on a sixth-grade level and matched the curriculum.sixth-grade level and matched the curriculum.

Examining Students’ Examining Students’ DiscussionsDiscussions

Read the transcripts and consider:Read the transcripts and consider: (a) What do you notice? What stands out (a) What do you notice? What stands out

to to you? you? (b) What strikes you as (b) What strikes you as

interesting/important?interesting/important? (c) What questions do you have?(c) What questions do you have? (d) if these were your students, what (d) if these were your students, what

would you want to in response?would you want to in response?

Findings: High-Performing Findings: High-Performing ReadersReaders

Students who identified as high-performing Students who identified as high-performing readers, regardless of their reading abilities, readers, regardless of their reading abilities, engaged in the following actions:engaged in the following actions:

(a) used comprehension strategies to (a) used comprehension strategies to clarify/deepen their knowledge of contentclarify/deepen their knowledge of content

(b) used strategies to support their (b) used strategies to support their interpretations of textinterpretations of text

(c) selected strategies based on what (c) selected strategies based on what they they believed would best address their believed would best address their comprehension problemcomprehension problem

Findings: Average and Low-Findings: Average and Low-Performing ReadersPerforming Readers

Students who identified as average or low-Students who identified as average or low-performing readers, regardless of their reading performing readers, regardless of their reading abilities, engaged in the following actions:abilities, engaged in the following actions:

(a) separated their talk about strategies (a) separated their talk about strategies from from their talk about texttheir talk about text

(b) did not use strategies to support their (b) did not use strategies to support their interpretations of textinterpretations of text

(c) used strategies that were their (c) used strategies that were their favorites favorites regardless of their comprehension regardless of their comprehension problemproblem

Findings that Cut Across Findings that Cut Across GroupsGroups

Students who read below grade-level, Students who read below grade-level, regardless of their reading identity, regardless of their reading identity, were often the leaders of their groupswere often the leaders of their groups

Students placed a higher value on pop Students placed a higher value on pop culture texts (cartoons, video-games, culture texts (cartoons, video-games, comic books, etc…) than on school-comic books, etc…) than on school-based textsbased texts

Summary of FindingsSummary of Findings

Students may enact the characteristics they Students may enact the characteristics they perceive to be a part of their reading identity perceive to be a part of their reading identity

Understanding and attempting to respond to Understanding and attempting to respond to students based on their grade-level as readers may students based on their grade-level as readers may result in failing to see how:result in failing to see how:

(a) some students who read below grade-(a) some students who read below grade-level level engage with texts and strategies in more engage with texts and strategies in more

sophisticated ways than might be expected. sophisticated ways than might be expected.

(b) students who read on or above grade-(b) students who read on or above grade-level level may may need assistance that may not be need assistance that may not be recognized recognized because of their status in the class. because of their status in the class.

Some Things to Pay Some Things to Pay Attention To…Attention To…

How you talk to your students about How you talk to your students about reading and what it means to be a reading and what it means to be a certain kind of readercertain kind of reader

How your students understand what How your students understand what it means to be a certain kind of it means to be a certain kind of readerreader

How your students identify How your students identify themselves as readers.themselves as readers.

How Strategies Were How Strategies Were TaughtTaught

Name and define strategyName and define strategy

““Today we will be learning how to Today we will be learning how to make and check predictions. make and check predictions. Predictions are intelligent or Predictions are intelligent or informed guesses you make based informed guesses you make based on what you think the reading will be on what you think the reading will be about.”about.”


Explain purpose of strategy:Explain purpose of strategy:

““Making and checking predictions while Making and checking predictions while you reading helps you actively engage you reading helps you actively engage with the text by thinking about what will with the text by thinking about what will happen next. Predictions are not always happen next. Predictions are not always accurate, but that’s ok. By paying accurate, but that’s ok. By paying attention to our predictions, and why attention to our predictions, and why they are or are not correct, we can learn they are or are not correct, we can learn more things when we read.”more things when we read.”


• Model the strategy to students.Model the strategy to students.• For example, a teacher had students read a For example, a teacher had students read a

text called “The Roman Republic.”text called “The Roman Republic.”• The teacher read the title out loud and said:The teacher read the title out loud and said:

““The title makes me think that I am The title makes me think that I am going to going to learn something about Rome. I learn something about Rome. I know the word know the word Republic usually has Republic usually has something to do with something to do with government. So I government. So I predict that I will be reading predict that I will be reading about about government in Rome. I am going to government in Rome. I am going to read read the the first paragraph out loud. As I read it, first paragraph out loud. As I read it, I am I am going to see if my prediction is correct.”going to see if my prediction is correct.”


Provide Guided PracticeProvide Guided Practice Continue reading the text aloud Continue reading the text aloud Ask students to share how they are Ask students to share how they are

using the strategyusing the strategy Our teacher asked students to write Our teacher asked students to write

down their predictions, read some text down their predictions, read some text aloud, and had students check their aloud, and had students check their predictions and then make more.predictions and then make more.


Wrap-UpWrap-Up Remind students that the strategy Remind students that the strategy

taught can help them become more taught can help them become more engaged with what they are reading.engaged with what they are reading.

Remind students that the strategy Remind students that the strategy taught can help them better taught can help them better understand what they are reading.understand what they are reading.

Finding Out About Our Finding Out About Our StudentsStudents

Questions for Written Responses and Class Questions for Written Responses and Class Discussions:Discussions:

1.1. How would you describe or identify yourself as a How would you describe or identify yourself as a reader?reader?

2.2. Why do you think this description/identity fits you?Why do you think this description/identity fits you?3.3. What are the benefits of having this identity?What are the benefits of having this identity?4.4. What are the drawbacks of having this identity?What are the drawbacks of having this identity?5.5. What reading identity do you want to develop for What reading identity do you want to develop for

yourself?yourself?6.6. What are the characteristics associated with the What are the characteristics associated with the

reading identity you want?reading identity you want?7.7. How might you achieve your reading identity or How might you achieve your reading identity or

develop characteristics associated with it?develop characteristics associated with it?

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