Models are important

Reading the "Dyslexia and the brain: What does current research tell us?" by Hudson, High, and Otaiba has helped me understand those who have dyslexia much more than before. I remember the first time I heard the term, was when I was young and watching "The Cosby Show." The Cosby's son Theo was suffering from this learning disorder and I remember asking my teacher the next day on this condition. She told me that it's when you read words backwards just as they noted in the article. When she further explained it, she informed me that it was curable and that it was nothing to really worry about. After reading this article, I know she was wrong.

Because I read the article by Mesmer and Mesmer, "Response to Intervention (RTI): What Teachers of Reading Need to Know," first I kept the question in mind of how the two articles relate with one another and I had something in mind, assuming that I already knew what dyslexia was, but after reading both articles I had a hard time thinking how the to connect as dyslexia is incurable, "However, that does not mean that instruction cannot remediate some of the difficulties people with dyslexia have with written language." (page 510)

Although I could not find an immediate connection between the RTI article and dyslexia article, I automatically thought about Routman when I read that sentence. Throughout "Reading Essentials" she has written many teaching strategies to help educators teach
effectively. On page 512, in the dyslexia article, the authors suggest that "Explicit, intense, systematic instruction in the sound structure of language (phonemic awareness) and in how sounds relate to letters (phonics) is needed for readers with dyslexia."

Routman on page 51, writes about how younger grades enjoy literacy-rich environments in developing phonemic awareness. She claims that one of the most efficient and easiest ways to help develop this is by stretching out the sounds when writing. In my dyad placement, where one student was suffering with dyslexia, sat with an IA (instructional assistant) every day for 15 minutes during writing and would stretch words out while working on a writing activity. I never really asked my dyad teacher on his reasoning for this, but now I understand.

What I have taken out of the readings is the importance of instruction and through this concept I think about modeling and demonstration relating it back to strategies such as guided reading and the optimal learning model. Using these models appropriately we may help those with learning disabilities to comprehend what they are reading a bit more.

Classroom libraries

When I first met my master teacher last spring, one thing I noticed when I walked into her classroom was the variety of books on her shelves for her students to read when they were done with all of their work, or for students to borrow and to take home. She took a lot of pride into this classroom library, which had at least 500+ books that took her 30+ years to slowly build up. She had books separated by reading levels and genres. Sadly majority of her books were ruined in December due to a classroom flood. Because the principal feared that the books could contain mold or mildew she was forced to throw away all her book, including the ones that were more than half way decent. As I came back this year to work in her classroom, she had some books that were donated by parents and staff, however it wasn’t enough. Some students either had to share with a partner or read their textbook.

In the late half of last month, my master teacher’s friend donated all the books that she used in her classroom. It was a great gift and now students won’t have to wait in line or share books. The only concern that my teacher had was the quality of reading it was. For example there was a Barbie book in the pile in which most girls find interest in. Although she did not find it as intellectual challenging book, it was a great “light read” for her students that she decided to keep it. As Routman stated in chapter 5, it’s important to have these types of book for struggling readers. One of the girls is an ELL student and loves reading that book because it’s simple and helps her with her with learning her site words.

My dyad teacher did not have as many books in his library compared to my master teacher, however he did have a list that Routman discusses. Next to his book shelf were two lists; type of books or genres they like and what their interests are. One student wanted to know more about skateboarding so he bought a book about skateboarding.

One idea that Routman suggests is including lot of nonfiction. Although I have seen many nonfiction books in both my dyad and main placement, they are mainly books about MLK or presidents. I can honestly say that I neve thought of having books about animals or kid magazines in the classroom, nor do I see them as intellectually stimulating, but after reading this chapter I can understand how the importance of nonfiction material no matter what type of form, books or magazines, they come in.