#2 AbelsM_Oral Language and the Reading Process_LT 1

         When thinking about the relationship between oral language and the reading process, the five components of reading play a huge role in this. Children need to develop phonemic awareness where they understand that sounds and language are one unit. This first step is completely oral. After phonemic awareness, children must acquire phonics where they understand that for every written letter, there is a speech sound that accompanies it. Putting these letters together to make words is what creates sentences, paragraphs, and more complex language.Once children have practiced reading words, they must do so fluently. Fluency is the ability to read quickly but also accurately. A child must have a deep understanding of phonemic awareness and then phonics because they will be fluent readers only when they can understand what sounds letters, blends, and words make and sound them out quickly as they read. Fluent readers also need to take into account vocabulary, which is the process where they learn new words and investigate how these new words affect the meaning of a text. Vocabulary is the component that introduces new language and new ways to communicate to readers who are already familiar with the process of reading itself. Students that read with fluency and are able to use strategies to understand new vocabulary are able to comprehend what they read, which is the essential goal of the reading process. Without the four other components in the reading process, comprehension would not be possible, yet essentially, the reading process itself all depends on the acquisition of the oral language, since the phonemic awareness step is the first building block to the five components of reading.
           This oral development of language is essentially important in ELL students so that they are able to make the growth in more than one language that they need to make in order to be proficient speakers. As Pauline Gibbons writes in Scaffolding Language Scaffolding Learning, "the development of the spoken forms of language are essential for second language learners as a bridge to the more academic language associated with learning in school, and with the development of literacy (2002, p.14). As students develop oral language, their reading processes and academic language will benefit from this, since the two are so closely linked.

#1 AbelsM_Philosophy About Teaching_LT 1

There are many elements that different teachers believe are essential to a great literacy classroom. Many teachers have their own opinions and philosophies about these elements, yet there are bound to be some similarities among these ideas. I talked to a 4th grade teacher about her ideas about what is crucial to a balanced, effective literacy classroom, and she felt that many things needed to be present so that students were receiving the best instruction possible.

Anne, the fourth grade teacher I discussed this topic with, believed that in any writing class, the most important element for children to succeed as life-long writers is that they enjoy writing. To foster this enthusiasm and enjoyment in the classroom, we discussed that the teacher should present any writing assignment eagerly and show students how engaging writing truly can be. In any writing environment, students should be allowed to be creative with their work, which allows them to take ownership in whatever they may be writing about. Sometimes writing curriculums are so limited that the creativity in writing can be lost, which is sometimes present in our school with our own writing curriculum, yet this element is actually so important for young writers. When they are able to come up with a topic and expand on any details they may add, their enjoyment for writing grows. When students are creative, the teacher must set up an environment where all ideas about writing are welcomed and accepted. This helps the students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and taking risks, which is an integral part of learning. This also helps to show students that their ideas are valued, and when their final pieces are complete, they should feel excited about sharing their work with their classmates.

I definitely agree that when students see their teacher passionate and excited about writing, they, too, are excited and interested in that same subject. Motivating students in this way is so important  so that each student feels that their ideas and their work is important and valued to the class. They should see writing as a way to express their opinions and their feelings instead of another subject throughout the day.

In reading, Anne felt that students should be able to read books that interest them and that they want to read so that they are interested in reading. This helps students develop an early love of reading, which is something that so many people lose.If we give students the opportunity to read books that they choose or are interested in, this will help them read for pleasure. Anne believes that students should also read books based on their level so that they are receiving the appropriate reading skills and learning from the text that is placed in front of them. If a student's instructional text is too difficult where they are not able to read any of the words on the page or too easy where they are not having to think about what they are comprehending, they will never make growth. Anne told me that she believes reading is an important balance between the two types of reading so that children grow to be better readers.

In both reading and writing, students should see the work that they produce hanging up on the walls of the classroom so that they know their work has a purpose, is valued, and is appreciated. This also is important because others will be able to acknowledge the great work the kids have been doing, and the kids will feel a sense of pride and ownership in their work, knowing that the intended audience was impressed. It also helps the students feel as if they are a part of their classroom, too.

Anne and I also talked about how students should receive instruction in reading and writing that is differentiated for each student. All children work at different paces and different levels, and giving students different books to read or different steps of the writing process to work on depending where they are academically, is very helpful so that each child can continue to push themselves and grow. The teacher should always be aware of what each student needs and how each child can succeed even more. The teacher should set his/her standards high for all students and then differentiate the instruction for the individual kids to help them all meet their specific goals.

I definitely agree with Anne in all aspects of her literacy philosophy. It is so important that students see their work displayed around the classroom so they feel a sense of pride and ownership. I also think it is crucial that students read for pleasure so that they understand why learning the reading strategies can truly help them as a reader. I believe that every classroom should encourage reading for fun in addition to reading for instructional purposes. Differentiation is also a key element, ensuring students can make gains at any academic level they may be at. Literacy is absolutely essential to our academic curriculum.