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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 438 529 CS 013 895 TITLE How Reading Engages Children. INSTITUTION North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 21pol; Published quarterly. CONTRACT R168R50003; RJ96006301; R302A50007 AVAILABLE FROM North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Editorial Offices: NCREL, 1900 Spring Road, Suite 300, Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480. Tel: 800-356-2735 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.ncrel.org. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT NCREL's Learning Point; vl n2 Spr-Sum 1999 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Developmental Stages; Elementary Secondary Education; Interviews; Mathematics Instruction; Reader Text Relationship; *Reading Achievement; *Reading Instruction; *Reading Strategies; Science Instruction ABSTRACT This theme issue of the NCREL's (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's) "Learning Point" focuses on how reading engages children. The cover story article is an interview (Marianne Kroeger and Stephanie Blaser) with Mary Foertsch, from NCREL, on what types of innovative strategies teachers employ to help students become engaged readers. A special pull-out section offers 7 practical reading tips to share with parents, and "Checkpoints in Reading"--a grade-specific guide to help parents better understand their children's reading development at the kindergarten, third grade, sixth grade, ninth grade, and twelfth grade levels. IRS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. 411111.. - - . S S CNI tan 00 v., ; (41 m .. et.'4-.,& U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 4 Eff This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it O Minor changes have been made to 14: improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position cr policy `v." t3=74-r e f I e. S - I. I BEST C PY AVAILABLE d Hel anent Discover classroom technology. With summer just around the corner, the last thing on your mind is heading back to school this fall. But this year, something special Explore new careers. will be waiting for you...ParenTech. Understand how technology is defining our society. ParenTech is a unique technology initiative designed to educate Guide your child toward good choices. families of kids in grades 6-8.* This fall, ParenTech will reach middle Connect with schools and communities. schools with informative teachers' guides, a parents' resource kit, and Imagine what the future holds. a colorful poster. Visit the ParenTech Web site at <www.parentech.org). ParenTech also provides free resources for families. So, spread * ParenTech is a not-for-profit project of NCREL and Ameritech and serves our shared service region of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. the word and help your school's families "get a grip" on technology! NCREL 3 A Partnership of Ameritech and North Contra! Regional Educational Laboratory NCREL 'Applying flaremett and TochttalagY to Lootohnir BEST COPY AVAILABLE contents NCREL G EAR NI i Spring/Summer 1.999 Volume 1, No. 2 Features Doggone Good Lessons 4 A Special Message from Find out how a teacher in rural Wisconsin Jeri Nowakowski, uses the Alaskan Iditarod Sled Dog Race to Executive Director, teach across thd curriculum. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Math & Science Connections: 7 The Sky's the Limit As a high school English Discover the array of services available from teacher, I probably took the impor- NCREL's Math and Science Consortium. tance of literacy development for granted. I was helping my students as they became engaged in what I Cover Story hoped would be long-term relations with language and literaturenot How Reading Engages Children 8 as they struggled with words on Teaching reading is no mystery. In this inter- a page. Today, though, teachers at all view with Mary Foertsch from NCREL, we grade levels are coming to grips find out what types of innovative strategies with the fact that teaching reading teachers employ to help students become is part of their job. And we have engaged readers. prepared this issue of NCREL's Learning Point with that fact in Special Feature mind as we strive to inform and perhaps inspire. The focus of this issue, however, News and Notes 12 was not the only thing that made Check out our bulletin board for the latest me think about the beginning of educational news. my education career as a teacher. Effective May 31, I stepped down as executive director of NCREL to begin another phase of my career. Special Pull-Out Section this time as senior vice president (See center pages.) of curriculum development and evaluation with Voyager Expanded How Can Parents Influence Leamingo in Dallas, Texas. I leave Children's Reading Achievement? NCREL in the extraordinarily capable hands of Gina Burkhardt. Seven practical reading tips to share with whom our Board has appointed as parents. my successor, and her manage- ment team. Checkpoints in Reading It has been a privilege and my This grade-specific guide can help parents pleasure for the past ten years to .._ .1 direct the lab that serves a region better understand their children's reading of some 26,000 schools and nearly development. Cover: Bill Burlingham one-fourth of our country's stu- Winter Cover: Gary Ciccarelli dents. I thank all of you for your support. This work was produced in whole or in part with funds from the Office of Educational P.S. Don't miss the Special Pull- Research and Improvement (OERI), U.S. Department of Education, under contract Out Section on reading in the number RJ96006301 and grant numbers R168R50003 and R302A50007. The content center pages. We encourage you to make copies for colleagues and does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of OERI or the Department of parents. Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the federal government. NCRELS Learning PointCopyright 0 1999 by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Editorial Offices: NCREL, 1900 Spring Road, Suite 300. Oak Brook. IL 60523-1480 (800-356-2735). Material in this issue may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form or format without special permission from the publisher. Published quarterly. Periodical postage paid at Oak Brook, IL, and additional entry Printed in U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NCRELls Learning Point, Publication and Subscription Offices, NCREL, 1900 Spring Road, Suite 300, Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480. 4 JEST COPY AVAILABLE alk into Shirley Skerhutt's fourth- grade classroom in early March and you just might understand. how Dorothy felt landing in Oz. If instead of the central Wisconsin town of Stratford, you suspect you've been transported to frozen Alaska complete with dog sled and, Locigone yes, those are dog booties you're nearly right. If you could pry the would-be mushers away from their work, they'd be happy to explain that they're taking part Stratford Elementary School- stylein the grueling Iditarod By Lenaya Raack Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. made puppy chow. (See recipe math, social studies, history, The Iditarod was Skerhutt's on p. 13.) Later, the students and science. This three-week way of getting her students get a lesson on making sled unit runs the week before, actively involved in their own dog booties. Then . the during, and after the Iditarod. learning. What started as a . . race is on. Skerhutt begins the unit reading class grounded in the "Each child selects a with the book Stone Fox. She Wisconsin Rural Reading musher we can follow," says follows with a videotape of Improvement Program six Skerhutt. "They each take the previous year's race, while years ago takes the students one animal from the Alaskan her students munch on home- on a journey that includes 5 4 HST COPY NCREL's LEARNING POINT Spring/Summer 1999 AVAILABLE diphtheria epidemic." And can access during free time. that's just the short list. At least once a week, they "They" is the operative visit the computer lab for an hour. All e-mailing is done word in this busy classroom. According to Skerhutt, "The through Skerhutt. Her students children were the ones doing also use a VCR-TV to view the work and answering their last year's race, an encyclo- own questions and coming up pedia on CD-ROM, and an with everything that they were overhead for presentations. interested in and wanted to If there's one thing these find out." One of the first fourth graders will take away things they did was make a from the race, it's that real life map of Alaska for the bulletin involves a lot of math. board. The names of the Skerhutt uses a sheet she calls mushers were listed on the Iditarod math. The students side, and each had a piece of get a problem a day for 14 string to mark the routes. days, the length of time it usu- Each day, says Skerhutt, if the ally takes for the last musher to finish. Like real mushers, musher was listed on the Web, the student would move the Skerhutt's students have to string along. Daily weather figure out expenses for updates by students kept enrolling in the race, feeding everyone advised of dropping the dogs, and getting supplies. temperatures and threatening "We see how we can afford to snowstorms. do that or how we can work "We look everywhere [for around some things," she information]," explains explains. Skerhutt. "We go into the Skerhutt has found a great books. We go onto the resource in the community Internet. I have a Web site and in families (including her mod Lessons from the Alaskan Iditarod Sled Dog Race area and find all kinds of facts own). Three years ago a par- that really helps the children. on it. They illustrate it and ent brought in a sled dog, and We read the newspapers and the trade books." But, she then they present it and share each year a friend brings in it with the rest of the class. stresses, "They have to decide his sled. Skerhutt's brother, They do several games. They where is the best place to who now lives and dog sleds learn Musher lingo. We get look. They have to make the in Alaska, sends pictures and into the history: how the first choices." updates. The town veterinarian run was a life-saving dash to is invited to visit the class and Skerhutt has two computers Nome that carried serum for a answer questions. What the in her room, which the students 5 6 Spring/Summer 1999 NCREL's LEARNING POINT Gaulke. "Barb trusted me and allowed me the freedom to try these things. When you have someone like that behind you, do it. I felt successful before I even tried, regardless of how it came out." Looking back at her own experience, Skerhutt says, "I think the hardest part [for teachers is letting] the children do the driving. You have them help you come up with class finds out, says Skerhutt, to sit back and be the passen- the whole internal part." To is that "these animals are actu- ger. The children just rise to teachers concerned about their ally taken better care of than the occasion. They just love lack of experience with tech- some of our children." taking hold of things and nology, Skerhutt says, "Get "Rural Reading [the prede- doing it." One of the bonuses, right in there and act like a cessor of NCREL's Strategic says Skerhutt, is that "When fourth grader and learn with Teaching and Reading Project] you have children controlling them." It worked for her. is the core of my whole unit," their own learning and "Helping the children get out says Skerhutt. "It is teaching involved that deeply, you of their little and big problems across the curriculum. It is can eliminate most discipline has helped me more than any using a variety of strategies. problems." computer class I could have It is hands-on learning. It is So, four years later, what taken. They have a relaxed total child involvement. does Skerhutt think about her attitude and think they can STRP to me is education mak- progress? "It was a dream I conquer most anything. It ing sense. It's allowing the had," she muses. "The children rubs off on you." students to have ownership of are the ones who made it come Skerhutt gives a lot of credit their own learning and be true and made it a success." to her principal, Barbara responsible. It makes teaching fun." Skerhutt sees herself as a supporter, guide, and helper. "I feel I am an activator. I am connections certainly a motivator. I am the one who makes sure that everything is out there and Beyond Courage, Alaska's Great Race, and Susan Videos: available and that the children Butcher's Story know what is there." Teach- Books: Stone Fox; Dog Song; Woodsong; The Bravest Dog ing, she believes, is not only Ever; Iditarod Classics; Race Across Alaska; Black Star, Bright about the learning and tech- Dawn; and Iditarod: The Great Race to Nome (Books are nology, but bringing in what's available from Iditarod.com) www.Stratford.k12.wi.us (Click on "Department," happening in the real world. Web sites: then scroll down to "Skerhutt"); Iditarod.com; AlaskaOne.com; Skerhutt advises teachers and SledDog.com If you are to "Go for it! iditarod@ iditarod.com; mushpuppy @aol.com (relates E-mail: enthused and interested about to the 4th grade) something, you have the main about NCREL's Strategic Teaching and Reading 1 To learn more ingredients right there. Give Project, visit www.ncrel.org/strp/Strp.htm the children your idea. Let 6 Spring/Summer 1999 NCREL's LEARNING POINT ZEST COPY AVAILABLE mam cs science Lonnections... The Sky's the Limit atheatics he Midwest Consortium for M of our collaborative partners. MSC works with m Science Educationknown as the two or three "intensive- sifts in each state to Math and Science Consortium (MSC) at materials research and develop and processes Tand NCRELis one of ten consortia for that support improved student learnin strategies mathematics and science education funded by and achi'Lvement. .the U.S. Department of Education under the National Eisenhower Program. 3. Providing training and technical assistance to . tteachers, administrators. and other educators. .. Gil Valdez, associate diirector of NCREL and director of MSC, leads the consortium's efforts to 4. WorkinEl, through the National Organization 'collaborate, coordinate, network, and link with Task Force on Informal Education, energy partners throughout the region. includinv. state labs, museums, and other informal education -departments of education. into-mediate units, and entities to promote the increased use of informal other programs that.are interested in the systemic educational resources. improvement of mathematics. science. and technology. MSC advittnces the systemic reform 5. Working_ with regional networks, other consortia. of mathematics and science education by: and the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse to identify and describe exemplary resources and I. Facilitating, and engaging in collaborative best instructional practices. efforts with teachers, administrators. and professional organizations to build capacity 6. Collecting data and evaluating programs to and leverage resources. determine the effectiveness and impact of consortium activities in districts selected for .2. Idelltif)iiw High-Impact, high- priority projects intensive partnerships. . piiioducts..anii.ervices that respond to the Neck . Say 1 1 -, , 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . . 1 1 . I" SI . 99 . I 41' '9 I I . I I 99;1 I I 9' SI I.. 1114 :. I f I I I . i I II I . II . .ta .11 51 55 -II a II ilk 591 O" a I 49. II i I I S. .1 I I 10 Ill "Is* I ". _ I I II 7 Spring/5.urnmer 1999 NCREL's LEARNING POINT By Marianne Kroeger Nick LOVES to read. Lately, he's been devouring & Stephanie Blaser mystery books thanks to his teacher, Ms. Cruz. It all started when she read a few whodunit stories to the class. In particular, Nick and his classmates enjoyed predicting how each mystery would be solved. When the children started reading on their own, Ms. Cruz focused on helping them learn to decode certain types of suffixes. And now, Nick and his fel- low classroom sleuths are writing their ownsoon- to-be-ink-jet-printedschool mystery! Nick and his classmates are not alone. All around the country teachers are implementing an increasing number of effective strategies that enhance student reading. In the following interview, Mary Foertsch, coordinator of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum at NCREL, shares her thoughts on some of the latest issues and research on reading that should be of particular interest to classroom teachers. (continued on page 9) 9 AVAILABLE BEST COPY A can parents influence How children's reading achievement? READ TO THEIR CHILDREN. The best thing parents can do to get their young children interested in reading is to read to them often. It is important when children are being read to that they sit next to or on the lap of the adult. The child can then see the text and the book and note how the reader moves his or her eyes and turns the pages. This closeness and caring promote the child's healthy development and preparation for learning. They also reinforce the idea that reading is enjoyable. USE PICTURE BOOKS. Parents whose own literacy skills may be weak can use picture books. The pictures help children make up stories, talk about the meaning of the illustrations, or tell how the illustrations relate to their own lives. Parents or other adults can keep the stories moving by asking questions or prompting the children. Today, many books for both children and adults are available in "read-along" versions and audiotapes. HAVE THEIR CHILDREN READ TO THEM. It's a good idea to have children read to their parents. A parent and child can also take turns reading to one another. Reading aloud to an audiencewhether it be parents, grandparents, older siblings, other relatives, or friendsis one of the best ways for children to practice reading skills. READ MORE THEMSELVES. Parents should read often, whether it's books, magazines, bills, grocery lists, or assembly instructions. When children see their parents read, they want to read, too. The more parents can involve children in daily reading activities, the more interested in reading children become. Parents should urge their children to make up their own grocery lists or help assemble a toy following written directions. TALK WITH AND LISTEN TO THEIR CHILDREN. Talking with children and listening attentively as they express themselves are important in children's language development. During conversations, even very young children learn that words represent ideas and objects. For all children, conversations develop vocabulary. A recent survey reports that parents talk to their children, on average, just a few minutes every day, and even then they are usually giving orders. Parents who talk with their children about their lives and the world around them help children place ideas in context and figure out meaning from events. Children need these kinds of skills to read well. TALK ABOUT BOOKS. Parents should talk with children about books. That sends a signal to the children that reading is important. Parents who discuss books and ask probing questions draw children more deeply into the books and model an attitude of curiosity and a desire to learn. PRAISE THEIR CHILDREN. Parents of good readers praise their children's reading accomplishments. They do not punish poor readers. Punishing children makes them develop negative attitudes about reading and can lower reading achievement. o REST COPY AVAILABLE