[MOSAIC] Re-replies to my fluency v. comprehension

[Zoe Jackson]

How very generous of you to offer all your valuable material!
Zoe Jackson

On Tuesday, May 29, 2007, at 09:49  AM, Tim Rasinski wrote:

> At the risk of sounding a bit commercial, Iike to point whoever might  
> be
> interested to a website I developed for myself--
> www.timrasinski.com
>
> At this website, if you click on "Presentation Materials" you will  
> find my
> handouts from my recent presentations and workshops.  Also, there are  
> some
> sample readers theater scripts I and fellow teachers have
> developed.    Word ladders, sources for readers theater, song lyrics  
> and
> other materials are there as well... all free.   Hope you find some of  
> this
> helpful.
>
> Best wishes,
> tim rasinski
>
> At 09:31 AM 5/28/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>> Terry,
>>
>> You say that your students work on Reader's Theater fifteen minutes a
>> day when they arrive. Could you tell us what other work they are doing
>> in reading?  For example, are you working from a particular reading
>> program? If so, are you mandated to use it a certain way? What kinds  
>> of
>> things are you required to do, and what things do you do on your own?
>> What does a typical literacy block look like in your classroom?
>>
>> Renee
>>
>> On May 27, 2007, at 5:35 PM, bilscntsa at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have found this conversation so interesting. I was one of the lucky
>>> participants who saw Tim Rasinski last summer at the Georgia Reading
>>> and Writing Conference and I was convinced to try some strategies he
>>> had presented. Before that time I had used Reader's Theater to help
>>> with fluency, but after hearing him speak I knew I had to be
>>> consistent. This year it became consistent, and EVERY student made
>>> gains in their rate as measured by DIBELS. That is enough for me to
>>> know I will continue to use it as I did this year. On Monday,  
>>> students
>>> came in and found a new script (plays, poems, speeches, etc) on their
>>> desk and put it into their binder. Their morning work was to practice
>>> with their group, about 15 minutes each day. On Friday they  
>>> performed.
>>> Yes, they increased in rate....but they also improved in fluency. I
>>> LOVED to listen to them read, they began to see the importance of
>>> expression, to pay attention to punctuation, to think about the
>>> meaning and adjust accordingly.
>>>
>>> I was disheartened when we looked at DIBEL scores and was told that
>>> the instruction was not effective because students did not meet the
>>> benchmark. But I still disagree, it was effective. They did make  
>>> gains
>>> in rate, every student, and more importantly made the gains I
>>> mentioned above. I do believe in this strategy and will use it again.
>>>
>>> Also, they loved to perform, they became more confident, and they
>>> understood fluency's importance. Each time they performed they also
>>> made comments to the students, pointing out the things they did well,
>>> and they noticed the gains of specific students. I am saving all the
>>> sites listed here for next year. I also purchased some of the books
>>> from Benchmark with a grant I received. I see they have some new ones
>>> with speeches and other genres. I am hoping to order more.
>>>
>>> So glad to see Tim Rasinski post here, if you have not heard him
>>> speak, and have the opportunity, GO!
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Terry/Fl/2,3 Loop"Learning  isn't a means to an end; it is an end in
>>> itself."
>> ~ Robert A. Heinlein
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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>
> Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.
> Reading and Writing Center
> 404 White Hall
> Kent State University
> Kent, OH  44242
>
> email:  trasinsk at kent.edu
> Phone:  330-672-0649
> Cell:  330-962-6251
> Fax:  330-672-2025
> Informational website:  www.timrasinski.com
> Professional Development DVD:  http://www.roadtocomprehension.com/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Mosaic at literacyworkshop.org
> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
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>
> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
>