Oral Language and the Reading Process (Entry #3, LT#1)

The connection between reading and oral language is an important one!  Dialogue is critical to the reading process (Gibbons, 2002) and students should be encouraged to talk, talk, talk!  This is beneficial for learning in general.  For students who come from second language homes- this talking piece is most crucial.  Teacher and student interactions should consist of dialogue that requires more input from the student and more probing from the teacher (Gibbons, 2002). 

Oral language can play a direct and indirect role in a child's reading instruction and process, particularly in the area of reading comprehension.   As children learn new words and how to apply them (vocabulary) they strengthen their background knowledge and strengthen their comprehension.  Providing feedback and dialogue around conversation also helps students strengthen and clarify meaning, thus improving a student's comprehension.  

For first grade in particular, talking and reading are extremely relevant and extremely important.  Oral language and background knowledge are tied into reading readiness.  Children need exposure and application of language to interest them in reading and to prepare them for phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  A basic knowledge of words and how words work and how they are used to convey meaning and conversation helps prepare a reader! 

My Writing Instruction Experiences (Entry #2, LT#1)

I have always had authentic and genuine writing experiences as a student.  It wasn't until my later years of high school when I slowly began to dislike writing.  My elementary teachers made writing fun and motivating.  They often allowed me to choose what I wanted to write about or be creative and publish my work in different ways.  I even remember creating a video piece where I wrote a book report and summary, but filmed it in a special location with my friends and dad, while I acted as the narrator.  I wrote a lot during school and even during my free time.  I had aspirations to write a children's novel or submit other works for publishing.  I loved the connection between literature and writing, and was often inspired by the literature I would read in school and at home.  

The progressive learning model (Gibbons, 2002) exemplifies how I was taught to write.  I was behind the driver's seat of my own learning.  My teachers served as a passenger guiding me and mapping out the different routes I would follow.  My teachers allowed me to focus on both the process and product of learning during writing instruction and activities.  

Interview (Entry #1, LT#1)

Interview with Miss Brown (1st grade teacher): October 31, 2010

Literacy paves the way for all learning.  As students become strong readers and writers, they have the skills they need to accomplish anything!  Miss Brown believes that students need strong first instruction in all five components and that literacy instruction and development begins at home.  Parents and families should engage their children in language development by reading and talking at home.

When students are ready for school they need a lot of exposure to print and language.  They also need a lot of modeling and guided practice to help scaffold them into independent readers and writers.  Language development is an on going process that stems from exposure to talking, reading, and writing.

Miss Brown also believes that student interest should be a part of their literacy instruction in order to motivate students and help them see the authenticity behind reading and writing.