GRADED ASSIGNMENT #1: Teaching a Child

 

 

During the field experience you are asked to teach a child for one hour per week. You will keep a journal which includes an assessment of the student's initial reading level, weekly plans, technical and critical reflections on the session, and a final summary that describes this child as a reader and contains further recommendations for instruction.

 

Student Assessment

In your RDNG 310 class, you will have received instruction in the administration and scoring of several reading assessments (see Appendix C). Administer the appropriate assessments to your child and score them to determine the child's instructional level. Your scored assessments are the first entry in your journal for this assignment. In your journal, reflect on the child’s strengths and weaknesses in reading. On what areas/concepts/skills do you plan to focus during the lessons? Why?

 

Weekly Lesson Plans

Read the article in Appendix B. This article outlines a format that can be used in your lesson plan. The format is as follows:

            A.  Rereading of a familiar book

                        Book Name/level

                        Technical Reflection

            B.  Guided Reading of a new book

                        Book Name/level

                        i.          Pre-reading strategies

                                                Strategy selected

                                                Technical Reflection

                        ii.         Running Record; During Reading Strategies

                                                Results of running record

                                                Technical Reflection

                        iii.        Post Reading Activities

                                                Strategy selected

                                                Technical Reflection

                        iv.        Work Attack Lesson

                                                Strategy selected

                                                Technical Reflection

                        v.         Critical Reflection on entire lesson.

¯     You will need to complete a lesson plan/reflection for each session that you have with the child. These plans as well as the work completed by the child should go in a folder to be turned into your field experience supervisor at the appropriate times.

 

Final Summary

At the end of the semester you will write a report on the child that describes the child as a reader. Do not include the child’s real name.  You may create a pseudonym if you desire.  Organize the report in the following manner:

 

Child's pseudonym

Age

Grade

Teacher

School

Instructional Reading Level based on the initial IRI

 

Describe the child's performance in each of the following categories, using information from your lesson plans.  Describe evidence of student learning during your teaching sessions.  Use examples from your journal as appropriate.

 

            Oral Reading:

At what level does s/he read? Does s/he have problems with fluency? What strategies does s/he use when s/he comes to an unknown word?

 

            Decoding Ability:

What are the child's strengths and weaknesses in decoding? Does s/he have a grasp of basic word families? Does s/he apply this knowledge in his/her reading? In his/her spelling?

 

            Comprehension Ability:

How does the child do on the pre-reading activities? Is his/her background knowledge appropriate for his/her age and reading materials? Does s/he make predictions about the outcome of the text? Can s/he summarize the most important parts of the story? Does s/he respond to stories with enjoyment?

 

            Summary and Recommendations:

Give the child's current instructional level. What are his/her strengths and weaknesses? What instructional recommendations would you give for the next instructor?