Williams LA Reading Lesson Plan and Reflection #1

TE 402 READING LESSON PLAN

Reading Lesson Plan # 1

Your Name:  _Kristina Williams__   Grade Level:  _1^st

Date lesson was taught:  _March 30, 2011_  Number of Students: __2___

1) Rationale (What evidence do you have that your focus students need to learn this skill/strategy?):

My students are not learning English; instead they are native English learners learning Spanish. They are in a Spanish Immersion program, which means all instruction is in Spanish right now. Based on assessments and student work, it appears that students are further behind in their Spanish literacy than English. So, I chose to use an after reading activity for ESL students. It seems that as they read, they focus more on pronouncing the words and then they don’t comprehend as much. Because of this, I would like students to read together (to hopefully make M more comfortable) and then a story map. The story map will help them piece the story together and make within text connections.

2) List which reading skill/strategy is the main focus of your lesson (select ONE area):

After-reading activity for ESL: Story Map

3) Objective for this lesson (performance, condition, criteria):

Students will make a story map, focusing more deeply on the information in the text, by providing at least four main features of the story.

4) Materials & supplies needed:

Paper, pencil, El Tesoro de los Cuentos de Siempre (this is a storybook my CT gave me with short stories, we will be reading the Spanish version of Gulliver’s Travels).

5) OUTLINE OF LESSON PLAN (Provide a bulleted list of ideas):

• Introduction to the lesson I will tell the students that we will be reading “Los viajes de Gulliver.” I will explain that they will read it together (they can choose to take turns or read at the same time). Before reading, I will tell them that after the story, we will be making a story map. I will show an example story map of the story “Clic, Clac, Muu” which I used for my previous lesson. I will tell students to think while they read about what they would include in our new story map. (_5_ minutes) 

• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson I will begin by stressing the importance of both of their contributions and attention. Each student will have a copy of the story which will be distributed when I introduce the book. First, the students will read the story. After the story is over, I will review my example story map. I will explain that making story maps helps us to understand what we read. They help us to understand the main features of the story. I will talk about how this is a good strategy to use when reading a text for the first time. I will explicitly explain how the maps are drawn. Once we begin to make one together, I will ask the students: what were some of the things that happened in the story? Where should that go on our map? Should it connect to anything else? I will record their thoughts on the story map. (_10_ minutes)

• Closing summary for the lesson I will bring closure to the lesson by reviewing the entire story map. I will ask students to help me read it to involve them in reflecting on their experiences. I will ask how they might use this with other books they read and if there are any additional details to add. I want them to talk about creating story maps for new text and also add details to the map. (_5_ minutes)

6) Ongoing-Assessment: I will know the students are progressing toward the objective based on their contributions to the story map. I will record what they say should go where and let them draw or write to contribute as well. I will observe the types of observations they make.

7) Based on what you know about your focus students, what Academic, Social and/or Linguistic Support will be needed during the lesson?

Student M: I will be using a simple, familiar-in-English story to make him more comfortable. We will do the lesson in the hallway, where it is a quiet setting away from others. I will emphasize that what goes on the map isn’t wrong, just what we think. I will encourage and give positive feedback for the contributions he does make. Students will share reading so that he does not feel singled out.

Student B: I will push B to think deeper and make more connections on the map. I will also give positive feedback for his contributions.

TE 402 READING LESSON REFLECTION

Reading Lesson Plan # 1

This lesson did not go at all how I expected. Both students refused to read aloud with me, saying that they can’t. I understand that their Spanish proficiency is not as high as their English, but I thought that they would try at least some of it. I realized, once I got them to begin reading, that I may have chosen a story that was too advanced for their current reading levels. I did not want that to hinder their comprehension of the story because they understand much more spoken Spanish compared to written. So, I did end up reading it to them. I don’t want it to sound like I gave in and made it easier, but for the purposes of the lesson, I had not planned well for their reading levels.

I noticed that it took a little while for M to begin to participate, but once B did, he was much more willing. We ended up creating the story map during the reading of the story as opposed to after as I had planned (the Gibbons book does mention that it can be used as either during or after). I think that creating the one about “Click, Clack, Moo” together ahead of time really aided in their creation of this one. I felt that both student contributed almost equally and I was surprised at how they fed off of each other with their comments and observations. They came up with four main points (including characters) on the map. These were “Gulliver,” “tiny people,” “thunderstorm,” and “the king.” They then proceeded to tell me where certain events or characteristics would go on the map. For example attached to Gulliver was “broke strings,” “watch,” “chained him up,” “bigger,” and “hungry.” Also, attached to “thunderstorm” was “shock the bottom,” “Gulliver fell,” “lost boats,” and “waves bigger.” I noticed that many times they would make observations about what was happening in the story but I had to push them to think about where it would go on our story map.

I noticed a little bit about myself as a teacher throughout this lesson. I was disappointed in myself for the story that I had chosen since it was way beyond their reading level. However, I was proud that I quickly adapted the lesson to meet their learning needs because I feel like I still effectively taught them the reading strategy. I also noticed that how much I tried to push them to think. I felt like if the story was in English they would have had a much easier time understanding what was going on. (They seemed to rely on the pictures a lot; they made observations about what they thought was happening as opposed to what I actually read). I wish I would have backed off a little to see where their thinking took them, but I kept asking questions. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing, because I was teaching them how to use the story map as a reading strategy, but I do think I could have let them guide it a little more than I did.