Reading Strategy
This week we began utilizing our new piloted material and web resource. This new material provides a challenge for the teachers who are less keen on navigating the software and many advantages for students. This week was a perfect week to help readers in our subject using the new material from STEMscopes.
Students were asked to read using STEMscopedia which had great resources for the young readers who often struggle with the new material, or express that they hate science or "don't get it". Students had the opportunity to read like they would a text with additional tools. STEMscopes allows the students to have the text read to them though their chromebooks. This limited their confusion on definitions as well as pronunciation which many of our students struggle with as much of the science text is difficult to read, and has long complicated words. Following this activity students were able to review using picture vocab. This showed pictures, as well as had words with definitions that worked much like a quizlet works but with the addition of pictures, again this was on their chromebooks. The students liked this as the pictures pulled their interest, and helped cement their memory when reviewing the terms later on. Those who liked looking at pictures got a lot out of this vocab and it helped illustrate the word they were learning for those who didn't want to read the definition. This really helped students who struggle with reading as well as students who don't remember definitions very well as they could say: "oh yeah that was the picture with the zebra and lion, that is a dependent relationship". This cut down on confusion it also had the effect of engaging students who are normally easily distracted or disruptive. Following this activity students reviewed with a review game. This game had similar effects as the picture vocab students also enjoyed that it was a game!
One struggle is that the students blew through the material so quickly every day, as normally they aren't so engaged and are far more confused and it takes the whole period. This left us with free time on multiple days which we aren't used to normally. While the new material is frustrating for my co I think that it is really engaging the students and help them understand the vocab in a deeper way.
Students were asked to read using STEMscopedia which had great resources for the young readers who often struggle with the new material, or express that they hate science or "don't get it". Students had the opportunity to read like they would a text with additional tools. STEMscopes allows the students to have the text read to them though their chromebooks. This limited their confusion on definitions as well as pronunciation which many of our students struggle with as much of the science text is difficult to read, and has long complicated words. Following this activity students were able to review using picture vocab. This showed pictures, as well as had words with definitions that worked much like a quizlet works but with the addition of pictures, again this was on their chromebooks. The students liked this as the pictures pulled their interest, and helped cement their memory when reviewing the terms later on. Those who liked looking at pictures got a lot out of this vocab and it helped illustrate the word they were learning for those who didn't want to read the definition. This really helped students who struggle with reading as well as students who don't remember definitions very well as they could say: "oh yeah that was the picture with the zebra and lion, that is a dependent relationship". This cut down on confusion it also had the effect of engaging students who are normally easily distracted or disruptive. Following this activity students reviewed with a review game. This game had similar effects as the picture vocab students also enjoyed that it was a game!
One struggle is that the students blew through the material so quickly every day, as normally they aren't so engaged and are far more confused and it takes the whole period. This left us with free time on multiple days which we aren't used to normally. While the new material is frustrating for my co I think that it is really engaging the students and help them understand the vocab in a deeper way.
There's two things I really love. First is associating the meanings of new vocabulary with pictures. I think that's a great way to bring things beyond just the text that can be confusing and overwhelming for students. Giving them another way to see and remember the meaning is great. The other thing I love is making something that's normally pretty rote like vocabulary into something more engaging like a game. The fact that your students are learning more in a faster amount of time just shows that it must be working well!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to me that you said your co is frustrated by the new material, while you think it's helpful for the students. I'd be curious why they're frustrated, is it just having to learn new piloted material? I'd also wonder how effectively your students can translate their experiences with pictures/games to learn the words into associating them with actual usage in a scientific context. Knowing what a word means and actually using it are a little different. It's clear they're learning the words, but I would wonder if they're fully using the vocabulary too!
It sounds like things are definitely going well overall though! Hope your classroom has been fun and you've enjoyed those crazy middle schoolers!
Dear Nikki,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your fascinating blog on bridging academic knowledge gaps!
The new program that you described certainly seems to be doing that! I have never heard of STEMscopedia but it sounds like an awesome program! You are providing students with many different ways of accessing information through written text, verbal text, pictures and diagrams. It seems like this is the way of the future for teaching! I love it!
Thank you for your conscientious work, Nikki! It is a joy working with you!
Sincerely, Julie