Progress Upated #2

 Students are supposed to be using their processing and comprehension strategies whenever they read, but of course that is not the case.  After reviewing the classroom-modified reading strategy use table taken Friday, I found that they are "sometimes" doing the things that we ask of them.  Stopping while they read either to ask questions, clarify unfamiliar words, or make sense of something is low on the priority list.  Students claim that when they are stuck, they go back and reread any parts that were confusing.  The question is do they know what to do after they reread the confusing part of the story?  Are they able to figure it out and if not, what do they do next?  Students need to learn to stop during the story to think.  This group is so focused for reading for a particular question (like the state tests) that they do not stop to think about the story.  They need to work on asking questions in the middle of the story, checking predictions made in the beginning and continue to make predictions while reading. 

Students have been given a CAPS bookmark to remind them to use their strategies during independent reading time. C stands for clarify and connections.  A stands for ask questions.  P stands for predictions and S stands for summarize.  These skills aren't in order like before, during, and after the read, but are listed for the during time of reading a selection.

Students read grade level texts and passages along with their own lexile level found during designated library times.  Mrs. T assesses students comprehension using Accerlerated Reading program (AR).  She will spend one week on a book focusing on different skills.  By Friday, students take the AR quiz.  Students also take an AR quiz for independent level books.

I feel compelled to teach these students Questioning skills while they read.  It is difficult for students to be reading and thinking at once.  I would want to focus on stopping while we read during points in the story to think, ask questions, make predictions, and visualize what is happening in the story.