Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies That Work

Chapter 1 Why Teach Reading?
Why Teach Reading? What Do the Experts Say?
Self-Reflection Activity

Chapter 2 Assessment
Introduction
Data-Based Decision-Making
Progress Monitoring
Formative and Summative Assessment
Feedback
Self-Assessment/Reflections
Think-Pair-Share
Fist to Five
Corners
Chalk (Whiteboard) Talk
Feedback Forms
Carousel (Graffiti Walls)
Closing Thoughts
Diagnostic Assessments
Examples of Diagnostic Assessments
Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR) Forms A & B
San Diego Quick Assessment
Sand Diego Quick Assessment—Record Form
DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
Informal Reading Inventories (IRI’s)
Summary

Chapter 3 Writing Strategies for Struggling Writers
Introduction
Prewriting: Planning and Organizing
Interest Inventory
Reading Interest Inventory
Planning Think Sheet
Composing (The Act of Writing)
Conferencing
Ways for Teachers to Respond to Writing
Revising
Revising Checklist Example
Editing
Editing Checklist Examples
Publishing
Activities to Motivate Reluctant Writers
Summary
Self-Reflection Activity

Chapter 4 Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
What Is Phonological and Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic Awareness Tasks and Explicit Phonemic Awareness Instruction Activities
Phoneme Matching
Phoneme Isolation
Phoneme Blending and Segmenting
Hands-On Activities
Elkonin Sound Boxes
Bridging Phonemic Awareness to Phonics
Explicit Phonics Instruction Activities
Using Elkonin Boxes
Blending Activity with Onsets and Rimes
Making Words
Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping
Summary
Survey of Knowledge

Chapter 5 Fluency
What Is Fluency?
Factors Contributing to Fluency
Prosody
Calculating Reading Fluency
Monitoring Reading Fluency
Calculating the Student’s Accuracy
Fluency and Comprehension
Theory of Automaticity
Activities That Build Fluency
Teacher-Student Assisted Reading
Partner, Paired, or “Buddy” Reading
Tape/Computer-Based Assisted Reading
Reader’s Theater
Reader’s Theater Weekly Activity
Summary

Chapter 6 Vocabulary
Introduction
Struggling Readers and Vocabulary
Stages and Degrees of Word Knowledge
Choosing Which Words to Teach
What Is the Difference Between Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Words?
Which Words Do I Teach?
Why the Dictionary Alone Is Not Enough
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction
Active Engagement
Memory/Concentration (Vocabulary Match)
Word Jars
Word Walls
Content Area Vocabulary—Math: Student Knowledge Rating Checklist
“Hippy Homophones”
Four-Square Vocabulary
Word Learning Strategies
Morphemic Analysis
Morphemic Analysis Teaching Guidelines
Morphemic Analysis Process
Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefix Lesson Design
Contextual Analysis
Types of Contexts Clues
Activity
Using Think-Alouds to Model How to Use Context Clues
Summary
Self-Reflection Activity

Chapter 7 Comprehension
Importance of Building Comprehension
Factors That Cause Comprehension Difficulty
Research-Based Comprehension Instruction
Self-Monitoring Comprehension Strategies
Self-Monitoring Prompts
Summarizing
Somebody Wanted But So (SWBS)
Sentence-Phrase-Word
Get the Gist
Graphic Organizer
Recognize Story Structure
Story Map
Answer and Generate Questions
Incorporate Different Levels of Questions
Help Students Learn How to Answer Questions
Summing It All Up

Appendix
San Diego Quick Assessment
San Diego Quick Assessment—Record Form
San Diego Quick Assessment—Student Material
Sample REOL 630 Literacy Case Study

References

“In various chats and in our textbooks, there are many wonderful ideas for lessons and formative and summative assessments that I’m going to try in my classroom next year.”
Anonymous Student

“I used the new information learned through textbook readings to reflect and evaluate student learning as well as instructional practice. I also used the information from my textbooks to catalyze my own professional growth beyond this course.”
Anonymous Student

“The readings from the Diagnosing Literacy Problems textbook also helped me see how students develop differently and gave strategies to how we support those students.”
Anonymous Student

“Through the textbook and applying the experiences from this course to real life have allowed me to teach an effective lesson to my case study student.”
Anonymous Student

“In addition to the case study research, Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies That Work was a very helpful tool during this class. The text introduced me to new assessments, writing strategies, basic phonics activities, and reading fluency and comprehension tips. This text included information on student learning differences and how to meet each student’s individual needs.”
Anonymous Student

“The Chambers text really breaks down how to diagnose reading and writing problems as well as strategies to use during lessons to help students.”
Anonymous Student

“Through our weekly chat and reading in the Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies that Work text, I also learned of the importance of administering inventories and self-perception surveys to determine other factors that impact reading and writing problems.”
Anonymous Student

“Throughout this course (chats and Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies that Work), we have discussed the importance of reading fluently and the impact this has on overall reading ability. While I knew somewhat what fluency was prior to taking this course, this course did deepen my understanding of this concept. I specifically learned that prosody, accuracy, and speed all contribute to fluency. I have taken this knowledge of fluency and applied it to my own classroom through the use of the program Reading Plus.”
Anonymous Student

“I was able to learn about strategies, materials, and programs that are effective in diagnosing reading and writing problems in the readings of the books Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies that Work and Words Their Way. I learned a great deal on comprehension (chapter 7 of Diagnosing Literacy Problems) and factors that can cause comprehension difficulty. I learned many new strategies to help build comprehension skills such as Get the Gist, and SWBS.”
Anonymous Student

“Another example of research conducted during this course for the purposes of learning more strategies for teaching reading and writing was with reading Diagnosing Literacy Problems: Finding Strategies that Work. From this text, I learned strategies to help my students in all areas of literacy like fluency, phonics, comprehension and vocabulary. This text also included examples and explanations of the assessments we gave to complete the case study. Many of the assessments and strategies discussed in this text were useful in my own classroom and will be utilized in my future reading groups.”
Anonymous Student

“The Chambers book talked about assessment. Assessment is another way to diagnose reading and writing problems. I did not know there were so many ways to do assessment—especially self-assessment—and I did not know it was as important as it was.  I would really like to use closing thoughts in my classroom someday.  I like the idea of giving the students reflective sentence starters.  This way the struggling students will have a springboard to get them started.  I also really like this because not only does it give me as the teacher good information about their reading and writing problems, but it also gives the students information as well.  They may know they are struggling, but they may not reflect and think about what they are struggling with, until the teacher makes them think about it.  Also, if they are embarrassed about it, the closing thoughts are something they do not have to share with anyone.  Assessment is a great strategy to diagnose reading and writing problems and I never knew it could be used in so many different ways!”
Anonymous Student

“The chapter on writing strategies in the Chambers book gave me some very good ideas for helping students who struggle with writing.  There are also many strategies in that chapter that I would like to implement.  It really helps that there were strategies given in every stage of writing so that if a student in struggling just in one specific part of the writing process, there are some strategies to help him.  Also, I loved the activities to motivate reluctant writers because sometimes students need that feedback and praise from their peers and there are many ways to get that.  My favorites were the author’s chair, inviting guest authors and a message board.”
Anonymous Student

“I thought your book was an excellent additional bonus to your class.  It provided strategies and information that can be easily implemented in our classrooms.  It is definitely one of the few books that you should not sell back, but rather keep as a teaching tool for the future!”
Anonymous Student