How the Brain Learns to Read

Below you’ll find an extremely simplified diagram of what happens in the brain when we learn to read.

Adams, M. J. (2011). The relation between alphabetic basics, word recognition, and reading. In S. Samuels & A. Farstrup (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (pp. 4-24).

It’s Reflection Time Again, You’re Gonna Leave Me

I know it’s silly, but as my students leave each day I sing to them (decidedly off key), “Oh, it’s crying time again, you’re gonna’ leave me.”  Many of them beam with joy that I’m going to miss them.

It’s that time of the school year for reflection–for us and for our students.  Here’s a visual created by Peter Pappas for a taxonomy of reflection that would be helpful for all of us.  Read more about it on his blog.

 

Characteristics of Poor Readers / Successful Readers

Reading strategically

Characteristics of Poor Readers        

  • Thinks understanding occurs from “getting the words right,” rereading
  • Use strategies such as rote memorization, rehearsal, simple categorization
  • Are poor strategy uses
    • They do not think strategically about how to read something or solve a problem
    • They do not have an accurate sense of when they have good comprehension readiness for assessment
  • Have relatively low self-esteem.
  • See success and failure as the result of luck or teacher bias.

Characteristics of Successful Readers

  • Understand that they must take responsibility for construction meaning using their prior knowledge.
  • Develop a repetoire of reading strategies, organizational patterns, and genre.
  • Are good strategy users:
    • They think strategically, plan, monitor their comprehension, and revise their strategies.
    • They have strategies for what to do when they do not know what to do.
  • Have self-confidence that they are effective learners; see themselves as agents able to actualize their potential.

Source:  http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/str_read; 23 Oct. 2001

Sit Still & Be Quiet No More!

Sit still and be quiet!

This morning I was reading some research about reading and came across some information about how our brains turn print into language. The idea that sent fireworks exploding in my brain is the very last step when words receive meaning: ”Reading a word such as stagger, limp, or tiptoe activates the motor areas in the brain that are involved in controlling the legs and feet, whereas reading a word such as chop or carve activates those controlling the hands. Whereas understanding a sentence about eating activates the areas related to gustatory sensations, understanding a visual description activates areas of the visual cortex (Adams, 2011, p. 8).

How cool is that!  The next step is a response or completed circuit.  Doesn’t that just give us all the more reason to include kinetic learning in our reading repetoire?

Samuels, J. & Farstrup, A., Editors (2011). What research has to say about reading instruction.  Neward, DE:  International Reading Association.