~*MsT’s Block Blog*~

Reading Reading Reading :) How it sounds and What it is really saying~ March 1, 2007

Part 1: Informal Assessment of Student’s Language Proficiency Level:

On day one I actually assessed my student by asking him where he felt he was in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. My student rated himself as a 9 on speaking and a 9 on listening on a scale of one to ten, ten being the best. Then today I looked over the assessment packet, and I would pretty much agree. At least so far, I haven’t noticed any listening or speaking difficulties, so I would rate him “near proficient”.

Part 2: Plan for Developing Buddy’s Language Proficiency:
Since day one, I have also asked my buddy what his goals are for this program, and what he would like to take out of this time I spend with him. His comment was that he would like to spend most of the time on reading, but he would teach me spanish here and there too. So other than speaking our regular “what was your weekend like” conversations everytime we meet, he will be trying to explain things from spanish to english for our mutual learnings here. However, with his reading projects we will do, he will learn some new vocabulary within the text that we will go over.

Part 3: Informal Assessment of ELL student’s Reading Proficiency:
My buddy rated himself a seven for both reading and writing in English, and again I would have to agree. We have been reading for the past couple of weeks now, and I have been taking notes on three areas that can use some work. He is doing wonderful by the way, and he is so honest. He really tries and wants to learn, and I admire him for that. The three areas that I have noticed so far that can improve have been: 1)Using different expressions when he reads dialect. 2) Punctuation pauses while reading text, such as taking a slight pause for commas and the end of sentences as well as reading exclamation and questions with more appropriate and non-monotone voices. 3) Fluidity when he reads.

Part 4: Plan for Developing Buddy’s Reading Proficency:
Lastly, the assessments will be through him reading aloud a book of his choice each time we meet. When he reads it out loud, not only will I be able to help him when he doesn’t yet know how to pronounce a word (and I can explain what that word means), but also I will be able to check the three areas I have noticed he could successfully work on in the rest of our meetings this semester. Before leaving today, I went over all of this with him. I asked him to rate himself again, and checked to make sure these were the areas he would like to work on for the rest of the semester (or if he wanted to change it up), but this is what he requested.
Starting next class though, I am also having him bring his textbook so I can show him how to “scan” over the chapter before he reads it. He will look at bold titles, scan for certain key words, read the questions at the end of the chapter as well as chapter summaries. Once he has an idea about what the Chapter is about, we will go back and actually start reading it with meaning and purpose. This will focus more on the actual comprehension of the text rather than just the “sounds” and fluidity of his reading.
–I am doing this to make sure he can apply at least some reading strategy right away in his classes, and not just the strategies he is learning when he reads out loud.
He is doing great so far. He approves and has been really helpful for me as well. I still think I should bring him cookies. haha
Woowoo ELL!