Session+3


 * Session 3: Using Technology Before, During and After Reading **

** How Do you Monitor Student Understanding in the Classroom **?
I utilize several different strategies in this area. They would include:

Think/Write/Pair/Share

3-2-1: (3 things you learned, 2 things you want to know more about, 1 question you have)

Monitoring homework

Writing a Brief reflection on the day's work

Using the Pyramid strategy to asses the three most important things learned and defending your top choice in paragraph form

Providing a summary of the days work to send to an absent student

A short writing piece using content response notes as a guide

**How Might that Practice change as you Implement more Technology?**

Technology provides a number of other strategies for students to use to reflect on their work such as creating a Worldle or slide show as a review of a chapter or unit. I have, in the past, used Google docs to promote a virtual discussion on a topic or document using the comment tab rather than the pair/share or small group discussion. In addition, I think the discussion tab of a wiki will be a very good way for students to interact with one another. Moreover, I look forward to using Crocodoc as another way of marking up a text and Wall Wisher as an alternative way for students to reflect on their work.

**Section 3-2: Summary: Before, During and After Reading Strategies**
Promoting good before, during and after reading strategies helps enhance our students’ ability to become more proficient readers. Initiating the use of different types of strategies for each stage of reading adds to a student’s “tool box” on how to approach reading depending on the subject, difficulty and familiarity with the work. Modeling good strategies for different purposes of reading is also a key component to encourage good reading strategies.

As pre-reading activities, I often use activating prior knowledge and previewing a reading assignment. I encourage students to look at titles, subtitles, pictures, captions, and graphs to help predict what the reading will entail.

During reading students are encouraged to ask questions and make connections as well as comments on the reading. Students are also encouraged to circle words they are unfamiliar with and try to first figure out the meaning from the context or look them up if necessary. Students gain more from their reading when they play an active role.

After reading, I often ask for a summary or reflection on the reading. On occasion an “In your Shoes” type writing piece was assigned where students would assume the role of someone during the time period we were studying. Students who like to draw were often encouraged to create a visual display on what they gained from the reading. Now, with the use of computers, students were able to express their summaries or reflections using digital tools such as Wordles and on occasion a slide show. We have also created political cartoons using such sites as : []**.**

**3-3: Before Reading Activity- Wordle**
What does it seem that Wordle can do for the user? How useful does Wordle seem to be as a before reading strategy for students? What type of learners would benefit from using a Wordle?
 * Wordle can Identify key vocabulary
 * Help organize student ideas about a topic
 * Allow creativity to be used
 * Great way to stimulate prior knowledge on a subject
 * Provides a way to stimulate interest in a topic
 * Excellent for visual learners and those who like to manipulate objects in their work

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Observations:

Connections:
 * The Speech given by Churchill was obviously political in nature because it was given in the House of Commons
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The use of the words; blood, toil, sweat and tears in the title may be an attempt to enhance nationalism and underscore the impact of war
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The fact that the speech was given in the Spring of 1940 indicates the time or Churchill’s rise to power and the disenchantment with Chamberlain’s as a war leader after the loss of Norway to Germany.


 * 3.4 __During Reading Activity - Annotating a Text__**

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Summary** <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">:

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">This was Churchill’s first speech as Prime Minister of Great Britain. This speech was designed to ask for a vote of confidence for his newly formed government by all political factions of government. He displays his dedication to the task of forming a new government in a quote borrowed from Garibaldi which states; “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” Churchill further tries to promote feelings of unity and nationalism among all British people by outlining the “ordeal” they all have to face together to defeat Germany.

**3.5 Top Five Vocabulary - After Reading Activity**

 * <span style="font-family: 'Albertus Extra Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Term: || <span style="font-family: 'Albertus Extra Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Meaning: || <span style="font-family: 'Albertus Extra Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Importance in Speech: ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Urgency || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Requires speedy action || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">In this speech, Churchill is asking the members of the House of Commons to put aside their political differences in order to face the most pressing problem of dealing with German aggression ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Confidence || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Freedom from doubt; trust || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Churchill tried in this speech to prove that he was capable of forming a new government and he asked all political factions for their support ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Ordeal || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Severe or trying experience || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Churchill was trying to increase nationalistic feeling by referring to difficult task before them ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Aim || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Purpose or goal || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Churchill’s use of the term was to unify the British people that the ultimate goal was defeating the Germans ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Survival || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Remain alive || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Churchill stressed that victory was essential if Great Britain was to continue to exist as a free nation ||