Exploring Literacy Buzz Words Part II

I am enamored with the term “scaffolding.” It’s so literal. Scaffolding refers to teaching strategies that support the student as he or she tries to understand a text by teaching them how to read it and internalize it. My struggling readers are the ones who absolutely need this kind of support, but all of my students will benefit from these strategies. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm explains these strategies include: extracting essential information from a text, creating vocabulary lists, visualizing, questioning, anticipating are all scaffolds for students as they explore a text and comprehend it. “Teachers can support and scaffold students’ use of reading strategies through think-alouds, periodic questioning, and other techniques that help students discover and use the reading strategies that successful readers use every time they read.” (Wilhelm, 5)

What I find most intriguing about my students who have difficulty with reading is the one thing they all seem to have in common–an inability to visualize what they are reading. This most important cognitive ability is essential to find meaning in reading; you have to see it in your mind’s eye. So, I ask myself, how can I help these students see what they are blind to? One technique I have found successful is to read a text aloud to students who are armed with blank paper and a crayon (it’s the great artistic equalizer as no talent is required to use one) and ask them to draw symbols to represent a character, setting element and plot point. Or, ask students to draw a reflection or interpretation of something they read. There is a step by step lesson plan available on ReadWriteThink: Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy

Don’t underestimate the power of visualization and the difficulty for students who struggle with it. Another helpful technique for these students is to watch the movie before they read the book. This “front loads” images so they have a storehouse of references when they are reading.

Hand-holding, or scaffolding, our students through the reading process will reap great results. Once students have been “spotted” through these kind of techniques and can stand on their own two feet, the teacher can let them go.

References

 

“Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy.” ReadWriteThink. 17 NOV 2007. IRA/NCTE. 17 Nov 2007 <http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=229>.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D.. “Inquiring Minds Learn to Read.” Scholastic Professional Papers 2005 12. 15 NOV 07 <http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/ReadAbout/pdfs/RA_Research_Inquiring_Minds.pdf>.