Quote: "Our understanding of texts, on content, structural, and visual levels, guides the way we read and produce future texts. We learn about writing from our past experiences as a reader and a writer. These past experiences guide our writing.... We cobble together our conception of writing within a genre by reading other texts within that genre" (Pahl, p. 32).
As I have thought about this quote. I first of all thought about my fears of teaching reading and writing. Because reading and writing have become so ingrained in me, I worry that I will not know how to teach my students the basics. This quote explains that our experiences as readers and writers build upon each other and are interconnected. As a teacher we must realize that many students have not yet had experiences in reading and writing. In order for them to succeed we must be the ones to give them those experiences that they can later build upon. We must create a classroom full of literacy and opportunities for them to have those special experiences reading a fictional book and then creating a story of their own. I guess it is not as hard as it seems.... we just need to be consistent teachers that continually use scaffolding in teaching words, phonics, reading, and writing.
Question: Each student scaffolds and builds on their reading and writing in different ways. What is the best way to continue that building as an entire class and not have some students get behind or ahead of everyone else?
after reading the quote you choose and thinking about the question you asked, I think one way to build as an entire class would maybe be to actually split the class up into groups, with students of similar abilities being put together. This way, we, as the teachers, can go around and visit each group, focus on what they need to learn, and each group is progressing. The whole class is learning, but each student is getting the help they need, depending on their level. I hope that makes sense. in reaction to your quote, I think it will help beginning writers to know that they can write about their own experiences and lives. I think it makes them more comfortable to write when it holds some meaning to them.
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