Sunday, October 10, 2010

Laura Ferrin (3) Assessing Student's LIteracy Development

Quote: "Too often struggling readers pick up books that are too difficult, and when they attempt to read them, they give up in frustration. ... The "three-finger rule" is a quick way to determine whether a book is a good match for a student." (Tompkins, pg. 76)

Comment: I think this rule could do a lot of good in helping me as a teacher to assist my students in finding books appropriate for their level. It is necessary that children find books which are readable, but still a challenge. We want their progression to be an upward climb, but we don't want them to feel as though they have to climb the mountain in a night. By helping our students find books which challenge, but do not frustrate, our students will be more willing readers.

Question: While this method is successful in finding books that are most likely appropriate for my students, what about students like Seth from our readings? He is a wonderful word reader, but struggles in comprehension. A student like him may be able to pass the "three-finger rule" until he reaches a higher level than his comprehension ability. How can we make sure students like him are reading at the correct level?

1 comment:

  1. I agree completely with your comment. I believe that students should be pushed but not to the point of frustration. Choosing appropriate reading materials that match a student's reading level is critical in trying to motivate the student to continue to reading. Thank you so much for your comment.

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