Teaching Readers is Complex
(and other insights from the Wisconsin State Reading Association conference)
Two years ago, I was walking the halls during the Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) conference and wondered, “How long will it be until we get back together again?”
The answer: two years! The news cycle at the time was reporting that a pandemic was probable. A few weeks later, schools shut down.
Coming back together this week was needed. Professional learning has taken a hit. Zoom was a replacement, but it’s not the same.
Next are some insights from the 2022 WSRA conference.
Perfection is the Enemy of Progress
Dr. Yolanda-Sealey-Ruiz shared the above axiom. It also felt like a thread throughout the conference.
For example, Clare Landrigan differentiated between publishing and going public for student writing.
Going public gives writers a reader at every stage of the writing process.
Prewriting: Sharing topics and process with the group; partner work; structured discussion; mid-workshop teaching point
At the end: Taking turns reading and responding to each other’s work; author’s chair; student-authored book clubs
These opportunities can still be facilitated in digital spaces. Flipgrid, Jamboard, Padlet, and Seesaw are four online tools to support this learning.
Teaching Readers is Complex
Dr. Peter Afflerbach probably gave the best distinction I’ve heard between some people’s understanding of the science of reading and what it actually is.
He and other scholars refer to this concept as the sciences of reading. There is research to support metacognition and reading, motivation & engagement and reading, self-efficacy and reading, etc. But these “sciences” usually get left out of the conversation.
They shouldn’t. As Dr. Afflerbach noted,
“Our best planned and best delivered instruction will not be effective if students are not motivated and engaged.”
Remember the Bigger Reasons for Literacy
Our debates around reading often center around specific practices, and typically what we are not doing.
The presenters reminded us to take a step back and see the forest for the trees.
Dr. Theresa Pedersen recommended quick writes in the content areas to strengthen students’ critical thinking skills. “Writing is thinking!”
Dr. Carole Boston Weatherford is often surprised when she shares research from her picture books and students cannot believe certain events happened.
Georgia Heard spoke about “large scale revision” to help students “re-see” the bigger ideas of what they are writing about: the focus, the heart of the piece.
Pat Zietlow Miller shared her process for writing picture books and started with the inspiring belief: “Everyone has a story (and probably more than one).”
Tricia Ebarvia believes that just having diverse texts in classrooms is not enough. For example, how do these texts counter dominant narratives?
In summary, excellent literacy instruction is both joyful and purposeful. It can be fun and still build students’ skills and capacity for deep thinking.
thanks Matt - this is a great post - we need to remember, as you write "... excellent literacy instruction is both joyful and purposeful. It can be fun and still build students’ skills and capacity for deep thinking. " - thanks for sharing your thoughts!