Reading Education
Directions: Answer each discussion question in 150 words and each response in 100 words, must use intext citation for discussion questions.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using technologies to support literacy instruction? Provide resource links as necessary.
2. Literacy development can be supported through discussion. Explain two creative ways a teacher can integrate discussion in the classroom to help with literacy fluency and comprehension.
Discussion Questions Responses
1. Instructor Response : During the pandemic, many schools have turned to virtual learning for students, even primary age students. Can reading and writing be effectively taught virtually to these students?
Response to Question 1
2. Kaityln wrote :During the pandemic, many schools have turned to virtual learning for students, even primary age students. Can reading and writing be effectively taught virtually to these students?
Response to Question 2
3. Christopher wrote: Dialogue among students helps to create meaning and understanding for them. Through conversations and questioning we are able to probe deeper into texts or lesson content and share our ideas with one another (Burke, 2000). Putting students into partner pairings or small groups for discussion about a content topic, problem, or question gives students opportunities to make deeper connections and help each other learn together. After collaborating in small groups or pairs, the full class can be brought back together to share what all they’ve learned and compare/contrast ideas or questions that have been raised. I find this to be an effective instructional strategy in my classroom, and you can change up the groups or pairs in order to create different dynamics of learning that will help students grow. I have smaller class sizes this year, due to some students being virtual, so a lot of what I do is assign independent work and then reconvene with the full group to share our findings and generate further discussion. In some cases, I’ll use pairs or groups of three before reconvening the entire class.
Taking time with students to introduce essential questions about the instructional or lesson content helps students understand their role within the learning process, within the classroom, and within their society. Through teacher-led dialogue in the classroom, we can encourage our students to understand not only what we are learning about, but why. These types of conversations can certainly be done through group discussion and open debate, but they may also be conducted through student writing projects or a combination of both. By discussing the ways in which our ideas, skills, or learning content are seen as essential, we encourage students to become reflective learners and see how the texts we read have personal value to them (Burke, 2000).
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