We're focusing on reading for meaning during readers' workshop. Our focus has been on character development and using skills like visualizing, making connections, and predicting as we get to understand the main characters we read about. Our goal is to read beyond what the author has told us and be able to make inferences that will allow us to imagine and even put ourselves in various characters shoes. This work is all focused with a greater sense of comprehension in mind.
We've also begun literature circles in some guided reading groups. This is super exciting as readers are assigned specific roles they are held accounted for throughout the reading process. Even more exciting is that these roles help to emphasize comprehension as well as develop engaging conversations among one another discussing feelings and thoughts about the book being read.
We've also explored with our first close read activity this week as a class. Small groups were given short passages to read. This is another activity that drives comprehension through reading the text three different times-each with a direct purpose. Your child was given a guiding question to think about while reading. Guiding questions get your child thinking above and beyond (outside the box if you will).
First read: reading for general understanding then discuss
Second read: reading again looking for key words that relate to guiding question.
Third read: reading for meaning. Reading while highlighting supporting details or examples that support their answer to the guiding question. Proving their response.
In the end, students are independently writing a constructed response answering the guiding question. The conversations are outstanding throughout this process as well as the sense of respect and team work. I am so proud of your second grader!
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