Module 4: Activity 2

The NRP areas I find to be crucial for student success include Alphabetics, Fluency, and Comprehension.  I do feel that Teacher Education and Reading Instruction, and Computer Technology and Reading Instruction are relevant to education in general, but there are studies that show that parents can be just as effective in tutoring at home, and that computer technology should not be solely leaned on for instruction.  The three areas I mentioned have been explained thoroughly by the NRP in terms of definition and strategy.  One idea mentioned in the phonics instruction section was this, “Teachers must understand that systematic phonics instruction is only one component—albeit a necessary component—of a total reading program; systematic phonics instruction should be integrated with other reading instruction in phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension strategies to create a complete reading program.” Extending off this statement, I think the idea of a complete reading program entails all three areas, Alphabetics, Fluency, and Comprehension, and that all three should be integrated.

The Allington pillars I find to be crucial for student success include Access to interesting texts and choice, Writing and reading have reciprocal positive effects, and Classroom organization.  I disagree with this statement, “Struggling readers need appropriately difficult books in their hands all day long.” This implies that a struggling reader may not be able to comprehend a text that is more difficult. I think a struggling reader, or any learner for that matter,  needs to be exposed to many different types of literature, no matter the difficulty level. Sometimes a variety of exposure is what ignites interest and engagement, especially during read aloud, buddy reading, or self-selection of books.  I also disagree with this statement, “Further, there exists little evidence supporting interventions where the instructional group is larger than 3 students.”  I have had plenty of success with small groups that have four to five students.  No one was there to empirically observe or report it!

I think both NRP and Allington have excellent ideas about reading education and instruction that would benefit student success.  And, I am only an expert in some areas of the literature and in my own classroom experience.  I have seen what techniques worked, tried new things, scrapped practices that were not effective, and learned that each individual child and the class as a whole is dynamic each year.