Teaching reading comprehension from a Vygotskian perspective · Reading theory •meta-analysis of...
Transcript of Teaching reading comprehension from a Vygotskian perspective · Reading theory •meta-analysis of...
Teaching reading comprehension
from a Vygotskian perspective
PhD project
Yvonne van Rijk
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Prof. dr. Monique Volman Prof. dr. Bert van Oers Dr. Dorian de Haand
• difficulties in understanding discipline-specific content of
texts
• reading comprehension is most frequently taught as a
program-driven whole-class activity with a focus on
reading strategies (PIRLS 2006)
• reading informative texts is considered „dull‟ and
„uninteresting‟ by students and teachers alike
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Problem definition
Reading theory
• meta-analysis of reading research base (Snow, 2002)
• central to effective approaches is: Reading for Meaning (RfM)
• content-based approaches
• definition of Reading Comprehension:
“the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through
interaction and involvement with text” (Snow, 2002, p. 11)
• reading motivation is important
Reading motivation:
• „Engagement perspective‟ (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000)
• Guthrie (2004) has elaborated on motivation distinguishing 5 motivators
• importance of motivation enhancement (Guthrie, McRae & Lutz-Klauda,
2007)
Sociocultural theory
• „Meaning‟ always has 2 dimensions:
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(Van Oers, 2009; John-Steiner, 2002)
personal meaning (sense)
- emotions, motives (affect)
sociocultural meaning
- participation
• Communication with others is the social basis
• Language is the central (cultural) tool
• Reading (and writing) are forms of communication, with speaking
and listening
Meaningful learning is the process connecting a person to the
cultural world as it has developed from history.
Developmental Education (DE)
• Developmental goals
• Engagement and meaningful learning are leading principles
• Community of inquiry (Wells, 2000)
• Reading is driven by students‟ questions
• Reading is personally meaningful (interest) and culturally
meaningful (common purpose of participation in a socio-cultural
practice)
Aim and Research question
The aim of the study is twofold:
• an elaboration of the concept of „meaningful‟ in sociocultural theory
• a description of how RfM is addressed in classroom practice from a
sociocultural perspective
Research question:
• When considering informative texts, how is Reading for Meaning
enacted in schools for DE in fourth-grade classroom practice?
Example of DE classroom practice
Method
Multiple case-study
• participants:
5 experienced 4th grade teachers of DE
• data collection:
interviews, classroom observations, documents (for triangulation)
• data analysis:
qualititave analysis (Atlas.ti 6.2)
Motivational components
(Guthrie, 2004)
• Relevance
• Choice
• Success
• Collaboration
• Integration
Results
Developmental Education
„deeper‟ : + emotions, motives
„richer‟: + participation
- Relevance enhancement precedes reading instruction
- „prepare a bath‟ of Relevance
- provide strategy-instruction when needed
- focus (or „sensitivity‟) towards engagement
Reading for Meaning
interest, prior knowledge, purpose
Relevance
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Developmental Education
- Choice is based on students‟ questions:
students experience having Choice
- Shared Control:
- teacher as a partner
- student „ownership‟ of questions
Reading for Meaning
Shared Control by limited Choice of subtopics and texts
Choice
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Developmental Education
focus and skills for ZPD
diagnose
skillfully adjust to students‟ needs for strategy-instruction
Reading for Meaning
realistic goal setting, appropriate texts,
feedback on successful comprehension
Success
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Developmental Education organic part of sociocultural approach
community of inquiry:
- teacher is a partner
- students are active participants (expert groups)
- read texts written by peers
- classroom conversations
- common purpose
Reading for Meaning
feeling of belonging to a group
Collaboration
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Developmental Education
no distinctive subject-matters
full integration of all activities
around meaningful content, incl.
- developmental goals
- all language activities (reading, writing, talk)
reading instruction and support when needed
reading is a fully integrated, functional activity
Reading for Meaning
reading strategies combined with subject-matters
Integration
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Circle of developmental aims for the
upper elementary grades (Van Oers)
Conclusion
Teaching Reading
Comprehension is
“ a highly dynamic
and opportunistic
proces” (Snow, 2002)
Illustration: Dick Bruna
Reading for Meaning meaning construction refers to conceptual knowledge
building
Sociocultural theory and practice „deeper‟ and „richer‟ interpretation of meaning incl. - emotions and personal motives (affect)
- scope of identity- and cultural development by participation