Challenging Talented Readers

Sally ReisUniversity of Connecticut

www.gifted.uconn.edu/semr

Three Goals of the Schoolwide Enrichment

Model Reading (SEM-R)

To increase enjoyment in reading To encourage students to pursue

challenging independent reading To improve reading fluency,

comprehension, and increase reading achievement

Three-Legged Stool

• Renzulli (1977)– Enrichment Triad Model

• Vygotsky (1962) – Zone of Proximal Development

• National Reading Panel (2000) – Need for further research

Three-Legged Stool

• Renzulli (1977)– Enrichment Triad Model

• Vygotsky (1962) – Zone of Proximal Development

• National Reading Panel (2000) – Need for further research

Talented Readers If the environment presents

no such [challenging] tasks to the adolescent, makes no new demands on him, and does not stimulate his intellect by providing a sequence of new goals, his thinking fails to reach the highest stages, or reaches them with great delay.

Vygotsky

E. M. Forster, English novelist

… the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have gone ourselves.

Do any of you remember reading instruction when

you were in school?Choral reading;

Waiting to read;

Waiting for others to

catch up..

“I mumbled that I was sorry and retired meditating upon my crime.”

Scout

Scout reads from the local paper in kindergarten. Miss Caroline forbids Scout to let Atticus teach her to read anymore. Miss Caroline tells her she can not read at home anymore. When Miss Caroline forbids her to continue reading, Scout realizes how important it is to her: "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."

Components of the SEM-R Framework

Phase 1 - Exposure

Phase 2 - Training & Self-Selected

Reading

Phase 3 - Interest & Choice

Components• High-interest books

to read aloud• Higher-order

thinking probing questions

• Bookmarks for teachers with questions regarding Bloom's Taxonomy, biography, character, illustrations and other topics relevant to the study of literature

Training and discussions on Supported Independent Reading

Supported Independent Reading

One-on-one teacher conferences on reading strategies and instruction

Bookmarks for students posing higher-order questions regarding character, plot, setting, considering the story, and other useful topics.

Introducing creative thinking

Exploring the Internet

Genre studiesLiterary explorationResponding to books

Investigation centers

Focus on biographies

Buddy readingBooks on tapeLiterature circles Creative or expository writing

Type III investigations

Type I Activities Type II ActivitiesType II & Type III

Investigations

I ncreasi n

g d

egree o

f stud

ent s elec ti o

n

Focus of SEM-R• Joy in reading

• Reading above level

• Acknowledging and celebrating students’ interests

• Conversations about reading

Phase 1 Components• Read Alouds/Hooks• Scaffolding of Thinking

Skills• Book Discussions

– Book Selection: • Genres• Themes• Fiction/Nonfiction

B

O

O

K

H

O

O

K

S

Reading StrategiesMaking

ConnectionsMaking

ConnectionsMaking

Connections

Determining Importance

Determining Importance

Determining Importance

Questioning Questioning Questioning

Visualizing Visualizing/

Sensory Images

Visualizing & Inferring

Making Inferences

Making Inferences

Summarizing Synthesizing Synthesizing

Metacognition

Paris, 2004 Keene & Zimmerman, 1997 Harvey & Goudvis, 2000

Phase Two Goals

• Students will . . .Enjoy reading books of their own selectionRead appropriately challenging books (1 to

1.5 above their current reading level)Develop self-regulation skills to enable

them to read appropriately challenging books for at least 25-35 minutes each day

Have individualized reading instruction that is tailored to each student’s needs

Self-Regulated LearningZimmerman (1989) defines self-regulated learning as involving the regulation of three general aspects of academic learning.

First, self-regulation of behavior• active control of various resources students have available- such as time,

study environment-where they study• use of peers and faculty members to help

Second, self-regulation of motivation and affect • controlling and changing motivational beliefs such as self-efficacy and goal

orientation• controlling emotions and affect in ways that improve their learning.

Third, self-regulation of cognition• control of various cognitive strategies for learning such as the use of deep

processing strategies for better learning and increased performance.

Making Inferences

Making Inferences

Making Connections (T-W)

Knowledge

Synthesis

Making Connections (T-S)

Conferences provided:• Support for each student and differentiated instruction

– Enthusiasm about books– Reading skill development and strategies– Interest-based reading opportunities– Self-regulation/monitoring– Literary skill development

• Opportunity to assess reading level and book match and find optimal challenge level

• Opportunities to use higher order thinking skill questions

• Differentiation for all students in skills, questions, and book selection

Weekly Book Hook Theme Ideas

• Historical Themes applied to: (WW2, Hiroshima,

Gold Rush, Pioneering, Colonialism)• Struggle and Conflict• Power• Culture and Diversity • Gender Issues• Abstract Themes (hate, love, peace, inhumanity

to others…)

www.CarolHurst.com/subjects/subjects.html

Weekly Theme: Prejudice

Day 1

Dr. King uses interesting words in his speeches. [Give one example] How would you have said the same thing?

For what purpose should someone read these books? (MC text to self)

(MC text to text)

Day 2

Why did Dr. King’s sister decide to write a book about her brother? Did Marian Anderson’s personality contribute to her success or failure?

(Making Inferences)

(MC text to text)

Day 3

How do the events in the passages from these two books relate to what was going on in the world during the stories’ time periods?

What questions do you have about the time period in which these books took place?

What kind of text could you use to find answers to your questions?

(MC text to world)

(Questioning)

(MC text to text)

Day 4

As I read from this book, I want you to try to picture in your mind one of the characters and the setting in which he or she lived.

(Visualization)

DAY 5

Today’s books are different from the books we’ve book talked about earlier this week, but they have a similar theme. How are they different?

(MC text to text)

(Synthesis)

Phase 3

Self-selected interest and choice

components

Components of the SEM-R Framework

Phase 1 - Exposure

Phase 2 - Training & Self-Selected

Reading

Phase 3 - Interest & Choice

Components• High-interest books

to read aloud• Higher-order

thinking probing questions

• Bookmarks for teachers with questions regarding Bloom's Taxonomy, biography, character, illustrations and other topics relevant to the study of literature

Training and discussions on Supported Independent Reading

Supported Independent Reading

One-on-one teacher conferences on reading strategies and instruction

Bookmarks for students posing higher-order questions regarding character, plot, setting, considering the story, and other useful topics.

Introducing creative thinking

Exploring the Internet

Genre studiesLiterary explorationResponding to books

Investigation centers

Focus on biographies

Buddy readingBooks on tapeLiterature circles Creative or expository writing

Type III investigations

Type I Activities Type II ActivitiesType II & Type III

Investigations

I ncreasi n

g d

egree o

f stud

ent s elec ti o

n

Choice Opportunities- Phase 3

Books on CD

Group Projects

Buddy Reading

Literature Circles

Creativity Activities

Investigation Centers

Independent Projects

SEM-Xplorations

Renzulli Learning

Independent Projects

• Build on student interest• Encourage independence• Allow work with complex and abstract ideas• Enable long-term and in-depth work on topics

of interest• Develop task commitment and self-regulation• Teach planning and research skills at

advanced levels

The Total Talent Portfolio

SEM-R ResultsOver 6 years--Different Elementary and Middle

SchoolsSignificant differences favoring the SEM-R

treatment group over the Control Group

Attitudes toward Reading

Reading Fluency

Reading Comprehension

For more information

See our special web page on SEM-R

www.gifted.uconn.edu/semr

Attend the next session!

Book (at cost only)

www.creativelearningpress.com

Webpage address: www.gifted.uconn.edu/SEMR

SEM-R--After School Program 6 weeks--two sessions each week for 90 minutes for students of all levels.

Reading Fluency Test Scores for Talented Readers before and after the SEM-R Intervention

Pre RFT Post RFT

Beth 132 153 Brad 119 143

Carrie 123 129 Harry 131 160 Luz 118 124

SEM-R--After School Program

Reading Fluency Test Scores for Talented Reader before and after the SEM-R Intervention

Beth 21 pointsBrad 24 pointsHarry 39 points

Reading Fluency Scores (students at the 90th percentile)

Increase in Grade 3-Fall (130)

Winter (147)Spring (163)

Increase 33 points

(Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2005)

Differences between SEM-R and other Reading Programs

• Focus on the joy and student interest in reading• Increasing levels of challenge in reading• Can be used in conjunction with other programs• Increased self-regulation in reading• Teacher choice and independence• Deeper more complex conversations about reading• Higher level thinking skills and questioning• Individualized instruction on a regular basis 2-4 times each

week during Phase 2• Freedom (teachers and students) to choose activities and

reading!

The Right Match

—4th grade treatment teacher

In the beginning my kids looked at me as if I had two heads when I took the books away from them and told them that they were reading a book that was too easy for them.

-5th grade treatment teacher

The individual conferences were so helpful. My average to above average readers really surprised me. They went beyond what I ever thought they could do with advanced thinking skills and questioning skills.

4th grade treatment

teacher

In the beginning, I did not realize how much middle of the road reading instruction I did and how few of my kids I really challenged.

In the SEM-R, the focus was not on me teaching, but

rather on them learning. I did not have to spend

hours on a lesson plan. Instead, I spent my time

thinking of what to read to my students to get them excited about reading.

3rd grade treatment teacher

The individualized reading was so enjoyable. I found the basal program brutally boring! The same activities each day followed by the same kinds of questions. The same worksheets each day were mind-numbing. I hated it! I loved doing the individualized stuff.3rd grade treatment

teacher

Teacher Reactions

5th grade treatment teacher

At first, I just wanted them to finish a book. Then I became more confident and would say, Come on now, that is just too easy for you. They would smile, because they knew I was right.

In the SEM-R, our focus was on helping children shift from LEARNING TO READ to READING TO LEARN!

Implications and Future Research

QuestionsIs the SEM-R more effective in urban schools than in suburban or rural schools?

Can we implement in an after-school enriched reading program to increase reading achievement ?

Can we implement in schools in which others are coaching that we have trained at UCONN?

A rising tide lifts all ships…

A focus of our work is to increase enrichment opportunities and achievement for all students and this focus is respected in the SEM-R.

WHAT’S NEXT?

For more information, contact:

www.gifted.uconn.edu/semr

Thank you!