Challenging Talented Readers

Sally Reis University 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
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

Phase 2 - Training & Self-Selected Reading

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.

Phase 3 - Interest & Choice Components

Introducing creative thinking Exploring the Internet Genre studies Literary exploration Responding to books Investigation centers Focus on biographies Buddy reading Books on tape Literature circles Creative or expository writing Type III investigations

Type I Activities

Type II Activities

Type II & Type III Investigations

 Joy in reading Reading above level Acknowledging and celebrating students interests Conversations about reading

Focus of SEM-R

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 Strategies
Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Visualizing Making Inferences Summarizing Metacognition
Paris, 2004

Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Visualizing/ Sensory Images Making Inferences Synthesizing
Keene & Zimmerman, 1997

Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Visualizing & Inferring

Synthesizing
Harvey & Goudvis, 2000

Phase Two Goals

Students will . . . Enjoy reading books of their own selection Read 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 students needs

Self-Regulated Learning
Zimmerman (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 availablesuch 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 selfefficacy 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.

Knowledge

Making Inferences Making Inferences Making Connections (T-S)

Making Connections (T-W) Synthesis

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

www.CarolHurst.com/subjects/subjects.html
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)

Weekly Theme: Prejudice

Day 1

Dr. King uses interesting words in his speeches. [Give one example] How would you have said the same thing? (MC text to self) (MC text to text) For what purpose should someone read these books?

Day 2

Why did Dr. Kings sister decide to write a book about her brother? Did Marian Andersons 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? (MC text to world) What questions do you have about the time period in which these books took place? (Questioning) What kind of text could you use to find answers to your questions? (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
Todays books are different from the books weve 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
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

Phase 2 - Training & Self-Selected Reading

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.

Phase 3 - Interest & Choice Components

Introducing creative thinking Exploring the Internet Genre studies Literary exploration Responding to books Investigation centers Focus on biographies Buddy reading Books on tape Literature circles Creative or expository writing Type III investigations

Type I Activities

Type II Activities

Type II & Type III Investigations

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 Results

Over 6 years--Different Elementary and Middle Schools

Significant 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

Beth Brad Carrie Harry Luz

Pre RFT 132 119 123 131 118

Post RFT 153 143 129 160 124

SEM-R--After School Program

Reading Fluency Test Scores for Talented Reader before and after the SEM-R Intervention
Beth Brad Harry 21 points 24 points 39 points

Reading Fluency Scores (students at the 90th percentile) Increase in Grade 3Fall (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 In the beginning myMatch 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.
4th 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. -5th 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.
4th grade treatment teacher

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

Teacher Reactions
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 mindnumbing. I hated it! I loved doing the individualized stuff.

3rd 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.
5th grade treatment teacher

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

Implications and Future Research Questions

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

A rising tide lifts all ships

WHATS NEXT?

Thank you!
For more information, contact:

www.gifted.uconn.edu/semr