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40th Annual CRLA Conference - Portland, Oregon - Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2007
3 Hour Pre-Conference Institute


Presentation Title:

Helping Struggling Readers Become Wonderful Readers (And Nothing Less)!

Presentation Description:

Let’s focus on the “why” (theory), the “what” (methodology), and the “how” (practical application). An overview will be presented including accuracy, fluency, and comprehension in a constructivist approach based upon reading theory and process learning theory. This is a productive, interactive, hands-on workshop to eliminate reading struggles. It might even be fun!

Institute/Session Summary:

Presentation Objectives and Format

Participants will have an understanding of the theories that drive an integrative method of helping struggling readers.

Beyond theoretical knowledge, participants will have an understanding of how to use the theories presented in a practical application.

Participants will find this information highly appropriate and productive for helping college students who struggle with reading.

This will be an interactive lecture with video and audio clips and “hands-on” exercises.

 

Instructional Materials, Description, and Agenda

A PowerPoint presentation with matching handouts has been created in order to encourage discussion and challenge the thinking of the participants.

The ultimate goal for a reader is to comfortably understand anything he or she reads, as long as the reader has enough prior knowledge to make sense of the text!

This workshop teaches and demonstrates the importance of applying Reading Theory to Process Learning Theory when designing appropriate interventions for struggling readers. The focus includes a practical application that is driven by the theories and methods presented.

Reading Theory: comfortably understanding text using an appropriate integration of the information we already possess. This information includes not only general knowledge of the world, but also (1) semantics, (2) syntax, (3) visual cues, and (4) critical thinking skills that allow for both learning to read and reading to learn.

Process Learning Theory, applied to reading: compelling the learner to (1) experience wonderful reading and then (2) guiding the learner to experiment with the strategies he or she was compelled to use.

 

INTEGRATED READING METHOD (IRM)
WORKSHOP AGENDA

INTRODUCTION

  • Learning to Read versus Reading to Learn

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Cueing Systems and their Components
  • Identifying Wonderful Readers and Benchmark Connections
  • Self Esteem and Struggling Readers

READING THEORY AND PROCESS LEARNING THEORY

  • Causing an Experience of Competent Reading
  • Allowing a Reader to Experiment with New Strategies
  • Combining Theories

BREAK TUTORING: PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  • Tutoring
  • Methodology and Flow Chart Exercise
  • Video Demonstration and a chance to practice

ASSESSMENT

  • Listening for Symptoms and Addressing the Problem
  • A New Look at “Running Records” as an Assessment Tool
  • Video Demonstration and a chance to practice

CONCLUSION

  • Criteria for Choosing Materials: Assessing and Tutoring
  • Comments/Concerns/Ideas/Insights of Participants


Presenter1 Name: Jill Schwimmer
Presenter1 Institution: Northwest Christian College and Reading World, Inc.
Presenter1 Bio: Jill Schwimmer, Ph.D. is the owner of Reading World, Inc., a consulting, tutoring, and training company. She is an Associate Professor of Education at the Northwest Christian College. She works with school-wide literacy programs in Lane County and throughout Oregon. Jill has had 15 years of experience as both a researcher and practitioner in reading and writing literacy. During the past six years, she has focused on developing a system for helping struggling readers of all ages. She has helped hundreds of students, including those with dyslexia, attention challenges, and other learning disabilities eliminate their reading problems. Her presentations are passionate and professional. Some even say humorous, and more important, all say "time well spent!"

College Reading & Learning Association Conference 2007 Presentations
Questions to Conference Chair: Rick A. Sheets, Ed. D. at rick.sheets@pvmail.maricopa.edu
Last update on: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 7:20 AM