Building On Readers’ Strengths

Building On Readers’ Strengths

“Instead of assessing to find what the student can’t do, and then teaching to a deficit, I find what the student is already able to do and I teach to move the student, always linking the new information with what is known.” -Jennifer Serravallo, Teaching Reading in Small Groups, p. 10

At Hawthorne LAB School, thinking about a reader’s strengths isn’t just something we think is a good idea - it’s one of the core beliefs that defines our team.  The “B” in LAB stands for Build On Strengths. This year we are focused on increasing academic achievement by growing our practices connected to small group instruction. Both small group instruction and building on learners’ strengths are at the core of our Theory of Action.

How are teachers thinking about readers and their strengths at Hawthorne LAB? Here are a few ways…

Analysis of Running Records - Is the reader using one or a combination of meaning, syntax, or visual information at the point of error? What strategic behaviors is the reader using if/when he/she self-corrects?

Intentional Planning for Small Groups - Using what we notice from our anecdotal notes from small groups/conferring, as well as the information we get from running record analysis to intentionally plan next steps that build on what our readers are showing they already have control of.

Reading Conferences - Observing and noticing what the reader is doing, giving the reader specific positive feedback on what the reader is doing well.

SDW Reading Continuums - Using this tool to highlight where students are at, based on what they are already able to do, and what their next instructional steps are.

Collaboration with Specialists - Classroom teachers, special ed. teachers, interventionists and specialists collaborate around student strengths and share instructional strategies to promote transfer for our readers.

As we meet with readers in our literacy classrooms,

let’s consider the following questions:

What is my student showing me he/she can already do?

Where is the student at with his/her learning of ________?

How can I build on what the student already knows?

What is my next instructional step based on what I know this student is able to do?

How can I use my anecdotal notes/running records to intentionally plan instructional next steps for my readers?

Does my feedback help the reader notice and name strategies he/she is able to use independently?