Cathy Boerner LTM 631 Response #4 Response to Integrating Evidence-Based Practices In Middle Science Reading PALScience is an evidence-based practice

intended to strengthen the comprehension of science-based text among middle school students. As pointed out in this article, the comprehension of science text requires a different strategy than that of other forms of text. Many new concepts and words are introduced at the same time, and usually within dense, concise paragraphs. Middle school is the age where a literacy transition occurs. Students are beginning to switch from learning to read to reading to learn (Kroeger, 2009). Reading from a science textbook can be a painstaking process and often times it is difficult to gather what the main point is after reading a paragraph or two. PALScience offers a peer-mediated strategy for middle school students to learn to become better at reading science text. Teachers pair up students based on their abilities, pairing a higher-level reader with a lower-level reader. The students take turns being the coach and the reader while each reading the same text in succession. One student reads aloud for five minutes while the student whos turn it is to be coach listens and provides assistance if needed. The coach gives points to the reader every time they read a part of the text correctly, or when they correct themselves. Then the coach becomes the reader and the student who previously read becomes the coach. By the time the two students have each finished reading the text, they are to create a main statement for the text and write it in their journals for future study use. During PALScience the teacher moves about the room, making observations and assessing the students engagement and comprehension. This practice has proven to

work. As evidenced by this article, students might not become more interested in reading science text, but they at least improve their skills by using this approach. The thinking is, while students are able to engage in something very appealing, which is to interact with other students, they are meanwhile being provided a learning opportunity that will help improve their ability to understand the course work given to them. This approach seems to work because of the premise that science is meant to be a meaning-making process, a chance to explore and inquire. It is a time to hypothesize and predict, not listen to a lecture and read from text and be expected to memorize concepts, words, and definitions. Allowing students to engage in a peer-mediated activity gives them the chance to take control of their learning. Students with difficulties are able to practice their reading with a more skilled reader and learn strategies for understanding what is being read. There seems to be no feeling of superiority, because both students take turns as coach and reader. Students might not learn to enjoy reading science text more, but evidence proves that they are more engaged during PALScience and their comprehension improves. As the teachers within this article point out, the best way to use PALScience is to make it just one method among others for students to use when they want. It is important to provide students with choice and flexibility. It is also important to use this method as a framework for building eventual independent interaction around science text (Kroeger, 2009). Something that PALscience provides is the strategy of self-monitoring while thinking. Acquiring this strategy allows students a greater sense of efficacy as they are learning to think about their learning and become more confident reading science text independently.

It seems that this type of intervention can benefit struggling readers in other classes as well. For example, it can be just as difficult to comprehend math concepts and I think peer-mediation is a great method for practicing reading math text. Whats great about this style of intervention is that it is meant to be used class-wide and has the potential to greatly help students with disabilities. It is an intervention that has the same framework of other peer-mediated practices that Ive observed in early education classrooms where student interaction is more emphasized than it is in older grades. It was meaningful to read this article because I had tremendous difficulty comprehending science text while in both middle and high school. It was an agonizing experience every night I was required to read a chapter of science. I dont believe I ever actually read any of the chapters. I think I sat and stared at the text, hoping something would eventually make sense but eventually I would give up out of complete frustration. Its embarrassing to admit because I love gaining information on my own, but Ive learned to equate school science with non-understandable science. If I ever teach middle school science, I will definitely use the PALScience method as well as other peer-mediated practices. As the article suggests, it is a highly effective way to observe students becoming engaged as they interact with them concepts you want them to learn.