Shelby Williams

Student Teaching Spring 2016

Frenchtown In-Service Meeting Reflection
2/16/2016
I was lucky enough during my Student Teaching experience to sit in on the 2nd grade
teacher meeting regarding reading fluency intervention techniques for below or at risk students.
The group of five teachers discussed and organized the Walk to Read groups for the upcoming
quarter and the related curriculum.
First, the teachers brought out DIBELS scores, and STAR test scores and discussed what
those meant (these are examples of progress monitoring). It was noted which students were at,
above, or below benchmark (including percentages) and what reading interventions would need
to be in place for that student to continue to grow or increase their successfulness in their
assigned reading group.
They also talked about how students were scored and what the highest and lowest scores
needed to be considered satisfactory (S or S+ on the grade scale) and not intensive (N/U on the
grade scale). Students are given quarterly tests to test their fluency and comprehension, as well
as other factors that can contribute to active reading. Based on these scores, students were split
up into reading groups beginning first quarter and then assessed each quarter there after. Every
other week they are taken for progress monitoring to determine if they have improved enough to
be moved to a higher level reading group, or if they are struggling and need to be moved down to
better meet their needs and learning styles.
Considering the classroom I was placed in holds the second lowest reading group among
the five second grades, we do have students that qualify, or are currently being tested for, Special
Education and Title/Resource services during our reading time. This proved to be an important
conversation piece at this meeting because it would have a significant impact on where that child
was placed for third grade. This included their teacher placement and how they would approach
reading and continue their progress, all with a new curriculum, upon starting 3rd grade. In our
group, we were highly focused on improving accuracy, and most importantly, fluency with our
students. By the time they are in 3rd grade, chapter books and higher level comprehension
strategies are the focus during reading. Its important to discuss the measures being taken now
and how we can carry them over to a new year to ensure success when they no longer have these
support systems in place.
The main focus in our Walk to Read group is improving fluency. We also work on
increasing their knowledge and quickness of sight words and we stress using their reading and
decoding strategies. These strategies include silent final E, taking off word endings, ed,
ing, cutting the word between consonants, looking back in the book, skipping the word, and
using context cluesect..
We have 5 varying reading levels from Intervention all the way up to Excelled. In an
intervention level, the focus is mainly on sounding out words letter by letter, putting syllables
together, and making smooth transitions. In an Excelled setting, they are doing research on
chapter books and authors, and then writing a book report every few weeks on a book and/or
author of their choosing. Every week or two they change genres of reading so there is new
experience reading unknown topics and researching across the spectrum of writing styles. Some
parents know our system and how groups are set up. They know which reading group their child
is placed in and make it well known to the child, as well as other students in the grade, in attempt

to motivate them to succeed. The teachers felt this was a problem and wanted to brain storm
how to address children who bring this up and how to validate their concerns and questions about
their reading level. It was decided that we would say Weve mixed up the groups. As teachers
we like to see different readers in our groups! And its based on where you are going to be the
best reader you can be! It is the teachers hope that students confidence and abilities will grow
when they are placed in the appropriate reading group.
After I attended this meeting I realized that I have a lot to learn about reading
interventions. As a new teacher this meeting was invaluable in showing me how much more
there is to reading than they can read or they cant read. It involves accuracy, can students read
with expression or be fluent in their reading, can they recognize sight words and diagraphs while
reading, or do they come to natural pauses when they encounter periods. These are things I never
thought of when teaching reading and this will have to be a subject in which I am constantly
working to improve. I loved learning and hearing from experienced teachers all that is involved
in a successful reading program and now know what is required of me so my students can
receive the best in reading strategies and succeed in this important aspect of Elementary
Education.