Summary

Purpose:

• The purpose of this semester was to help me grow as a future educator and to get hands on experience with a student with the strategies and skills we have learned thus far. With this course I was able to learn TPT and ideas of how to motivate students, along with practicing completing assessments. 
• My student wanted and needed to work on comprehension and reading with expression so that was the constant focus of the lessons. In almost every lesson, there was a retell involved so she can practice her comprehension. In one of the activities I had her write a retell and draw a retell picture, so I was able to see what she pictured after reading the passage. Being able to visualize the reading helps greatly with comprehension which was our conversation with that lesson.
• During these tutoring sessions I used many different assessment types. I started on the first day with an interest inventory and a spelling inventory. The next time I did a motivation survey, running record, word sort and a retelling. The following days consisted of a running record, retelling and word sorts (closed and blind). Each of these assessments helped me decide what to do in the next session. Once she showed improvement on comprehension I moved to our next goal, which was reading with expression. Also once she mastered her first set of words for the word sort, both in a closed sort and blind sort, I moved on to the next section she needed improvement on based on her spelling inventory.

Needs of Student:

• Two recommendations I would have for the classroom teacher is to incorporate more comprehension activities for students. Having students write a retell or draw a retell so show that they are retaining information. This will be a good and easy way to assess how much, if any, the student is comprehending and can go from there with instruction. Another recommendation is to try word painting with readings (or even adding some fun scripts). This really is a fun way to get students to recognize adding expression into writing then having visual cues as they read to remind them. Even just doing one activity with my student she added more word painting as she was reading!
• With the two recommendations for the classroom, I would even suggest the exact two same things. Having students read a few pages at home and write a retell or complete a retell activity. This has students constantly practicing and trying different activities to help them comprehend their reading. Even having students take home a script or reading and have them just word paint it. The more exposure and practice with these strategies will help them become fluent. Whether word painting, reading with expression, is something they need to practice and work on or not it is still great practice for all readers.

What I learned:

• Not only have I learned a lot from this study, but I have also been able to put into practice of previous strategies and assessments I have learned about. I have learned how to use assessments to help me decide where the student is and how to plan instruction for the next time we meet. I got to try different assessments and were able to see what data and information I was able to get from each one. As a future teacher, this helped me see different assessments and how I can incorporate these into my teaching. Practicing taking these assessments to help me plan for instruction gave me really good practice as what teachers do to help all their learners become successful in their reading and writing. I was worried when we had to begin tutoring since reading has always been the hardest subject for me. I am teaching everything I didn’t know how to do in grade school; comprehension, reading with expression, having an on grade level reading level. I got to figure out that even though I struggled with these things as a young reader, I can see teach and help students in literacy. I feel like I am actually more able to connect with them and find alternate ways to help them. The first or second time may not work or be successful, but I know not to stop there and keep finding material and strategies that work for the reader. With literacy instruction, I never realized how many different strategies and techniques you can use so with my classes about literacy and practicing has really opened my eyes. My goal as an educator is to always have students succeed, especially working with ELL’s so having many tools in my toolbox is helpful.