The Inner Conversation reflection

The week leading up to our state fair field trip, we talked about main idea and supporting details during reading. This proved to be an excellent opportunity to use the monitoring comprehension strategy, the inner conversation, from the book "Strategies That Work."

Last Friday, our reading article was on the topic of crazy fair food. The students performed a rally robin with their shoulder partner and brainstormed different fair foods that they had eaten or heard of. After engaging the students in the topic, I handed out our article. After reading the first section of the article to the students, I asked them what they heard so far in the article that might give them a clue as to the article's main idea. From the ideas that sprung from the conversation, I modeled making connections in my own life to what we read in the article and modeled thinking aloud.

For the rest of the article, I had the students silent read and highlight parts of the article that they thought would support the article's main idea. Additionally, the students wrote any questions or confusing parts in the margins of their paper. I instructed that it is helpful to write down your thoughts when you read something to help understand it better and to go back and clarify things later on.

Sneetches? Say What?

Using the book "Sneetches" by Dr. Seuss, I hoped to enjoy a rich conversation about bullying as my students monitored their inner conversations and remembered a time when they didn't quite fit in.

I gave each student a post-it note for them to write down their thoughts as I read the book aloud. After finishing the book, the students were able to post their notes on a posterboard (without names) so that we could discuss them. There wasn't much inner conversation going on as I had "?" and "wondered when you were going to be done" on more than one post-it. I am not a boring reader, so I was unsure how to take these notes. There were a few kids who related to a situation at recess or a time when they felt left out.

Each student was then given a playing card with a face value of a 2-4, 9-10, or Queen, King, Ace. The students did not look at the value of their individual card but held it up for everyone else to see. They then moved about the room, without talking, and treated one another in a way that represented the card they were holding. At the end of 2 minutes, students then went and stood next to a poster that showed the value of the card they "believed" they were holding. We continued our discussion on how we treat others and how one who is bullied feels.

In the future, I would wait a little later in the year to do this activity. I think some of my students were embarrassed to write their true inner conversation about "Sneetches" (even though they didn't put their names down) because they wanted to appear tough.

Read, Write, and Talk.

Utilizing this inner conversation with my students allows them to record their thoughts on information they are reading. I have found using this strategy within science was quite meaningful. Students were assigned to read Kids Discover Bones within pairs. As they read they were to record interesting facts, questions, and thinking within their spiral. After they finished reading/recording they were then assigned to a larger group to share in a 'round robin' format. From the sharing students were involved in discussion with one another of facts, questions, and exploration of information presented in the science reading.

Following the Inner Conversation

I continually do this throughout my read alouds and the novel studies. I have been reading the first few pages in a chapter of City of Ember, when we get to a place that interest me, or shows foreshadowing, or an "aha" moment, I stop and tell them that I am going to say aloud what is going on inside my head. I discussed that it is important for your brain to have a conversation while you read. I explain that all good readers do it. It helps monitor comprehension, and voice my opinions. Sometimes I make a noise that means "lightbulb" when we get to a part that's particularly important to making a connection or interesting. I see the kids, all of a sudden, nod their heads, like they got it too...having that inner conversation. Many of my students admitted they did that but never thought about why they did. We discussed what if we're not having that inner conversation and the students brainstormed reasons why...lack of focus, not understanding the text because it was too high a level of reading, not interested in the topic, stress outside of school. We did not do sticky notes on this lesson, but we used shoulder partners from time to time, stopping them (training) them to make a connection.

Jigsaw Discussions and posters

I paired my students and gave each pair an article about a certain aspect of colonial times. The students read through the article. I had the students section a paper into interesting facts, gross or weird facts, something new or different to them. The students went back and wrote down facts from their article that they thought students in their class would want to know or learn about their article. Each pair was given a poster paper, wrote their title at the top, and began writing and illustrating their article with their facts. After the posters were finished, pairs took turns sharing and discussing information from their poster/article to the class.

Summarize and Synthesize Information and Ideas

Students pick a topic and read information with questions in mind and answer in their own words. To end our human body research, students decided on one organ within the human body. Students had to research their organ and write a letter to persuade people why their organ is important to the human body. After picking their organ, students research it and answers questions about it. Before students begin to research they read through all the questions so they know what to research. After answering all their questions about their organ, students begin to put all their answers in their own words as a persuasive letter. After hand writing a first draft and typing a final draft, students then read their letter to the class.

Thinking Through a Test

During class instruction and practice, students review the questions to be answered before reading. Students use highlighters to note where in the text and answer is found and double check their answers when answering. Students eliminate answers that make no sense or do not match what they found in the text. The only struggle that they continue to have is when the answer has to be inferred. If it is not in the text to be found, it is difficult for them to draw conclusions.