Framework for Diagnostic Teaching

1. Framework for Diagnostic Teaching

2. Framework • The framework for diagnostic teaching places a premium on tailoring programs that specifically fit all readers. • Teachers can use the structure for lesson planning to identify instructional alternatives and monitor their effectiveness.

3. Framework • The framework is composed of the following four elements: • (a) familiar text time, • (b) supported reading and writing, • (c) continuous assessment, • (d) strategy and skill instruction,

4. Framework • Each element performs a distinct function and combines with the others to form an entire diagnostic teaching session that can be completed in an hour and a half. • However, the session may be spread out over several days.

5. Framework • Familiar text time (FTT) is a time for students to reread easy and familiar material. • Familiar text time provides a balance between easy reading of books and poems and challenging tasks that follow in other elements. • At the beginning of each session, teachers ask students to choose children's literature and poems that are familiar.

6. Framework • Often students choose easy, predictable books that can be read repeatedly because of the rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. • Like singing a favorite song over and over again, this procedure engages the readers in active reading and sets a supportive tone for the entire session. • In this part of the diagnostic teaching session, teachers invite the reader to choose among four or five familiar texts. • Allowing readers to choose what they will

7. Framework • Allowing readers to choose what they will read increases engagement. • By choosing, readers establish reasons for reading the selected material. • Familiar text also increases the amount of easy reading that the student accomplishes during the diagnostic teaching session.

8. Framework • During FTT, students use their developing strategies and skills within the context of already-known material. • They try out and refine their new strategies and skills while immersed in familiar and easy text.

9. Framework • The interactions among the teacher and students while discussing the text provide a safety net for making and correcting mistakes, in turn increasing the active engagement of readers. • Students enjoy the risk-free activity that begins the session.

10. Framework • Supported reading and writing focuses on meaningful interpretations of reading material as students read and respond through discussion and writing. • Each diagnostic teaching session includes time for students to create meaning as they read entire stories or informational passages. • They then respond through discussion and writing.

11. Framework • The element of supported reading and writing is a flexible format so that teachers can use guided reading, literature discussions, or thematic units for the central part of the framework. • For example in a literature discussion, teachers support reading and writing by having multiple titles of several books, and they give book talks before the selection of texts.

12. Framework • The primary focus of supported reading and writing element is on having students construct meaning with text and respond in writing. • Writing in response to reading advances students' reading comprehension. • Teachers spend 60% of their instructional time with this element of the session; therefore, students are reading contextual material for the majority of the time.

13. Framework • Together, teachers and students select reading material where all students in an instruction group can comprehend the story line or develop concepts. • For the struggling reader, however, the text needs to be short enough to provide a sense of closure.

14. Framework • During this element, teachers often use small-group instruction so that they can differentiate instruction according to the strengths and reading levels of the students. • The material used is engaging and chosen to maximize student performance.

15. Framework • Teachers think about the kind of instruction needed before, during, and after the student reads the selected story, book, or informational chapter. • They consider the support needed before they begin to reading so they can support students as they construct meaning with text. • Teachers reflect by asking themselves, "Is there a way to provide support before reading to help students anticipate the meaning?"

16. Framework • In the first step, teachers draw students' attention to key concepts and relate them to the students' own experiences. • Together, teachers and students discuss the specific content or the story theme, thus increasing the students' active reading. • Teachers use open-ended questions and scaffolds that will engage students in active reading through the entire length of the text.

17. Framework • During this brief discussion, the teacher anticipates problem vocabulary words • and, if needed, provides instruction in either word identification or word meaning. • This instruction needs to be directly related to what is being read, predictions that • have been made, and the key concepts or story theme. Time is of the essence in • teaching. Consequently, only the important words, meanings, and concepts need to • be stressed.

18. Framework • During this brief discussion, the teacher anticipates problem vocabulary words and, if needed, provides instruction in either word identification or word meaning. • This instruction needs to be directly related to what is being read, predictions that have been made, and the key concepts or story theme. • Time is of the essence in teaching. • Consequently, only the important words, meanings, and concepts need to be stressed.

19. Framework • The second step of supported reading and writing occurs while the students are reading and includes silent reading to construct meaning. • During reading, they encourage students to read actively by focusing their attention on constructing meaning with text. • They probe with leading questions: "What did the author mean?

20. Framework • Does that [the answer] make sense in relation to the other ideas the author presented?" • Further, teachers think about what kind of support, if any, is needed as students read the story, chapter, or informational passages. • While discussing reading passages, teachers need to elicit responses from students that focus on the main theme.

21. Framework • Rather than focusing on responses and questions that are text-based, literal, and unrelated to the theme, teachers use questions and lead discussions that focus students on understanding the main concepts and themes.

22. Framework • The third step occurs after the text is read as students respond to the passage by writing a response or summary. • Students analyze stories in terms of the characters' motivations, the author's purpose for writing the story, and other stories and personal experiences with similar themes.

23. Framework • Likewise, they analyze informational pas- sages in terms of how they affect their community, the world, and themselves. • After reading, students relate similar personal experiences to what was read. • Experiences may include other stories, information sources, movies, and songs.

24. Framework • These three steps form the structure for supported reading and writing (SRW),the major component of the diagnostic teaching session. • Basic to the development of SRW is an instructional sequence that uses the students' strengths. • Techniques are selected so that readers can construct meaning.

25. Framework • In other words, teachers can reflect by • asking, "What can I do to make text more understandable for the students? • Do I need specific reading techniques to ensure active reading? • At what point in the instructional sequence do students need instruction adjusted?"

26. Framework • For example, students who have a limited ability to deal with oral language, would profit from vocabulary work and direct experiences with the prerequisite concepts before reading. • For these students, teachers need to increase the amount of instruction before these students read.

27. Framework • Semantic maps, which ask students and teachers to construct a visual diagram relating the students' background knowledge to unfamiliar words, can be used. • This facilitates students' conceptual understanding and increases their ability to construct meaning.

28. Framework • When students understand the content and meaning of vocabulary used, but have difficulty reading the words, the instructional adjustments are different. • For students who show extreme difficulty with recognizing the words, teachers spend more time on word identification and less time on developing word meanings.

29. Framework • Teachers can use specific techniques both before and after students read the text. • The adjustments facilitate their ability to construct meaning with text. • During SRW, teachers differentiate instruction.

30. Framework • The ultimate goal is to focus on reading connected text and responding in writing so that students can integrate their prior knowledge with the text and develop personal interpretations.