Chapter 5 - Tompkins

In this chapter Tompkins discusses fluency in reading and writing. She describes that students who are fluent readers are also fluent writers. This I have observed in my field placement. Tompkins also discusses the strategies that teachers could use in creating more fluent readers and writers. Some of these strategies are using word walls, strategies to sound words out, and discover words that students may, or may not know. I have often observed my CT and her strategies she teaches her students to discovering words they may or may not know. For reading my CT has students sound words out and for writing students are to think spell. These strategies that my CT uses, Tompkins does touch on in the chapter. However this is the only strategy my CT has taught her students. I feel that it would be more beneficial for students if they know how to use several different ideas. Some of these strategies I had in mind were finding the suffix and prefixes, or looking at the context around the words. These strategies my students are unaware of, or do not use because they have not practiced them. For writing strategies I have also felt that a word wall would be beneficial to students. They need to be able to see the high-frequency words because most of the students struggle with spelling them correctly. My CT does not use a word wall and I have always wondered why. I have observed other second grade classrooms in the school and they use word walls. This is something I will be asking my CT after spring break. She does have the more advanced second graders in her classroom. Most of the students are reading and writing at fourth grade levels. However there still are students who are struggling with reading and writing. They use the strategies that my CT has provided religiously. This is why I feel students would benefit from using other strategies with their reading and writing.