Module 8: PowerPoint Review

Factors Involved in Reading and Writing Difficulties

There are many factors that can affect students in positive and negative ways when it comes to reading and writing but during this powerpoint the focus was on the negative. The factors mentioned were: cognitive, visual, language, orthographic processing, social and emotional, physical, physical health, educational, and family. I have noticed within my own classroom how difficult it is for students to overcome emotional factors like parental pressures especially when the parents aren't reading with them at home. I can see a huge difference between my students who have parents that read at home and students that don't. The students who excel in reading in my classroom have parents who speak English at home. It's amazing that this difference can show such a divide between students. It is important to figure out the factors that might be holding back students so that as the teacher you can find ways to overcome these factors. Students sometimes have a hard time admitting when something is causing them problems. There are times where no matter what we do their difficulties are out of our control, like physical health issues such as cancer or other illnesses that keep them out of school on a regular basis. This is unfortunate because many times the students wants to get better but are losing the opportunity to get better. I thought this powerpoint was very informative while also being straight to the point.

Module 8: Video Analysis

What is Reading Recovery?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXxM2JVxJKY

This program works with students who are the lowest achievers to receive one-on-one thirty minute sessions over a 12-20 weeks. Those who do not reach the grade-level show much more about their learning abilities. The teachers who take part in this program are highly trained to get results. This program is low cost and truly allows students to gain reading perspective with a one-on-one session. Sometimes reading learning for students is slower than for others and with a little extra support the students can make huge gains in their reading abilities. I think allowing students to focus on their own learning without other distractions. Students who aren't successful move on to other to interventions to best fit their needs. Reading Recovery is a program that could be used effectively in most school settings and allows students a safe place to get stronger in their reading rather than with their peers.

Module 8: Article Analysis

Cohen, P., Kulik, J. A., & Kulik, C. C. (1982). Educational outcomes of tutoring: a meta-analysis of findings      
          .American Educational Research Journal, 19(2), 237-248. Retrieved from 
          http://www.fau.edu/CLASS/CRLA/Level_Three/Educational_Outcomes_of_Tutoring_A_Meta-\
          analysis_of_Findings.pdf 

This article really dove into the affects of tutoring and many different types of tutoring. They talked about peer tutoring and receiving tutoring form people in the community or from paraprofessionals. It was important for them to find, "Hartley showed not only that the effects of tutoring were positive, but that they were stronger than those from such other individualizing teaching methods as computer-based instruction, programmed instruction, and instruction with individual learning packages. Hartley also showed that the effects of tutoring were significantly stronger in some situations than in others, (p. 238). This really goes along with what I noticed in my tutoring process. I found that my student that I worked with extra time throughout the semester in a one-on-one setting made huge gains that I don't know he would have been able to achieve had I not given him the extra support. I have noticed through my students that get tutoring after school have showed larger gains than the many that do not. The only downfall of this study that was analyzed of Hartley's was that the tutoring only took place for mathematical studies. This journal was done to analyze many studies and what they found on the results of tutoring. The effects found with the 65 studies analyzed was that there were positive results found with both the tutees and the tutors. It was interesting to read that the attitudes of the tutees toward their classrooms and their subject areas rose due to positive affects from the tutoring sessions. What I gathered most from this article was that peer tutoring is beneficial for both. Throughout our readings in Opitz there were only positive ideas about tutoring included. I found the experience to be very positive and I felt I was able to get to know my student much better. Last year before the CRCT we set up peer tutoring for students struggling with reading/ela or math with students who were excelling. This seemed to bring back good feedback from both parties. After reading this article I feel as though this is something we should definitely implement again because both parties would gain results with this program. 

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