Strategic/Skilled/Engaged Readers vs. Self-Serving/Avoiding/Distant Readers
Adjectives aside, I’m wondering what differentiates a strategic reader from another reader? Thankfully, after reading the articles and chapters listed in the references section of this blog post, I’ve got some answers and some thoughts of my own.
What Do Strategic Readers Look Like?
Regardless of subject, grade, discipline, or activity anyone who has worked with students can tell you what it means to be a distant or uninvolved student. Every teacher seems to have at least one in their classroom, the kid who just doesn’t get it. For English teachers, it is the kid with the wandering eyes, the deep sighs, the lies, and the general sentiment that they just don’t like reading.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, is the kid that maybe not every teacher has had — yet. Maybe they haven’t come along, or maybe the teacher’s instruction hasn’t sparked their interest. The image of the student who just gets it may not be as clear in your head right now. And that’s okay. That is why I am writing this blog post. In this post, I hope to provide a research based example of a strategic reader so that you, as a teacher, can alter your instruction, change your mindset, and help guide your students from the bored readers they might be into the strategic readers and learners they can be.
The use of adjectives across research and readings can get a little confusing. Some sources call these example readers, ‘skilled readers’, ‘engaged readers’, ‘strategic readers’, and more. For now, for consistency’s sake, let’s call them strategic readers.
When faced with a text, strategic readers are able to activate prior knowledge, relate new information and experiences to existing knowledge, build new knowledge as well apply, evaluate, and revise knowledge as they learn more. Strategic readers are intrinsically motivated and are “active learners, set goals for learning, ask questions, read for more information, find answers, gain information from others, share information with others, [and] use strategies for learning” (Swan 1-6). Further, strategic readers are: reflective, metacognitive, able to self-monitor their comprehension, and are able to ask questions to help further their understanding of the text (Paris 627). The above characteristics are examples of strategies and skills strategic readers equip and use cognitively. They are aware of what they are doing and why it is important for their reading because they have been taught or guided to do as they are. Thus, I asses that strategic readers are practiced in the mental processes and skills required for reading.
On the emotional side of things, a strategic reader has been exposed to rewards and praise, they have seen the positive effects of their reading habits and as such they have developed a powerful, competent mindset which helps them feel capable of tackling reading challenges. Strategic readers are aware of which strategies to use and attribute their personal success to both their effort exerted and the employed strategy (Paris 627). It seems that if a student is able to regulate their own reading, utilize strategies for different purposes, learn independently, and read with confidence, then Swan, Paris, Wasik, and Turner would all agree that that particular student is a strategic reader (Paris 635).
However, a more inclusive definition might include the abilities discussed in the first chapter of Johnson’s text. Johnson adds a unique perspective as the focus of these two chapters is that reading, and thus what it means to be a strategic reader, are changing in this world of digital texts. Johnson adds that strategic digital readers are able to negotiate within four sources of domain specific prior knowledge, “subject topics, knowledge of informational text, web-based search engines, and informational website structures” (Johnson).
As such, it seems that a strategic reader is one who is motivated to learn, can apply all the strategies and skills listed above, navigate in an open reading environment (Internet) as well as a closed environment (printed text), and most importantly, is cognizant of the fact that they are doing these strategies in order to aide comprehension and maximize learning. Paris, Wasik, and Turner write, “young children and less-skilled readers have difficulty monitoring comprehension…due to their lack of awareness about appropriate standards for evaluating their own comprehension” (Paris 621). This metacognitive awareness seems to be what separates a strategic reader from a less strategic reader because a strategic reader knows why they are doing what they are doing and wants to be doing it because it will result in learning. A less skilled reader, however, might be doing what they’re doing because they’re not sure how to do anything else. That’s where we, as teachers, can positively intervene! As these readings represent some of the key research in this area, teachers can use these findings to guide their instruction or coaching to help less skilled readers become aware of their own reading and learning so that they can alter it to best meet their learning needs.
Connections Across Texts and Implications for Teachers
The role of competence and motivation seem to play a huge role in the development of a strategic readers as these are listed across the readings. Motivation researchers have concluded there are three basic needs which people need to have or feel in order to have powerful, intrinsic motivation. The three basic needs are competence, autonomy support, and belonging. I am going to discuss competence and autonomy support in detail as they appear to have the strongest connections across texts.
Feelings of competence, as Swan writes, leads to self-motivated students. The opposite of competence, of course, is learned helplessness, a phenomenon which your distant, wandering eye students may be experiencing. Swan asserts, “students who do not feel like they are capable readers, or writers, or do not know how to succeed in school feel frustrated. Their motivation plummets. Everything seems more difficult, takes too long, is boring, and is unsatisfying” (Swan 2). These are the students who avoid, who give up, and who continuously fall behind their peers. If you’re a teacher, I bet you can name at least one of these students in your classroom. However, “teaching your students how to be successful learners [and] building their competence or their ability to be good at academic tasks, really teaches them how to be self-motivated” (Swan 3). The idea of competence is not unique to the Swan reading (which is why I have saved this discussion until the Connections and Implications section). Paris writes, “knowledge and practice are not sufficient to assure independent strategic reading. A sense of confidence and competence helps to motivate students to learn and apply appropriate strategies while reading” (Paris 624). Clearly, building student’s competence and confidence in their abilities to read and achieve in academics will result in powerful learning and achievement.
An “important characteristic of students confidence and competence is the control they exert over their environments” (Paris 626). Students who feel “little control over their learning may feel incompetent, helpless, or passive, which may lead to negative affect and defensive strategies such as non-participation, excuses, and cheating” (Paris 626). Thus, as Swan and the motivation researchers echo, a student’s “beliefs about control can have powerful effects on achievement” (Paris 626). This is the second basic need required for motivated learning is autonomy support. Students need to have responsibility and choice in the classroom, even if it is limited as this helps students “develop a sense of personal ownership about the information they read and write” (Paris 623 and Swan 3). Paris supports this belief of autonomy as he cites, from another study conducted by Corno in 1986, “the ultimate goal of instruction is to transfer control to students so that they take the responsibility for their own self-regulated learning” (Paris 624). This clear connection shows the importance of allowing student choice in your classroom and the countless positive effects it has on learning, reading, and engagement.
The final basic need that the motivation researched discovered is belonging. Swan writes that students feel self-motivated when they feel “respected and accepted by others” (Swan 3). As a teacher, you can build these social relationships and positive learning environments by creating “instruction that builds competence and fosters respect and caring relationships” (Swan 3). In these classrooms, like the ones seen in the CORI videos, students feel comfortable and confident learning and questioning both individually and together. As a teacher, the belief you have in your students can be a powerful tool for learning, especially if you support this belief by “creating noncompetitive learning environments, flexible groping, opportunities to achieve in a variety of areas, mastery-oriented learning, and assessed based on individual progress rather than social comparison” (Paris 630-631). Paris writes, “teachers who believe that all children can learn will promote literacy development” (Paris 629). As a teacher, it is clear that a classroom learning environment built on mutual respect and growth will have a positive impact on your students’ learning.
Luckily, I have had the privilege of student teaching and now assisting in a classroom environment built on meeting these needs. I can attest to the powerful learning environment meeting these needs creates as I have seen the most shy, introverted student stand in front of their peers to deliver a speech and cry — Not because they are in front of the room, but because they are a teenage boy speaking from the heart and not from a piece of paper, feeling powerful emotions instead of debilitating anxiety about public speaking. I have seen the constant adjustment of teaching practices to better meet students’ needs, personal learning goals, and learning styles. This student-centered approach, paired with this teacher’s belief in the coherent instruction style has helped her/our students “make connections throughout their day…learn that cognitive strategies are readily transferable across content areas… [and] perceive the connection between reading, writing, and content areas” thus becoming motivated, strategic readers and students (Swan 10-11).
The only question I have, is how can we get more of what is going on in that classroom and in the classrooms cited in these readings, into all classrooms? The answer is you, me, and teachers everywhere. Just like our students, the more we read, learn, and grow, the more successful we will be.
word count: 1,714
References:
Readings Completed Prior to Writing Blog Post:
What Do Strategic Readers Look Like?
Regardless of subject, grade, discipline, or activity anyone who has worked with students can tell you what it means to be a distant or uninvolved student. Every teacher seems to have at least one in their classroom, the kid who just doesn’t get it. For English teachers, it is the kid with the wandering eyes, the deep sighs, the lies, and the general sentiment that they just don’t like reading.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, is the kid that maybe not every teacher has had — yet. Maybe they haven’t come along, or maybe the teacher’s instruction hasn’t sparked their interest. The image of the student who just gets it may not be as clear in your head right now. And that’s okay. That is why I am writing this blog post. In this post, I hope to provide a research based example of a strategic reader so that you, as a teacher, can alter your instruction, change your mindset, and help guide your students from the bored readers they might be into the strategic readers and learners they can be.
The use of adjectives across research and readings can get a little confusing. Some sources call these example readers, ‘skilled readers’, ‘engaged readers’, ‘strategic readers’, and more. For now, for consistency’s sake, let’s call them strategic readers.
When faced with a text, strategic readers are able to activate prior knowledge, relate new information and experiences to existing knowledge, build new knowledge as well apply, evaluate, and revise knowledge as they learn more. Strategic readers are intrinsically motivated and are “active learners, set goals for learning, ask questions, read for more information, find answers, gain information from others, share information with others, [and] use strategies for learning” (Swan 1-6). Further, strategic readers are: reflective, metacognitive, able to self-monitor their comprehension, and are able to ask questions to help further their understanding of the text (Paris 627). The above characteristics are examples of strategies and skills strategic readers equip and use cognitively. They are aware of what they are doing and why it is important for their reading because they have been taught or guided to do as they are. Thus, I asses that strategic readers are practiced in the mental processes and skills required for reading.
On the emotional side of things, a strategic reader has been exposed to rewards and praise, they have seen the positive effects of their reading habits and as such they have developed a powerful, competent mindset which helps them feel capable of tackling reading challenges. Strategic readers are aware of which strategies to use and attribute their personal success to both their effort exerted and the employed strategy (Paris 627). It seems that if a student is able to regulate their own reading, utilize strategies for different purposes, learn independently, and read with confidence, then Swan, Paris, Wasik, and Turner would all agree that that particular student is a strategic reader (Paris 635).
However, a more inclusive definition might include the abilities discussed in the first chapter of Johnson’s text. Johnson adds a unique perspective as the focus of these two chapters is that reading, and thus what it means to be a strategic reader, are changing in this world of digital texts. Johnson adds that strategic digital readers are able to negotiate within four sources of domain specific prior knowledge, “subject topics, knowledge of informational text, web-based search engines, and informational website structures” (Johnson).
As such, it seems that a strategic reader is one who is motivated to learn, can apply all the strategies and skills listed above, navigate in an open reading environment (Internet) as well as a closed environment (printed text), and most importantly, is cognizant of the fact that they are doing these strategies in order to aide comprehension and maximize learning. Paris, Wasik, and Turner write, “young children and less-skilled readers have difficulty monitoring comprehension…due to their lack of awareness about appropriate standards for evaluating their own comprehension” (Paris 621). This metacognitive awareness seems to be what separates a strategic reader from a less strategic reader because a strategic reader knows why they are doing what they are doing and wants to be doing it because it will result in learning. A less skilled reader, however, might be doing what they’re doing because they’re not sure how to do anything else. That’s where we, as teachers, can positively intervene! As these readings represent some of the key research in this area, teachers can use these findings to guide their instruction or coaching to help less skilled readers become aware of their own reading and learning so that they can alter it to best meet their learning needs.
Connections Across Texts and Implications for Teachers
The role of competence and motivation seem to play a huge role in the development of a strategic readers as these are listed across the readings. Motivation researchers have concluded there are three basic needs which people need to have or feel in order to have powerful, intrinsic motivation. The three basic needs are competence, autonomy support, and belonging. I am going to discuss competence and autonomy support in detail as they appear to have the strongest connections across texts.
Feelings of competence, as Swan writes, leads to self-motivated students. The opposite of competence, of course, is learned helplessness, a phenomenon which your distant, wandering eye students may be experiencing. Swan asserts, “students who do not feel like they are capable readers, or writers, or do not know how to succeed in school feel frustrated. Their motivation plummets. Everything seems more difficult, takes too long, is boring, and is unsatisfying” (Swan 2). These are the students who avoid, who give up, and who continuously fall behind their peers. If you’re a teacher, I bet you can name at least one of these students in your classroom. However, “teaching your students how to be successful learners [and] building their competence or their ability to be good at academic tasks, really teaches them how to be self-motivated” (Swan 3). The idea of competence is not unique to the Swan reading (which is why I have saved this discussion until the Connections and Implications section). Paris writes, “knowledge and practice are not sufficient to assure independent strategic reading. A sense of confidence and competence helps to motivate students to learn and apply appropriate strategies while reading” (Paris 624). Clearly, building student’s competence and confidence in their abilities to read and achieve in academics will result in powerful learning and achievement.
An “important characteristic of students confidence and competence is the control they exert over their environments” (Paris 626). Students who feel “little control over their learning may feel incompetent, helpless, or passive, which may lead to negative affect and defensive strategies such as non-participation, excuses, and cheating” (Paris 626). Thus, as Swan and the motivation researchers echo, a student’s “beliefs about control can have powerful effects on achievement” (Paris 626). This is the second basic need required for motivated learning is autonomy support. Students need to have responsibility and choice in the classroom, even if it is limited as this helps students “develop a sense of personal ownership about the information they read and write” (Paris 623 and Swan 3). Paris supports this belief of autonomy as he cites, from another study conducted by Corno in 1986, “the ultimate goal of instruction is to transfer control to students so that they take the responsibility for their own self-regulated learning” (Paris 624). This clear connection shows the importance of allowing student choice in your classroom and the countless positive effects it has on learning, reading, and engagement.
The final basic need that the motivation researched discovered is belonging. Swan writes that students feel self-motivated when they feel “respected and accepted by others” (Swan 3). As a teacher, you can build these social relationships and positive learning environments by creating “instruction that builds competence and fosters respect and caring relationships” (Swan 3). In these classrooms, like the ones seen in the CORI videos, students feel comfortable and confident learning and questioning both individually and together. As a teacher, the belief you have in your students can be a powerful tool for learning, especially if you support this belief by “creating noncompetitive learning environments, flexible groping, opportunities to achieve in a variety of areas, mastery-oriented learning, and assessed based on individual progress rather than social comparison” (Paris 630-631). Paris writes, “teachers who believe that all children can learn will promote literacy development” (Paris 629). As a teacher, it is clear that a classroom learning environment built on mutual respect and growth will have a positive impact on your students’ learning.
Luckily, I have had the privilege of student teaching and now assisting in a classroom environment built on meeting these needs. I can attest to the powerful learning environment meeting these needs creates as I have seen the most shy, introverted student stand in front of their peers to deliver a speech and cry — Not because they are in front of the room, but because they are a teenage boy speaking from the heart and not from a piece of paper, feeling powerful emotions instead of debilitating anxiety about public speaking. I have seen the constant adjustment of teaching practices to better meet students’ needs, personal learning goals, and learning styles. This student-centered approach, paired with this teacher’s belief in the coherent instruction style has helped her/our students “make connections throughout their day…learn that cognitive strategies are readily transferable across content areas… [and] perceive the connection between reading, writing, and content areas” thus becoming motivated, strategic readers and students (Swan 10-11).
The only question I have, is how can we get more of what is going on in that classroom and in the classrooms cited in these readings, into all classrooms? The answer is you, me, and teachers everywhere. Just like our students, the more we read, learn, and grow, the more successful we will be.
word count: 1,714
References:
Readings Completed Prior to Writing Blog Post:
- Paris, Wasik, & Turner (1996). The development of strategic readers. Handbook of Reading Research, Volume II.
- Swan (2003). Why is the North Pole Always Cold? In Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI): Engaging Classrooms, Lifelong Learners.
- http://www.cori.umd.edu/what-is-cori/classroom-videos.php
- Chapters 1 and 2 of Reading, Writing and Literacy 2.0 (Johnson, 2014). What is Literacy 2.0 and What Happened to Literacy 1.0?