EPC
1: READING AND REFLECTING ON TEXTS
A
note on EPC 1: Reading and reflecting on texts
(New
practical introduced for B.Ed. Course)
Prepared by
SABARISH-P
M.Sc., M.Ed.,
JRF & NET
Assistant
professor in Physical Science, Arafa Institute for Teacher Education,
Attur, Thrissur.
pklsabarish@gmail.com
Objectives:-
Upon
completion of this course, the student teacher will:
1)
Improve his/her proficiency in
‘reading’, ‘writing’, ‘thinking’, and ‘communicating’ in the language of
instruction.
2)
Develop an interest in reading
3)
Improve his/her ability to understand
instruction
This
course will serve as a foundation to enable B.Ed. students to read and respond
to a variety of texts in different ways and also learn to think together,
depending on the text and the purposes of reading. Responses may be personal or
creative or critical or all of these together. Students will also develop
metacognitive awareness to become conscious of their own thinking processes as
they get familiar with diverse texts. In other words, this course will enable
student-teachers to enhance their capacities as readers and writers by becoming
participants in the process of reading.
The
aim is to engage with the readings interactively- individually and in small
groups. This involves framing questions to think about, while preparing to read
something, reading a text, and reflexively placing what one has read in the
context of both the texts and one’s own experiences.
This
course offers opportunities to read a wide variety of texts, including
empirical, conceptual, and historical work, policy documents, studies about
schools, teaching, learning, and about different people’s experiences of all of
these. The course will also include narrative texts, expository texts from
diverse sources, including autobiographical narratives, field notes,
ethnographies, etc. to address different types of reading skills and strategies.
For
expository texts, they will learn to make predictions, check their predictions,
answer questions and then summarize or retell what they’ve read .Students will
analyze various text structures to see how these contribute to the
comprehension of a text. These readings will also provide the context for
writing. Combining reading and writing leads to the development of critical
skills. Student-teachers will get opportunities to write with a sense of
purpose and audience, through tasks such as, responding to a text with one’s
own opinions or writing within the context of others’ ideas.
This is what NCTE and Universities
saying about the course (Practical). Now let us see what to do in each step to
actualize the objectives. I am here by suggesting a framework for what to do in
each step.
1) Engaging with narrative and descriptive accounts
( 6 marks )
The
selected texts could include stories or chapters from fiction, dramatic
incidents, vivid descriptive accounts, or even well produced comic strip
stories.
Suggested Activities:
1)
Reading for comprehending and
visualizing the account (individual + group reading and discussion/explanation)
2)
Re-telling the account - in one’s own
words/from different points of view (taking turns in a smaller group)
3)
Narrating/describing a related account
from one’s life experience (in front of a smaller group)
4)
Discussion of characters and situations
– sharing interpretations and points of view (in a smaller group)
5)
Writing based on the text – eg. Summary
of a scene, extrapolation of story, converting a situation into a dialogue etc.
(individual task)
Expected Output (Product)
1)
A
record/report encompassing all the procedures/activities followed
2)
Reflective
writing based on the text. eg. Summary of a scene, extrapolation of story,
converting a situation into a dialogue etc. (individual task)
I suggest In-depth Reading of any
of the following texts for student teachers. These books are available freely
to read in most of digital libraries and INFLIBNETS.
1) Delpit, Lisa D. (1988). The
Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People Children. Harvard
Educational Review 58(3), 280-298.
2) Donovan, M. S. And Bransford, J. D.
(Ed.) (2005). How students learn. Washington DC: The National Academies Press,
Chapter 1: Introduction 1-26, Chapter 13: Pulling Threads 569-590.
3) Gilligan, C. (1977). In a Different
Voice: Women’s Conception of Self and Morality. Harvard Educational Review, 47
(4), 481-517
4) llich, I. (1970). Deschooling
Society, London, UK: Marion Boyars.
5) Vasanta, D. (2004). Childhood, Work
and Schooling: Some Reflections Contemporary Education Dialogue, Vol. 2(1),
5-29.
6) Mukunda, K. V. (2009). What Did You
Ask in School Today? A Handbook on Child Learning. Noida: Harper Collins.
Chapter 4: Child Development, 79-96.
7) Wood, D. (2000). Narrating
Professional Development: Teacher s stories as texts for improving practice.
Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 31(4), 426-448.
More
over student teachers can read other familiar books like
1) Autobiographies of national leaders
(eg: Gandhiji)
2) The Alchemist- Novel by Paulo
Coelho
5) “Wings Of Fire” and other familiar
Books by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
6) “You can win” by Shiv khera
7) Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo
Freire
Other Sample Recommended Headings
for Reading Materials are
Ethnographies –
Meenakshi Thapan’s ‘Life at school: an ethnographic
study’ & ‘Ethnographies of schooling
in contemporary india’ & other research
studies
Extracts-
‘Teacher Man’ by Frank McCourt &
extracts from ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran
Macaulay’s Minutes
Extracts from Rousseau’s ‘Emile’, Dewey’s
writings, Plato’s Dialogues, books of
Krishnamurthi, Aurobindo, Tagore,
Vivekananda, Gandhi and like.
Books-
Letter to a Teacher
Deschooling Society
Silenced Dialogue
Para Teachers
Plays-
Autobiographies/biographies-
Journals –
Documentaries-
Fiction-
·
All
of these books are available in most of the libraries. Also e books are
available in google books, Amazon Kindle etc for purchase.
·
Also
student teachers can select and read books on their regional Languages (Malayalam, Tamil,
Kannada)
·
Based
on the discussions held on the reading of the above texts students in the practical
time the student-teachers shall maintain a detailed account of their reflection
on the readings in the light of their own experiences in the form a diary. The
Internal Assessment shall be on the extent of participation in an reading
exercise in the class individually and in a Group and reflection on the same
simultaneously.
·
Some
of the Audio Visual Resources that can be utilized by Teacher Educators and
Student Teachers in this session are
1) A New Education for a New India (
CD ROM) (By Gnostic Centre/NCTE)
2) Had-Anhad: Journeys
with Ram and
Kabir by Shabnam Virmani
3) Teacher’s Journey:
An observational film on teaching methodologies of a
primary
school teacher in a single-teacher school in MP, India. Director-
Deepak
Verma, Azim Premji Foundation. For copies contact –
madhumita@azimpremjifoundation.org
4) Where Knowledge
is Free: A documentary film about children branded by
Caste
and excluded from education. Director Binitesh Baruri. Available at
Indian
Institute of Dalit Studies, Q-3, Green Park Ext., New Delhi-16, Ph. 91-
2) Engaging with popular subject-based expository writing (6 marks
)
The selected texts could include
articles, biographical writing, or extracts from popular nonfiction writing,
with themes that are drawn from the subject areas of the student teachers
(various sciences, mathematics, history, geography, literature/language pieces)
For this unit, the student teachers
should work in groups divided according
to their subjects, within which different texts could be read by different
pairs of student teachers.
Suggested Activities:
1)
Reading to
extract overall meaning, information, subject knowledge (guided reading in
pairs and simple note making)
2)
Identifying
major concepts and ideas involved and making notes on these in some schematic
form - flow diagram, tree diagram, mind map etc. (guided working in pairs)
3)
Explaining
the gist of the text/topic to others (in the larger subject group)
4)
Attending
to writing style, subject-specific vocabulary and ‘perspective’ or ‘reference
frame’ in which different topics are presented – this will
vary across subjects and texts, and requires some interpretative skills for ‘placing’ the context
of each text (group discussion and sharing)
5)
Writing a
review or a summary of the text, with comments and opinions (individual task)
Expected Output (Product)
3)
A
record/report encompassing all the procedures/activities followed
4)
A review or
a summary of the text, with comments and opinions (individual task)
3) Engaging with journalistic
writing (6 marks)
The
selected texts would include newspaper or magazine articles on topics of contemporary
interest. Student teachers can be
grouped randomly for this unit.
Suggested Activities:
1)
Using
reading strategies such as scanning, skimming and reading for extracting information
– as appropriate for initial reading of articles (guided individual task)
2)
Analysis of
structure of the article, identifying sub-headings, key words, sequencing of ideas,
use of concrete details, illustrations and/or statistical representations etc.
(guided working in pairs)
3)
Critical
reading for attending to ‘framing’ of the article, point(s) of view presented,
possible biases or slants (small group discussion)
4)
Researching
and writing articles on topics of local interest (working to produce a local
interest magazine)
What to do?
Ø Working out in journalistic
writing-Assign to collect particular journalistic items- letter to the Editor,
General Article, thematic article, feature article, Students corner etc.
Ø Find out the attributes of each
item (Group work)
Ø Skill acquisition in report
writing- seeing all the details in an event- disseminating them- judging them-relating
them-and realizing their significance.
Ø Publish a journal of their own with
all the properties and varieties like-Unexpected events, like fires, accidents,
or crimes; Expected events, like meetings, plans, movements, or legislation; Expressions
of opinion by prominent men or women, as given in speeches or interviews.- ingenious
Reports on flood, draught, accident, strikes etc.
Ø Each member of the group has to
work to get published.
Ø Prepare a collection of the items.
Expected Output (Product)
1)
An article
on topic of local interest written after sufficient research (individual task)
2)
A magazine
including all of these articles (1 magazine)
4) Engaging
with subject-related reference books (6 marks)
The student teachers should work in groups divided according to their subjects.
Within these groups, pairs of student teachers would make a choice of a
specific topic in their subject area which they could research from a set of
available reference books. The focus of this unit is as much the learning of
effective processes of reference research and its presentation, as the actual
reading of the reference books themselves.
Sequence of
activities: Selecting
the topic for research and articulating some guiding questions
Searching and locating relevant reference
books (could be from a school library or the Institute library) Scanning,
skimming and extracting relevant information from the books by making notes
Collating notes and organizing information under various sub-headings, Planning
a presentation – with display and oral components
Making presentations to whole subject group, fielding questions.
Expected Output (Product)
1) A Presentation (Preferably by using
power point) in front of peers.
This can be
done Option wise. However the presentation should be to the whole general
class.
5) Engaging
with educational writing (6 marks)
Selected texts here could be drawn
from the wide range of popular educational writing in the form of well-written
essays, extracts or chapters from authors who deal with themes from education,
schooling, teaching or learning. The writings selected should present a definite
point of view or argument about some aspect of the above themes. Student teachers can be grouped randomly for
this unit.
Suggested activities:
1)
Reading for
discerning the theme(s) and argument of the essay (guided reading – individually
or in pairs)
2)
Analyzing
the structure of the argument: identifying main ideas, understanding topic
sentences of paragraphs, supporting ideas and examples, terms used as
connectors and transitions (guided small group discussion)
3)
Discussion
of the theme, sharing responses and points of view (small group discussion)
4)
Writing a
response paper (individually or in pairs)
5)
Presentations
of selected papers, questions and answers (large group)
Expected Output (Product)
1)
A response
paper (individually or in pairs)
2)
Presentations
of selected papers with questions and answers session ( Can be done in front of
large group/General class)
Total Output (Product) expected for this
EPC
1) A file including all the above mentioned outputs of each unit.
(Individual file).
(The file is to be maintained in
college/along with students till the end of course.)
Guidelines for this EPC
The course shall be conducted as per the
guidelines given in the syllabus under the leadership of Language faculty
members and corresponding optional teachers of the college. Ensure that the
students are thorough about the paper “Language Across the Curriculum”. (Both
Theory and practical aspects of that paper)
Students shall be directed to submit reading
reflections after completing each reading assignment. These reflections not
only encourage students to read more regularly, they also promote content
mastery and foster student development of monitoring, self-evaluation, and
reflection skills. Though Teacher Education Institutions have the freedom to
select appropriate and relevant books for reading/writing/speaking activities,
the activities shall offer opportunities to read a wide variety of texts,
including empirical, conceptual, and historical work, policy documents, studies
about schools, teaching, learning, and about different people’s experiences of
all of these. The course will also include narrative texts, expository texts
from diverse sources, including autobiographical narratives, field notes,
ethnographies, etc. to address different types of reading skills and
strategies.
Evaluation
Calicut
University has proposed internal
evaluation for this EPC. Assessment will be done internally by the teacher
educators concerned on the basis of the criteria fixed for the purpose. For assessing
student performance, Criteria / Performa based on rubrics have to be developed for
each unit by the Teacher Educators to make assessment objective. Internal
evaluation is proposed to be conducted in the following criteria
1)
Engaging
with narrative and descriptive accounts ( 6 marks )
2) Engaging with popular subject-based
expository writing (6 marks )
3) Engaging with journalistic writing (6
marks)
4) Engaging with subject-related reference
books (6 marks)
5) Engaging with educational writing (6 marks)
Total: 30 Marks. (Internal)
However In order to classify colleges as EXCELLENT
/ HIGH / AVERAGE / BELOW AVERAGE / POOR standards the Chairman of the External
Board of Examiners shall examine the EPC by viva voce of the selected students.
At that time the selected students have to explain the procedure followed for
conducting this EPC to the board chairman. He will not however see or
manipulate/interprets the internal marks/procedure already given by the college
for this EPC.
############################################################################
APPENDIX
I
References
that can be used by Teacher Educators and Student teachers for this EPC
Reflective Reading
/
http://www.slideshare.net/MOKOGEONG/a-reflective-teaching-
in-the-use-of-context in- reading-texts
http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Teacher-
needs/Reviewedresources/
Reading/Comprehension/ELP-years-5-
8/Reflecting-on-recrafting-andpresenting-text
http://oer.educ.cam.ac.uk/wiki/OER4Schools/Introduction_to_whole_class_dialogue_and
_effective_questioning_ADE_Sample
http://www.academia.edu/3101129/Reflective_reading_Is_meaning_making_constructivi
sm_Is_constructivism_meaning_making
Collaborative Reader
https://sethkorn.wikispaces.com/Communicative+Reading+%26+S
torytelling( interactive reader)
Reflective Writing
Reflective Journal Rubric
http://edtech.boisestate.edu/connectionsacademy/rubrics/reflection.
htm
Klein, S., & U.W. Stout,
Chandler, W., U.W. Whitewater (2006). Reflection for
Preservice and Inservice Art Teachers
E-portfolio, from
.
Short, K., Harste, J., & Burke,
C. (1996). Creating classrooms for authors and inquirers.
2nd. ed. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann.
Pensavalle, M., Tyerman, J.,
Delgadillo, L., Miyake, J., Soong, A, (2006). AACTE 2006
Proposal: How Reflection Impacts
Instructional Change. AACTE 2006 Proposal,
APPENDIX
II
Certain activities that can be used for
each terms mentioned in syllabus
1) To become familiar about various texts (Types of texts related to education
–empirical, conceptual, historical, policy documents, narrative texts,
expository texts, ethnographies)
Activities:
1. Setting up a Reading Community
Club
a) Make a list of reading books of diverse
texts and classify them under headings
b) Collect books from diverse contexts and
set up a small library
c) Arrange according to themes, genre,
regional, folks and educational type
d) Conduct interactive group reading
session ( small groups)
e) Create conducive reading space and time
2)
Reading for Comprehension Text
Reading
strategies-Previewing, Infer and Predicting, Skimming, Scanning and
Paraphrasing.
Activities:
Comprehending
Reading Skills
a) Take up a reading text and follow the
Comprehension steps (Better to Follow Davis’s nine potential component skills
of comprehension)
b) Reading for comprehending and
visualizing the account (individual + group reading and discussion/explanation)
c) Re-telling the account - in one’s own
words/from different points of view (taking turns in a smaller group)
d) Narrating/describing a related account
smaller group)
e) Discussion of characters and situations
–sharing interpretations and points of view (in a smaller group)
3) Metacognitive skills for Reading
Previews the text and makes predictions,
makes connections to personal experience or other texts, Asks clarifying
questions, identifies difficult sentences or passages, restates in her own
words, Reacts to the text.
Reflect on Text Structure, language, genre,
context, socio-cultural diversity
Reflection in Reading –Stages of Reflection
in reading tasks- Pre-reading, while reading and post reading
Activities:
Reflect on the texts:
a) Read a book and identify the text
structure, language, genre, context, socio-cultural diversity
b) Reflect on the text with the various
steps, at different stages like reading, pre-reading and post -reading
c) Analysis of structure of the article,
identifying sub-headings, key words, sequencing of ideas, use of concrete
details, illustrations and/or statistical representations (guided working in
pairs)
d) Critical reading for attending to ‘fra
presented, possible biases or slants (small group discussion)
e) Researching and writing articles on
topics of local interest (working to produce a local interest magazine)
f) Reading to extract overall meaning,
information, subject knowledge (guided reading in pairs and simple note making)
g) Identifying major concepts and ideas
involved and making notes on these in some schematic form - flow diagram, tree
diagram, mind map, graphic organisers, chapter map, concept map of the read
text.
h) Maintain reading log and take notes
i) Maintain a rubric for reflection in
reading
4) Communicative Reader
–Interactive Reading ( individual and group)
Activities:
a) Read aloud in the group taking
turns
b) Talk about what you read
c) Explain the gist of the
text/topic to others (in the larger subject group)
d) Interpret and ‘placing’ the
context sharing)
e) Discussion of the theme, sharing
responses and points of view (small group discussion)
f) Connect the texts to the
subjects, methods in the B.Ed. curriculum
5) Expressive Reflections
Activities:
1)
Explore
different reflecting journal writings, developing a common reflective journal
2)
Write based
on the text –e.g. Summary of a scene, extrapolation of story, converting a situation
into a dialogue etc. (individual task)
3)
Write a
review or a summary of the text, with comments and opinions (individual task)
4)
Write from
reader’s perspective, gettin writer, developing a new angle to the text
5)
Presentations
of selected papers, questions and answers (large group).
6) Reading beyond Text
1. Making Connections with the text- Text
with Self, Text with Text and Text with
World
2. Reading for Change –
Multicultural Perspective (regional, folk
literature and the like)
Inclusive Perspective (gender, class,
caste, differently abled and the like)
Educational Perspectives ( Policies,
documents, journals)
Activities:
Write in journal about all the
three types of connections with the text
Read texts from diverse areas and
fields
Group discussion on texts from
different cultures, marginalised sections
Attend seminars, paper readings,
workshop on reading skills
Hold public reading events by
inviting stakeholders to the event
Attend release of new books,
listening to the wri book festivals
Conduct debates/discussions on educational
policies and documents on them.
Convert text into a mono-act, play
or musical drama
Maintain reflective journal and
rubric when writing about the reflections of the text.
Publish Critical essays and
creative essays on reflected texts in college newsletter
and/or magazine
Suggested tasks and Assignments
Home reading assignments,
maintaining reading log
Discussions on interpretation of
the texts
Be the Text, Experience the Text:
Converting text to a dialogue, story, play and mono-act.
Analyzing texts and text structures and
connecting to the curriculum
Writing an exploratory essay on a
text and presenting in the class
Writing a critical reflection from
2 diverse texts.
Note - face to face and if possible online
discussions through synchronous or asynchronous modes, Students should have an
opportunity to read and reflect both individually as well as in groups
Suggestions
1. Workshops on reflective thinking and
journaling for student teachers and teacher educators for shared understanding
2. Develop a booklet of activities for
reading and reflecting on texts.
3. Develop a format for reflective reading
journal.
Reading
Skills
Creating environment for reading –
reading clubs, class libraries
Reading aloud and silent reading
Scaffolding: concept and activities
Reading different texts types like stories, poems, riddles, jokes, and
instructions for games
Reading
with comprehension
Reading for global and local
comprehension
Inferences, analysis and extrapolation
Reading strategies including
word-attack strategies
Discourse analysis
Using reading as a tool for reference
skills i.e. use of dictionary, encyclopaedia and internet
Using ideas of critical literacy to
analyse chapters from textbooks .
Acquisition of Reading Skills
Types
of text
Narrative text
Expository
Autobiographical Narratives
Field Notes
Ethnographies
Addressing different types of skills and strategies
Mode of Transaction
• Participating in tasks and activities
to improve proficiency in the receptive and productive skills of English.
• Text analysis of school textbooks to
improve skills in critical literacy.
• Reflecting on one‟s own learning to make connections with pedagogy.
Essential Readings
1. Lightbown, P. M & Spada, N.
(1999). How Languages are Learned Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. Maley, A. & Duff, A. (1991).
Drama techniques in language learning: A resource book of communication
activities for language teachers (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. 3. Morgan, J. & Rinvolucri, M. (1983). Once upon a time: Using
stories in the language classroom. Cambridge:. Cambridge University Press.
4. Wright, A. (1989). Pictures for
Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Advanced Readings
1. Parrot M. (1993). Tasks for language
teachers Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. Richards, J. & Lockhart, C.
(1994). Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press
3. Slatterly, M. & Willis, J.
(2001). English for primary teachers: A handbook of activities & classroom
language. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Reference
1.
Baker, L., and Brown, A.L., 1984, Metacognitive skills and reading: in Pearson, P.D., Barr, R., Kamil, J.L.,and
Rosenthal, P. (editors), Handbook of Reading Research, Longman Press, NY.
2.
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., and Cocking, A.R. (editors), 2000, How People
Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington D.C.,
346 p.
3. Gourgey,
A.F., 1999, Teaching reading from a Metacognitive perspective: Theory and
classroom experiences:
Journal of College Reading and Learning, v. 30, p. 85-93.
4.
Zimmerman, B., 2002, Becoming a self-regulated learner: An
Overview: Theory into Practice,
v. 41, no.2, p. 64-70.
APPENDIX
III
General
Activities that can be done
1. Book review, Appreciation of
Poetry
2. Dictation
3. Reading of autobiography and try
to written own autobiography (Autobiography of Gandhi and Narmad)
4. Picture story writing and give
suitable title
5. Discussion, debate based on
reading of books
6. Reading and criticism editorial
articles of newspaper.
7. Various types of report writing
8. Reading of “thinking magazines”
available in the library.
9. Planning special activities like
quiz, extrapolation etc
10. Diagnostic & Remedial work
for Reading and Writing Skill.
11. Tests of reading effectiveness
12. Group discussion on the books
that are being read.
13.Divide the class in small group and provide different kinds of texts and instruct them to read and reflect
according to the nature of text
14. Divide the group and provide one text and suggest students to make
different interpretations
15. Design vocabulary games to enhance your vocabulary
16. Read the text and provide a five words summary to each paragraph
17. Reading and comprehension exercises
18. Skim through the text and give suitable title to the text
19. Complete given text in stipulated time and summarize it in few
(7/8)lines with a suitable title.
