Statement of Beliefs

1
Statement of Beliefs

• These beliefs have been written as required for
  my Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in
  Reading at
• Bridgewater State College
• Bridgewater, MA
• Claire A. Lund

2
Learning and the Learner
3

• Under the right social collaborative
  conditions, students possess a natural
  propensity to learn. Within an environment that
  enhances the students desire and motivation to
  learn, the student can become aware of the
  control they have over their thinking, learning,
  and behavior. Collaborative learning contexts
  have been found to stimulate more positive
  social, motivational, and attitudinal outcomes.
• (Alexander Jetton, 2000 RAND Reading Study
  Group, 2000 Wilkinson Silliman, 2000)

4

• Family, community, and literacy-enhancing
  instructional environments in which students
  interact intensively with adults and peers, where
  they experience challenging talk, and where they
  utilize texts on topics in different genres are
  critical for later development and academic
  success. These literacy foundations promote
  learning through a sociocultural frame.
• (Au, 1998 Gee, 2004 Ruddell Unrau, 2004)

5

• Learning is a social, constructive, interactive
  process in which students require support as
  they learn. In the context of this social
  learning environment, effective teachers model
  this critical thinking and engage students to
  plan and monitor their own reading activities by
  utilizing prior knowledge and making new
  connections. This support, in the context of
  reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing
  and presenting, is often referred to as
  scaffolding. Implicitly or explicitly, this
  modeling allows the learner to develop strategies
  which they take ownership of this in turn
  enables them to gain an understanding of new
  information.
• (Brown, Palinscar, and Armbruster, 2000 Dyson,
  2004 Wilkinson Silliman, 2000)

6

• Reader response theories suggest that
  individual learners move along a continuum of
  stances, with the aesthetic stance along one end
  of the continuum, and the efferent stance along
  the other. Meaning comes into being through the
  transaction between the reader and the text as
  the reader shapes the text with prior
  experiences. At the same time, the text shapes
  the reader by creating new experiences. When
  learners are provided with time for text
  discussion within the aesthetic stance through
  written response and book-club talk, they are
  empowered to think at higher levels, are able to
  apply problem-solving skills, and gain a deeper
  understanding of texts.
• (Many, 2004 Rosenblatt, 2004 Ruddell, 1994)

7

• Within the literacy curricula, the overarching
  goal for the learner should be focused on
  ownership of literacy conceptually, this means
  that students with positive attitudes and who
  value literacy come to the understanding that
  literacy is important to their everyday lives.
  They make it part of their everyday routines. We
  must support and enhance understandings that are
  socially constructed and individualized to
  promote lifelong literacy.
• (Alvermann, Young, Green, Wisenbaker, 2004
  Moll, 1994 Valencia, 1990)

8

• Curriculum

9

• Readers draw upon their own experiences.
  Curriculum should be constructed and make use of
  pedagogy which creates opportunities to use the
  various linguistic and cultural experiences that
  each individual student brings to the learning
  environment. This practice will allow for a
  variety of experiences for lifelong learning both
  in and out of the classroom.
• (Au, 2000 Vazquez, 2003 Wilkinson Silliman,
  2000)

10

• As students learn to regulate their own reading
  and to use strategies for different purposes,
  they are able to become independent learners who
  read with confidence and for enjoyment. These
  strategies may include using schema, inferring,
  questioning, determining what is important in the
  text, visualizing, and synthesizing. This need is
  met through curriculum that places an emphasis on
  these important strategies that are critical to
  learning and must be part of the literacy
  curricula.
• (Anderson, 2004 Bransford, 2004 Pressley,
  2000)

11

• Within the literacy environment, students
  require instruction that allows them to build
  upon their conceptual and factual knowledge about
  the processes of reading and writing. Effective
  instruction both accommodates the students needs
  and current level of understanding and accounts
  for individual differences. Opportunities must be
  provided that allow for authentic tasks in both
  reading and writing.
• (Heibert, 1994 Heibert Martin, 2004 Stewart,
  2002)

12

• We must provide for curriculum and instruction
  that is multifaceted, multilevel, and that allows
  for engagement with a clear understanding of the
  task. There are a variety of instructional
  processes which impact engagement they include
  learning and knowledge goals, praise and rewards,
  teacher involvement, coherence of instructional
  process, and evaluation. Engagement then becomes
  the vehicle through which instruction impacts
  outcomes it mediates the desired outcomes
  including new knowledge acquisition and
  connections with text, text comprehension, and
  sustained reading practices.
• (Cunningham Cunningham, 2002 Guthrie
  Wigfield, 2000 Wilkinson Silliman, 2000)

13

• Curriculum is propelled by making meaning and
  inquiry. The curriculum should promote a balanced
  reading approach that responds to the appropriate
  instructional and developmental levels of the
  classroom participants. It is based on childrens
  cultural and background information and is
  research-based, assessment-based, comprehensive,
  and dynamic.
• (Brown, Palinscar, Armbruster, 2004 Harste,
  1994 Wilkinson Silliman, 2000)

14

• Teacher Roles

15

• The effective teacher is a reflective
  practitioner who continually strives to evaluate
  the effectiveness of her choices or actions.
  Teachers must recognize, accept, and build on
  diverse cultures within their classrooms. They
  actively seek out opportunities for professional
  growth and foster relationships within the
  community, among colleagues, with parents, and
  outside agencies in order to support student
  learning and create a sense of well-being for
  them.
• (Anders, Hoffman, Duffy, 2000 Au, 2000
  Pikulski, 1994)

16

• The foundation for best practice in literacy is
  the goal of improving reading achievement for all
  students. Effective teaching and learning falls
  upon the teacher who must continually strive to
  make informed decisions about a variety of
  instructional approaches which are appropriate
  for individual learners. An exemplary teacher
  must be adept at identifying and implementing
  best practices through teacher-research, making
  the connection, and bridging the gap between
  theory and practice.
• (Allington, 2001 Rasinski, 2001 Stewart, 2002)

17

• Every student is entitled to high-quality
  literacy instruction within and beyond the
  language arts. The exemplary teacher attends to
  the individual needs of their students while
  remaining cognizant of their learning style
  within an environment that incorporates literacy
  as part of an integrated curriculum.
• (Gavelek, Raphael, Biondo, Wang, 2000 Morrow
  Asbury, 2003 Raphael, Brock, Wallace, 1998)

18

• Exemplary teachers promote exemplary practice
  in literacy rich environments with materials that
  are accessible to all students and flexible in
  design such a model is characterized by
  meaningful activities which enable those students
  to become proficient and lifelong literacy
  learners as they learn and grow. One must stand
  firm in the conviction that the practice is best
  for these particular students, in this particular
  setting, at this particular time however,
  teachers must make use of reflective thinking and
  pedagogy to assess and evaluate their teaching
  strategies and practices to ensure this goal is
  being met.
• (Calkins, 2001 Gambrel Mazzoni, 1999 Graves,
  1994)

19

• Literacy instruction utilized by exemplary
  teachers provides an organized, as well as
  comprehensive program of skill development.
  Although there are many paths to a similar goal,
  such skills include the following phonemic
  awareness, phonics, vocabulary development and
  word study, writing, spelling, listening,
  language, fluency, and comprehension.
• (Cunningham Allington, 1999 Routman, 2000
  Ruddell, 2004 Ruddell Unrau, 2004)

20

• Assessment and Evaluation

21

• Teachers are the instructional designers who
  develop practices in relevant, meaningful ways
  based on assessment and evaluation. Classroom
  assessment can produce optimal results when
  teachers are given the freedom to use their
  professional judgment to make instructional
  decisions to adjust lessons, redirect
  instruction, and stop for a mini-lesson to enable
  students to reach their potential.
• (Darling-Hammond, 1997 Raphael Au, 1998
  Shepard, 2004)

22

• The quality of assessment lies in how the tool
  is used. The best practices in literacy
  assessment allow us to understand the whole
  picture, develop important goals, gather various
  forms of evidence to support or refute
  hypotheses, and lead us into dialogue about how
  to assist learners to develop as readers,
  writers, listeners, and speakers.
• (Au, 2000 Au Raphael, 2000 Juel
  Minden-Cupp, 2004)

23

• There is a direct link between assessment and
  instruction assessment drives instruction.
  Ongoing, dynamic assessment provides the insight
  to how children learn and how to scaffold next
  steps. It is integral to Vygotskys idea of a
  zone of proximal development. In this way, we can
  ensure constructive ways to improve both our
  teaching and student learning.
• (Guthrie, 2002 Juel Minden-Cupp, 2004
  Shepard, 2004)

24

• Authentic assessment is assessment that is
  on-going and found within the context of
  meaningful learning environments. It reflects
  experiences that can be documented and recorded
  through a myriad of tasks these tasks may
  include journals, observation, anecdotal records,
  conferences, and portfolios to name a few. This
  form of assessment can reflect reading as a
  process that takes into account childrens
  strengths and weaknesses, the construction of
  meaning, and then guide instruction.
• (Au, 2002 Bridges, 1995 Wiggins, 1998)

25

• In any given classroom, we will find a wide
  range of reading proficiencies. Alternative
  assessments through the use of observational
  methods are of critical importance that is, they
  empower the teacher to look at a students
  developmental strengths and educational needs.
  While documenting progress, this on-going
  assessment, integrated with instruction, allows
  educators to change their instructional practice
  to ensure enhanced learning and provides teaching
  moments and the means to scaffold next steps.
• (Juel Minden-Cupp, 2004 Shepard, 2004
  Wilkinson Silliman, 2000)

26

• References

27

• Alexander, P. A. Jetton, T. L. (2000). Learning
  from text A multidimensional and developmental
  perspective. In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P.
  D. Pearson, R. D. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of
  reading research vol. iii. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence
  Erlbaum Associates.
• Allington, R. (2001). What really matters for
  struggling readers Designing research-based
  programs. New York Longman.
• Alvermann, D. E., Young, J. P., Green, C.,
  Wisenbaker, J. M. (2004). Adolescents
  perceptions and negotiations of literacy
  practices in after-school read and talk clubs.
  In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 5th
  ed. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Anders, P. L., Hoffman, J. V., Duffy, G. G.
  (2000). Teaching teachers to teach reading
  Paradigm shifts, persistent problems, and
  challenges. In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P.
  D. Pearson, R. D. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of
  reading research vol. iii. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence
  Erlbaum Associates.
• Anderson, R. C. (2004). Role of the readers
  schema in comprehension, learning, and memory.
  In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 5th
  ed. Newark, DE International Reading Association.

28

• Au, K. H. (1998). Social constructivism and the
  school literacy learning of students with
  diverse backgrounds. Journal of Literacy
  Research, 30, pp. 297-319.
• Au, K. H. (2000). A multicultural perspective on
  policies for improving literacy and achievement
  Equity and excellence. In M. L. Kamil, P. B.
  Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, R. D. Barr (Eds.),
  Handbook of reading research vol. iii.
  Mahwah,NJLawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Au, K. H. (2002). Multicultural factors and the
  effective instruction of students of diverse
  backgrounds. In A. E. Farstrup S. J. Samuels
  (Eds.), What research has to say about reading
  instruction, 3rd ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Au, K. H. Raphael, T. E. (2000). Equity and
  literacy in the next millennium. Reading
  Research Quarterly, 35, pp.170-188.
• Bransford, J. D. (2004). Schema activation and
  schema acquisition Comments on Richard C.
  Andersons remarks. In R. B. Ruddell N. J.
  Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of
  reading, 5th edition. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Bridges, L. (1995). Assessment Continuous
  learning. York, ME Stenhouse.

29

• Brown, A. L., Palinscar, A. S., Armbruster, B.
  B. (2000). Instructing comprehension-fostering
  activities in interactive learning situations.
  In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, H. Singer
  (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of
  reading, 4th edition. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Calkins, L. M. (2001). The art of teaching
  reading. New York Longman.
• Cunningham, P. Allington, R. L. (1999).
  Classrooms that work They can all read and
  write. 2nd ed. New York Longman.
• Cunningham, P. M. Cunningham, J. W. (2002).
  What we know about how to teach phonics. In A.
  E. Farstrup S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What
  research has to say about reading instruction.
  Newark, DE International Reading Association.
• Darling-Hammond, L. (1997). The right to learn A
  blueprint for creating schools that work. San
  Francisco Jossey-Boss.
• Dyson, A. H. (2004). Writing and the sea of
  voices Oral language in, around, and about
  writing. In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 5th
  ed. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.

30

• Gambrel, L. B. Mazzoni, S. A. (1999).
  Principles of best practices Finding the common
  ground. In L. B. Gambrel, L. M. Morrow, S. B.
  Neuman, M. Pressley (Eds.), Best practices in
  literacy instruction. New York Guilford Press.
• Gavelek, J. R., Raphael, T. E., Biondo, S. M.,
  Wang, D. (2000). Integrated literacy
  instruction. In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P.
  D. Pearson, R. D. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of
  reading research vol. iii. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence
  Erlbaum Associates.
• Gee, J. P. (2004). Reading as situated language
  A sociocognitive perspective. In R. B. Ruddell
  N. J. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and
  processes of reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE
  International Reading Association.
• Graves, D. H. (1994). A fresh look at writing.
  Portsmouth, NH Heinemann.
• Guthrie, J. T. (2002). Preparing students for
  high-stakes test taking in reading. In A. E.
  Farstrup S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research
  has to say about reading instruction, 3rd ed.
  Newark, DE International Reading Association.
• Guthrie, J. T. Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement
  and motivation in reading. In M. L. Kamil, P. B.
  Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, R. D. Barr (Eds.),
  Handbook of reading research vol. iii. Mahwah,
  NJ Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

31

• Harste, J. C. (1994). Literacy as curricular
  conversations about knowledge, inquiry, and
  morality. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, H.
  Singer (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes
  of reading, 4th ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Heibert, E. H. (1994). Becoming literate through
  authentic tasks Evidence and adaptations. In R.
  B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, H. Singer (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 4th
  edition. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Heibert, E. H. Martin, L. A. (2004). The texts
  of beginning reading instruction. In R. B.
  Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models
  and processes of reading, 5th edition. Newark,
  DE International Reading Association.
• Juel, C. Minden-Cupp, C. (2004). Learning to
  read words Linguistic units and instructional
  strategies. In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau
  (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of
  reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Many, J. E. (2004). The effect of reader stance
  on students personal understanding of
  literature. In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau
  (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of
  reading, 5th edition. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Moll, L. C. (1994). Literacy research in
  community and classrooms A sociocultural
  approach. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, H.
  Singer (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes
  of reading, 4th ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.

32

• Morrow, L. M. Asbury, E. (2003). Current
  practices in early literacy instruction. In L.
  M. Morrow, L. Gambrel, M. Pressley (Eds.),
  Best practices in literacy instruction. New
  York Guilford Press.
• Pikulski, J. J. (1994). Preventing reading
  failure A review of five effective programs.
  The Reading Teacher, Vol. 48, No. 1, September.
• Pressley, M. (2000). What should comprehension
  instructions be instruction of? In M. L. Kamil,
  P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, R. D. Barr
  (Eds.), Handbook of reading research vol. iii.
  Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• RAND Reading Study Group (2000). A research
  agenda for improving reading comprehension. In
  M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson,
  R. D. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research
  vol. iii. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
  Associates.
• Raphael, T. E. Au, K. H. (1998).
  Literature-based instruction Reshaping the
  curriculum. Norwood, MA Christopher-Gordon.
• Raphael, T. E., Brock, C. H., Wallace, S.
  (1998). Encouraging quality peer talk with
  diverse students in mainstream classrooms
  Learning from and with teachers. In J. R.
  Paratore R. McCormack (Eds.), Peer talk in
  the classroom Learning from research. Newark,
  DE International Reading Association.

33

• Rasinski, T. V. (2001). A focus on communication
  with parents and families. In R. Flippo (Ed.),
  Reading research in search of common ground.
  Newark, DE International Reading Association.
• Rosenblatt, L. M. (2004). The transactional
  theory of reading and writing. In R. B. Ruddell
  N. J. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and
  processes of reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE
  International Reading Association.
• Routman, R. (2000). Conversations Strategies for
  teaching, learning, and evaluating. Portsmouth,
  NH Heinemann.
• Ruddell, M. R. (1994). Vocabulary knowledge and
  comprehension A comprehension-process view of
  complex literacy relationships. In R. B.
  Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, H. Singer (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 4th
  ed. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Ruddell, R. B. (2004). Researching the
  influential literacy teacher Characteristics,
  beliefs, strategies, and new research directions.
  In R. B. Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.),
  Theoretical models and processes of reading, 5th
  ed. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Ruddell, R. B. Unrau, N. J. (2004). Reading as
  a meaning- construction process The reader, the
  text, and the teacher. In R. B. Ruddell N. J.
  Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes
  of reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.

34

• Ruddell, R. B. Unrau, N. J. (2004). The role of
  responsive teaching in focusing reader intention
  and developing reader motivation. In R. B.
  Ruddell N. J. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models
  and processes of reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE
  International Reading Association.
• Shepard, L. A. (2004). The role of assessment in
  a learning culture. In R. B. Ruddell N. J.
  Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes
  of reading, 5th ed. Newark, DE International
  Reading Association.
• Stewart, M. T. (2002). Best practice? Insights
  on literacy instruction from an elementary
  classroom. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Valencia, S. (1990). Assessment of students
  ownership of literacy. The Reading Teacher, Vol.
  44, No. 2.
• Vazquez, V. (2003). Getting beyond I like the
  book. Newark, DE International Reading
  Association.
• Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment. San
  Francisco Jossey- Boss.

35

• Wilkinson, L. C. Silliman, E. R. (2000).
  Classroom language and literacy learning. In M.
  L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson,
• R. D. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading
  research vol. iii. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
  Associates.