The purpose of a mini-lesson is to enable students to accomplish a particular goal with assistance from a teacher. Linda and Carla do not believe in providing a script for a mini-lesson. Instead, they trust teachers to know what to say based on the needs of their students. A mini-lesson should last approximately fifteen minutes and enable students to easily recall important information. The five steps involved in the framework of a mini lesson are as follows:
1. Introduce the lesson -review anchor chart of comprehension strategies
2. Model the process
3. Provide guided practice
4. Provide independent practice
5. Share time
There are five types of mini-lessons. During each mini-lesson, a teacher focuses on a particular strategy to improve students’ abilities to read effectively. The five types of mini-lessons are:
1. Procedures and organization
2. Comprehension strategies
3. Strategic behaviors
4. Language strategies
5. Comprehension skills
The remainder of Chapter 8 describes ten examples of mini-lessons used for shaping deep comprehension. These lessons use the five-step format described above. Each lesson is described in detail which makes them easy to follow.
Lesson Titles
· Rereading When Meaning Breaks Down
· Previewing or Surveying a Text by Using the Blurb on the Back Cover, The Inside Flap, and the Table of Contents
· Asking Questions Before, During, and After Reading
· Reading Aloud to Clarify Thinking
· Using Knowledge of Text Structure, Text Genre, and Writing Conventions
· Using Text Aids to Illuminate and Extend Meaning
· Marking Texts and Recording Notes
· Using Context and Parts of Words to Infer Meaning
· Writing in Reading Logs
· Discussing Ideas and Impressions with Others
“A mini-lesson provides a language model for arousing a reader’s attention. Students learn from the experts-their teachers-about the comprehending process. The teacher spotlights particular strategies used by good readers, then provides students with both guided and independent practice.” (page 107) I am convinced that this type of mentoring process will work as we strive to improve literacy. However, we must understand that “mini-lessons can introduce students to problem-solving strategies, but the comprehending process requires that the readers coordinate a range of comprehending strategies as they work to construct deep meaning.” (page 98)
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteAs I read this chapter in "Teaching for Deep Comprehension" I couldn't figure out how it could be used in the middle schools. At first I was lost on what the mini-lessons would be about. I read and understood through the section on the framework of a mini-lesson but still could not make the connection to middle schoolers.
Then as I got to the sentence about the focus of the mini-lesson must change as the students change I really started to wonder how mini-lessons were applicable to middle schoolers. The whole thing began to make more sense to me when I read about the different types of mini-lessons and realized that when I am reading a text I must sometimes reread for meaning #1. Or #2 I always preview or survey a text before reading to see if it is something I think will be useful or pleasurable to me.
In this chapter, it was Dr. Dorn's Types of Mini-Lessons that made sense to me. Before getting to that point in the chapter, I was not making any kind of connection. I understood the process of a mini-lesson but could not connect to the reading behavior that was supposed to be being taught.
Again, I am reminded of Dr. Forget’s message as I was reading the last sentence of the chapter on page 107, which says, “The whole process is a kind of cognitive apprenticeship, whereby a more knowledgeable language user mentors students into the world of literacy”. Middle school teachers are quick to complain that students can’t read the texts assigned to cover course content, but rarely have they used a mini-lesson format to model and offer guidance for the strategies required for deep comprehension during the guided practice.
ReplyDeleteI guess this is where we may have a difference between elementary and middle school. We hope that most comprehension strategies are in place and being used sucessfully by the time our students reach you, but we all know that is NOT the case. Many elementary teachers use multiple mini-lessons daily. The mini-lesson is a short, focused lesson meant to clarify/reteach a strategy that the teacher has observed needs to be strengthened. The students then are given opportunity to practice the strategy with a class/partner, then go off to try it independently. A quick check alerts the teacher to any students who will need add'l help. Do too many of your MS teachers expect students to have most of these strategies mastered when they walk in your doors? The lesson titles Cindy listed are ones that ALL readers must use continually in order to comprehend text. As the texts get more difficult in MS, students would benefit from demonstrations/reminders of how they can use these same strategies on ALL reading. Do you think many of your MS teachers use mini-lessons? I'm interested in your reply!
ReplyDeleteSue, Mini-lessons are being used in the Language Arts classes in our middle schools but I think as far as Science, Social Studies, Math or any related arts it is not something that is done. Once students are in middle school the teachers tend to focus on our standards only. There needs to be a literacy based standard in all subject areas. Anyway, the strategies we have used this year are the MAX strategies which are great. However, I was very impressed with Dr. Doug Buehl's discussion on this while at the Institute in Arkansas. He discussed frontloading and different strategies to use for frontloading. He also discussed the students' background knowledge. He stated, "When a student doesn't have the prior knowledge to read the text, they cannot read them." He called this "mismatched". I found him very interesting and relevant to listen to.
ReplyDeleteI also agree, Sue, that as the text get more difficult in middle school, students would benefit from how they can use strategies they have learned previously in ALL of their reading. This must become a priority in all our middle school content areas and not just language arts.
I think minilessons can be powerful in any content and across the grades. Part of the power is in the brevity...you have the cherubs' attention for only so long!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dorn and Soffos that they shouldn't be scripted and they should be left to teacher judgment and decision. SO many minilessons come naturally from the patterns that emerge from student reading and writing behavior. The teacher holds that knowledge of what is in the standard and what must be 'covered' with what she is seeing her students do as readers and writers.
Though they name 5 types of minilessons, I can see there being even more for a teacher in a content area.
Fountas and Pinnell talk about having "Investigation" unit studies with kids where you have them reading and writing in a content area. So many of the minilessons in those units deal with helping kids read or write like a scientist, like a researcher, or in a particular genre. Those units were always my favorite when I was in the classroom.
Cindy, when you were reading this chapter did you happen to glance at the F and P chapters on minilessons in reading and writing? They are awesome resources.
Journey, I agree with you about mini-lessons being taught in all contents. I did not read F and P until after this blog but I can definitely see how mini-lessons should become an essential part of all content knowledge at the middle school level. For example, many resources have been given to the middle school Social Studies teachers focusing on primary resources. It is our (the coaches) jobs to make sure these resources are being used and being used to their fullest potential.
ReplyDeleteI see mini-lessons being so useful in middle school!! I would love to see them used across the content areas. They are such a useful tool and can be used in such a variety of ways. We tend to get caught up in the procedural type of mini-lessons in our primary grades but love the idea of the investigation mini-lessons. What kid wouldn't want to learn to read and write like a scientist???? I have always loved the simplicity of the layout of the mini-lesson. You tell them what you are going to teach them, you show them, you model it with them, you let them "give it a go" and then you come back to talk about it. Ah, that is such a great way to teach (and for them to learn)!! It is great for those little munchkins with short attention spans (like me!!!)
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've already posted on this chapter, but it's not here. I'll try again.
ReplyDeleteI agree that mini-lessons are effective in all grades, because the teachers demostrates then the kids try it. I like that the lessons are short and focused. The kids should know the teachers' expectations.
I too feel like the lessons should be scritped. That you should have a purpose of the lesson, but listening to the students and letting them guide the lesson.