Discussion #4: Visualizing and Inferring

Discussion #4: Visualizing and Inferring

Goudvis and Harvey stated that visualized and inferring are closely related. They said that, "When we visualize, we are in fact inferring, but with mental images rather than words and thoughts.  Visualizing and inferring don't occur in isolation.  Strategies interweave.  Inferring involves merging background knowledge with text clues to come up with an idea that is not explicitly stated in the text."  This basically means that students read between the lines. 

Recently, I started using the word "visualizing" in my classroom.  I told my kindergarteners that when you visualize, you are making a move in your head.  I began reading the Junie B. Jones series to my students to practice many comprehension strategies.  In the chapter book, there are very few pictures so students have to create their own mental images of the story. 

I am very curious to try the strategy in this text called Visualizing with Wordless Picture Books.  I have many wordless picture books in my collection, but I did not know how to incorporate them into my instruction with kindergarteners.  After students and I looked at the pictures, I would have the students draw, write, and then talk about their visualization.

I would also like to try the strategy called Inferring Feelings.  In this activity, a student has a feeling card on his or her back.  The students read the card, and have to give him/her clues as to what the feeling is without using the word.  For example, "My sister hit me with a golf club.  My dog died. My dad didn't let me go to the movies."  After students have shared their clues, the student with the picture card has to share the feeling and explain how he/she figured it out. 

Discussion #3: Questioning- The Strategy That Propels Readers Forward


Goudvis & Harvey stated, "Questions propel us forward and take us deeper into reading."   You could say that this quote even applied to me after the reading of this section.  When I finished reading this section, I asked myself how I could use this in my classroom.  I then thought about my weekly Friday "animal book" day.  During Animal Friday, I read to students a book about a specific animal and watch a video about that critter on Discovery Education.  For example, last week we learned about beavers, and the previous week we learned about anteaters.  Students are naturally very curious about the world, especially animals. After reading about the questioning strategies in this chapter, I became inspired to change my proposal strategy. 

This week I hope to focus on the lesson "The More We Learn, The More We Wonder."  In this strategy, I will begin by creating a chart titled "I Learned and I Wondered." Before reading the book, I will now ask students to wonder about our new animal.  Students will be expected to use a complete sentence.  For example, "I wonder what camels like to eat" or "Where do penguins live?" 

After we are done reading and watching the video, we will record on the chart what they learned.  Students will write in their animal books about what they learned.  They will be expected to write a sentence or two using invented spelling and sight words.  They should also include a picture with details.  The student samples will then be used as evidence for my proposal. 

I plan to use the other questioning strategies in the coming weeks. These include: Sharing Your Questions About Your Own Reading where the teacher takes a book they are reading at home and writes questions that they have on Post-it notes. The teacher then brings her book to class to show students the importance of creating questions. Other strategies I would like to implement are Using Question Webs to Expand Thinking and Gaining Information Through Questioning. I look forward to adding student work samples to my new weebly account.