Greg - TP - Child - Session #3

I met with P.J. for the third time last night.  Our tasks this time were to work on listening comprehension using two different mediums.  We first read together from a book with a collection of stories.  We read "The Elves and the Shoemaker."  This story was an experiment.  Ms. Kim thought it probably was a bit beyond his comprehension level, but wanted to stretch him and see.  I guess she was applying the I+1 strategy.  I think we ended up I + 2. 

P.J. was a bit worn out from the day of school and after school care.  It took us some time to get his engine running.   What I learned about P.J. was that he responds accurately about 80 percent of the time when my comprehension questions used indirect evaluation (multiple choice, complete my clue with the correct word from the story, etc.)  However, when I tested his recall using direct evaluation methods (having him answer my question by needing to create the entire answer from memory in complete sentences), it was overload for his tired mind with this advanced material.  This helped me to see he was receiving and remembering more than it first appeared.

We are going to try other methods of expressing recall when evaluating comprehension.  Next week we will take a walk in the neighborhood to see if activity while listening helps (as opposed to sitting at the desk).  I will tell the story in my own words, and then let him tell it back to me (in sections, of course). 

We also used his computer to study what fables are, listening to the definition and to three fables.  By now he was warmed up and a bit more interested in the subjects of these animal centered stories.  They were also more on his level.  In addition, he seems to enjoy learning from the computer more than from physical books (intrinsic motivation).  This was actually school homework, as they will be studying fables starting Tuesday.

I look forward to seeing what impact a change in teaching style will have on P.J. next week.  We will be walking in the dark with a lantern, telling and retelling stories.  Anybody got some smores?  Ha.