Don_M_TP #12 (Child)

This is my last tutoring session with this 3rd grade, bilingual, Korean boy.  I presented him with a matching question.  On the right were the high-frequency words that we had studied in the last 3 sessions; on the left were sentences missing the high-frequency words.  There were more sentences than words to reduce guessing and to reinforce the meaning of the words.  The goal is to correctly match the high-frequency word to the sentence.  We first reviewed the meaning of these words and used them in sample sentences.  Then the tutee started on the matching question.  The tutee frequently tried to guess the correct word without scanning the high-frequency words on the matching question.  Also, I suspect the tutee was trying to guess the correct word from emphasis I had previously placed on words in our review.  I reminded the tutee to use the grammatically correct form of the word to help select the correct high-frequency word (e.g. adjective, verb, noun, etc.)

Note:  To improve this exercise 1) Write 3 sentences for each high-frequency word, 2) Have the tutee write a brief definition or synonym beside each high-frequency word, 3) Create two different matching questions for the same high-frequency words for a total of 6 sentences for each high-frequency word, 4) Administer one matching question at the start of the session and one at the end of the session, 5)  Walk away and allow the tutee to complete the exercise without an adult looming over him.

Next, I gave the tutee the free Grade 3 Assessment from ReadTheory.org called "Robots: Reading Comprehension Assessment", then I walked away.  The tutee quickly read the 281 word text and correctly answered 5/6 questions.  Question 7 requires writing an explanation based on a line of the text.  The tutee expressed his conclusion, but he did not provide an explanation.

Final Observation for future tutors:

• Creating sentences with new words is still difficult for this tutee. 
• Reading comprehension seems to be much better when the tutee reads silently.  However, the tutor can only notice new words for the tutee if he reads aloud. 
• Tutee needs to continue to build vocabulary by reading new words in context. 
• Tutee needs to practice writing explanations, and then reading them aloud as a form of self-check. 
• Also, the tutee should continue to study grammatically correct forms of words as indicated by the following sample FCAT question: "One should _____ the correct question."  The tutee selected "think" instead of "consider" from the available foils.  I pointed out to him that if the question read "One should _____ "about" the correct question.", then "think" would have been the correct question.

Sources: 

Chancellor, Deborah (2000) Tiger Tales and Big Cat Stories. New York:  DK Publishing, Inc.

Bison, Terry (2003). The Fight to Survive (Star Wars: Boba Fett, Book 1) (A Clone Wars Novel), New York:  Scholastic Paperbacks.

Stewart, Melissa (1978).  Dolphins (National Geographic Kids: Science Reader - Level 2), Washington, D.C. :  National Geographic Children's Books.

Richards, Thomas (2007).  Spectrum Math, Grade 3,  Greenboro, NC:  Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Incorporated.

http://englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Grade_3_Assessment_1.pdf, “Robots”, ReadTheory.org, http://englishforeveryone.org/Topics/Reading-Comprehension.htm .

http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/fcatitem.asp, “Grade 3 FCAT 2.0 Reading Sample Questions”.

http://www.rhlschool.com/read12n6.html, “Vocabulary - Meanings From Context”.

http://www.rhlschool.com/read12n5.html, “Vocabulary - Meanings From Context”.

http://www.rhlschool.com/read12n12.html, “From Outer Space”.

http://www.rhlschool.com/read12n3.html, “Drawing Conclusions”.

http://www.rhlschool.com/read9n2.htm, “Word Meanings From Context”

http://www.rhlschool.com/read9n1.htm, “Word Meanings From Context”

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/vocabulary/index.htm, “Vocab Games”

http://bogglesworldesl.com/crosswords.htm, “Crosswords”.

http://a4esl.org/ , “Activities for ESL Students”.