Reflection on Video: Practices in the Classroom: Becoming Readers and Writers

I found the video to be very well produced. The teacher in the video, Sheila Owen, conveys very clearly the four steps she uses in for reading and two for writing. 

Reading

Starting off with "Read aloud" is a wonderful way of engaging the students. They love to hear stories, and are very interested in reading all by themselves. Read aloud helps show them first hand some of advantages of knowing how to read to encourage them.  Read aloud also allows for the exposure to a text with words they cannot read, but concepts they do understand to stimulate engaging conversations and furthering interest in learning. Sheila then uses the method of "Shared reading". This method engages the whole class reading together. Learning and experiencing with fellow students is a powerful way of learning, its encouraging to the students and helps with a sense of unity and purpose. "Guided reading" then gives the students the needed confidence to read but with a crutch there if they need it. "Independent reading" enforces the students skills and belief in his or herself while reviewing and cementing reading skills. 

Writing

I like her use of interactive writing. The students work wonderfully together spelling words out. This does not put too much pressure on an individual student, but there is some pride  you can see in the boy as he is the one writing out "the".  Independent writing, while they are still not expert reader or writers is really key. They are developing these key skills and allowing them to write freely lets them express themselves and in turn stay excited about learning and improving even more.