Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!
So exciting to have @trevorabryan with us tonight to talk about the
"Art of Comprehension".
Hope that this chat finds you ready to learn as well as safe and snug from the polar vortex.
#G2Great@DrMaryHoward@hayhurst3
Hi #G2Great from Jill in COLD New Brunswick, Canada. Very excited to be chatting with @trevorabryan tonight. I am waiting (im)patiently for my copy of The Art of Comprehension to arrive!
Hello #g2great! I can’t believe I made it today. Thursdays are often busy for me. Elisa, grade 5 T from Calgary, Alberta. We are enjoying mild weather for this time of the year.
Hi #G2Great from Jill in COLD New Brunswick, Canada. Very excited to be chatting with @trevorabryan tonight. I am waiting (im)patiently for my copy of The Art of Comprehension to arrive!
Join us right now for what promises to be a fantastic chat all about deepening Ss comprehension with @trevorabryan as we uncover the magic in his new book The Art of Comprehension #G2Great@stenhousepub
A1. Concepts depend on Ss. Sometimes inference, imagery, synthesis. Need much practice = sequence of picture, easy text, harder text, multiple texts (and text can be combos of visual/print/ digital/oral/video).
#G2Great
A1 Too much time is wasted with tasks that promote shallow reading & ignore the deep thinking that is crucial. Fill in the blank forms? Accelerated Reader tests? Teachers Pay Teachers? Scripted lessons. Why do we still trust those narrow approaches? #G2Great
A1: Inference is always a challenge for kids. Hitting the concept from multiple modalities like computer, paper/pencil, video, etc. will support the learning. #G2Great
A1 Analysis. When Ss get to HS, few have had practice of analysis. When we read a short story or excerpt from a novel, I always ask the "why." "Why" do I care? "Why" is it important? "Why" is tough. It's a powerful word that needs a lot of practice. Take time with "why." #g2Great
A1 Determining theme can be challenging for Ss, but with #AoC, once Ss can determine the mood and what is causing the mood, they are in a better place to uncover the big idea/theme #G2Great
A1: Symbolism for sure, using pieces of art including picture books with similar themes helps..kids are starting to compare and look for similarities #G2Great
They miss the meaningful mark in so many ways. Ts might think those are easier, but Ss miss opportunities to make deep connections with texts when we give them busy-work #G2great
#g2great I’ve found that inference is a hard one for some little ones. Wordless picture books are a terrific resource for teaching that. The pictures tell the story and you can discuss with Ss how they know what’s happening without words.
A1 Too much time is wasted with tasks that promote shallow reading & ignore the deep thinking that is crucial. Fill in the blank forms? Accelerated Reader tests? Teachers Pay Teachers? Scripted lessons. Why do we still trust those narrow approaches? #G2Great
It's amazing, simple to implement, but revolutionary in nature when you think of student access and equity!
And boy did @stenhousepub turn it into a dream with @peterhreynolds#G2Great
In reply to
@Mrs_Alfano, @stenhousepub, @peterhreynolds
A1: What works is close reading several times, annotating, and underlining text, as well as responding to it. What (in my view) doesn't work - is endless fill in the blank low-level questions that kill your love of reading and make you hate English. #G2Great
A1 Deep meaning making takes time. When we model our own thinking and engage kids in meaningful dialogue, we celebrate meaning making. Conversations aren’t an option if there’s but the center of meaningful reading & thinking with authentic assessment! #G2Great
I love this question! One of the things I'm working on is making my thinking visible when doing read alouds. I make visible my emotions about a character,
and I narrate any inferences I have. #G2Great
#G2Great A1 How does the author/character SHOW? is notoriously difficult for students. Trying to make the invisible visible for Ss is hard! Helping them understand inferences & Reading between the lines. Mnemonics like STEAL to reveal characters, visualizing, etc help.
A1: Simile/metaphor are difficult for a student if the definition they carry along with them is along the lines of both are comparisons but one uses "like" or "as". . .and the other one doesn't. It means lots of metaphors get missed in the reading. No sense of "signal." #g2great
A2 My kinder Ss are discovering powerful meaning-making about story/character mood simply from observing color in an illustration. “Red is a MAD color!” is one comment I heard from a recent visit we had w/@trevorabryan as he led us through #AoC work #G2Great
A1: Inference with support I think is tough. I think kids can "make and inference" but to have support or a "why" to their thinking that has legs is tough. It is funny because I always introduce it with images. #G2Great
A1: Inferencing and identifying multiple themes can be challenging for students. Sometimes I think it is because we haven’t taken the learning deep enough nor spent the time necessary to plant those roots. #g2great
A1: I have my students working in small groups talking about the artwork, text and story, lots of discussion, imp for them to hear all the thoughts #g2great
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
Dani, I don’t know Wolf in the Snow. Thank you for letting me know about it. I have found wordless picture books to be a marvelous comprehension tool. It’s all about the thinking and access for even non readers. #g2great
A2 My kinder Ss are discovering powerful meaning-making about story/character mood simply from observing color in an illustration. “Red is a MAD color!” is one comment I heard from a recent visit we had w/@trevorabryan as he led us through #AoC work #G2Great
Yes! I have 2 high school daughters who lived to tell this truth I am sad to say. Wish #AoC had been available to them early on as they started reading. #G2great
A1 Many students struggle to use supporting details to support their thinking. Visual texts, along with the Access Lenses can help students to understand how to do this. #g2great
A1: In high school students can struggle with not understand any concept right away. We just dove into crit lit theory with Shakespearen plays and Ss had convos, listened to guest speakers, and explored takes from other perspectives.Talking, drawing, and sharing helped. #G2Great
A1 I must comment on Ts Pay Ts. Many of our novice Ts/STs rely on Ts Pay Ts. I encourage them to stay away from it & instead, please work w/ me. I LOVE lesson planning & am happy to collaborate. #G2Great
A1 Inferring is one of the concepts students find challenging. I've used paintings and wordless picture books to help them get the hang of the process, then practice using texts. #G2great
When ideas get more layered and Ss have to juggle many balls (like with synthesis or understanding symbolism) then deep understanding is difficult. But I always find success through having Ss discuss big ideas and bouncing ideas around with peers #g2Great
A1: When focusing on meaning making, we look for connections-text to self, text to text, etc. Also employ meta-cognitive strategies such as think alouds and discourse opportunities. #g2great
A1 Too much time is wasted with tasks that promote shallow reading & ignore the deep thinking that is crucial. Fill in the blank forms? Accelerated Reader tests? Teachers Pay Teachers? Scripted lessons. Why do we still trust those narrow approaches? #G2Great
I love this question! One of the things I'm working on is making my thinking visible when doing read alouds. I make visible my emotions about a character,
and I narrate any inferences I have. #G2Great
Because pictures are easier to manage and decode, making inferences with pictures and discussing theme is often way easier. STudents can see it, they don't have to envision it. Art allows them success with these skills. #g2great
A 1 Inferring character’s personality traits and themes.Meaning making through discussions supports conceptual understanding. I have pairs list characters’ emotions, inner thoughts, facial expressions, gestures in dif situations & dialogue exchanges—some love to draw. #G2Great
A1 I read somewhere that summarization is the hardest things for teachers to teach and the hardest thing for students to learn. I can’t help but think that there are interrelated. #G2Great
A2. Pictures with details that match/lead to concepts. Moods, placement, size, symbols. What's the big idea of the image?
Emphasizing the visual evidence and the talk (language) that supports students' thinking work.
#G2Great
A1: I think that students are still struggling with vocabulary and the importance of the word choice of the author. I find that they are quick to move beyond a word that is critical, because they are unsure and do not have the skills to find meaning. #g2great
It’s amazing to me how much kids can notice when we open the noticing door and invite them in. They begin to see things we don’t even see (and then WE become the students and kids the teacher. I love that! #G2Great
A2 My kinder Ss are discovering powerful meaning-making about story/character mood simply from observing color in an illustration. “Red is a MAD color!” is one comment I heard from a recent visit we had w/@trevorabryan as he led us through #AoC work #G2Great
A2 If we want to promote depth then the first criteria would be to find images that will beckon that kind of depth. What kind of depth of information is the illustrator/photographer giving us and how will that engage students in meaningful dialogue around it? #G2Great
A1: Simile/metaphor are difficult for a student if the definition they carry along with them is along the lines of both are comparisons but one uses "like" or "as". . .and the other one doesn't. It means lots of metaphors get missed in the reading. No sense of "signal." #g2great
A1 Making inferences can be challenging. Also recognizing that different readers might have different perspectives is sometimes difficult for readers. #G2Great
Because the narrative that teachers can't be questioned or we are shaming them is pushed by these BS artists that worship at the alter of lazy. #G2great
A2 I choose my read alouds carefully, always looking for illustrations rich in as many #accesslenses as possible. It’s amazing to watch my Ss uncover deeper comprehension skills simply by focusing on facial expressions/body language/colors… #G2Great
A1 Teaching Students to build their awareness of what they do and don’t yet undertsnd and being able to name what they are confused and wondering about #g2great
Tell me what you REALLY think (and couldn’t agree more) But as long as we are going to write a check to snake oil salesmen, then we are going to have to take some of the blame too. People writing checks don’t know the alternative (or what a sham it is) #G2Great
Because the narrative that teachers can't be questioned or we are shaming them is pushed by these BS artists that worship at the alter of lazy. #G2great
Let's just put it out there...reading is so complex and difficult...just ask my #EDUC 860 class after last week and their Marie Clay exercise. I think we sometimes forget how difficult reading is b/c it comes so automatically for us. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
A2 Certainly picture books that include images that inspire deep thinking would be at the top of my list. Dan Santa’s After the Fall is a perfect example. The conversations that rise from those images inspires such depth of thinking to life. #G2Great
I like using this as a technique b/c it shows all the work that goes into reading. Too often Ss think reading comprehension is this magical thing that just occurs but in truth it takes work, and even adults do this work. I feel it demystifies the act of reading for Ss. #G2Great
I use “what do you notice” and “what do you wonder” as a way to get kids talking. Once we can hear what they’re bringing their attention to, we can figure out how to deepen it. #g2great
A2: knowing the access lenses, I can choose pictures and images that explicitly use specific lenses, then move on to more complex illustrations, and then stories #G2Great
Let's just put it out there...reading is so complex and difficult...just ask my #EDUC 860 class after last week and their Marie Clay exercise. I think we sometimes forget how difficult reading is b/c it comes so automatically for us. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
A2 thinking aloud about what I picture as I read, stopping often to read the pictures with students in read aloud, asking students to extend the picture and make it move so it comes to life #g2great
A2-Using visual images gives all students access to make meaning. This builds students confidence in the reading process. Students strengthen their ability to notice details and make inferences based on clues. #G2great
A2 I choose images based on my objective. If I'm teaching characterization and/or vocabulary for emotions, I look for images with clear facial expressions. Situations that Ss can relate to are also key. #G2great
Wait, can we just soak in this moment? @trevorabryan you are hosting #G2Great with your new BOOK!! Really kuddos to you, my friend for sticking with it!! Bravo #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 Many students struggle to use supporting details to support their thinking. Visual texts, along with the Access Lenses can help students to understand how to do this. #g2great
A2: Selecting books with illustrations that allow the students to “jump in like explorers” as Trevor says... I’d look for expressive faces that show emotion, scenery that evokes feeling, and movement that dances off the pages! #g2great
So important to ask these kind of open ended questions because it leaves from for the child to bring their thinking to the learning experience. Narrow questions promote narrow thinking. #G2Great
I use “what do you notice” and “what do you wonder” as a way to get kids talking. Once we can hear what they’re bringing their attention to, we can figure out how to deepen it. #g2great
A2: Consider asking students to choose an art piece that visually depicts the understanding of a character’s motives or scene. Ask them to use their piece to inform their writing about what they notice. And share their perspectives. #G2great
A2: I use some picture books in my fifth grade ELA classes, but I am helping my students use the access lenses in word form since most of our reading is novels. #g2Great
A2: Sometimes students need to create their own visual texts to comprehend. I’ve watched some create story flow charts (to understand AND to write their own). I’ve given blank comic strip panels to students for capturing sequence, most important moments, etc #G2Great
A2 While pictures books are such a great source, let’s not ignore stand alone paintings, drawings, & photographs that inspire meaningful conversations. Trevor Bryan’s work opened my eyes to the richness of meaningful talk these carefully chosen images promote. #G2Great
Thank you for teaching new teachers about Marie Clay’s brilliant influence on our understanding of early literacy! #g2great (Susan, late to the party! Sorry!)
Let's just put it out there...reading is so complex and difficult...just ask my #EDUC 860 class after last week and their Marie Clay exercise. I think we sometimes forget how difficult reading is b/c it comes so automatically for us. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
This. I’m currently assessing 2nd gr Ss and many have difficulty understanding how the illustrations, diagrams, pictures, etc are even connected to the text...essentially the craft of the text support meaning. #g2great
A2 I always look for pictures that might spark the kind of thinking I’m wanting Ss to do. But more than anything, teaching Ss to notice and wonder about visual images is where I always start. Curiosity and attention to detail is key #G2great
A 2 Love ❤️ having students pore over photos & illustrations. They look at setting, characters’ expressions, clothes, situations. Ss infer, make connections, predict. @trevorabryan is spot-on. Can do sophisticated thinking with pictures.#G2Great
A1 Many students struggle to use supporting details to support their thinking. Visual texts, along with the Access Lenses can help students to understand how to do this. #g2great
A2: I teach most strategies with picture books. Struggling early readers can AND SHOULD (I see you phonics crazies) use pictures to support their comprehension. All readers should take time to look deeply at the images to find more than a quick glance brings us. #G2great
Stories are about how events impact a characters mood. What;s the mood, what's causing the mood are two great questions to consider to help with inferences, how and why characters react, and themes/messages #g2great
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
It was but they all were saying bad words *#it about me...b/c it was so frustrating...but they came away with a real understanding @ what it feels like when reading is hard! #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Let's just put it out there...reading is so complex and difficult...just ask my #EDUC 860 class after last week and their Marie Clay exercise. I think we sometimes forget how difficult reading is b/c it comes so automatically for us. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
A2 Visual texts that have strong moods make it easier to find key details, make inferences, synthesize information, discuss themes/big ideas and make meaningful strong-link connections. Especially when supported with the Access Lenses #g2great
Wait, can we just soak in this moment? @trevorabryan you are hosting #G2Great with your new BOOK!! Really kuddos to you, my friend for sticking with it!! Bravo #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 Many students struggle to use supporting details to support their thinking. Visual texts, along with the Access Lenses can help students to understand how to do this. #g2great
A2: Without the text, this image from ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME could be an invitation to talk about how we learned to write our names. Remember that tricky corner. How did Alma do here? What's happened in her attempt? Bonus? Sharing a new Caldecott Honor Book. #g2great
A2: In selecting visual images, I’d also look for images that would lend themselves well to the comprehension or vocabulary strategies and skills being taught. Great way to start with concrete picture and move to abstract language of the learning targets. #g2great
A3. The Access Lenses give Ss a focus for their attention as well as language to talk about what they see in visual texts. Ss can move beyond the "surface" what they see and think about the deeper meaning of WHY the artist/author used this lens.
#G2Great
A2 Choose images that have strong moods. They lend themselves to narratives which make it much easier for students to engage with comprehension skills needed to make meaning of written texts. #g2great
A2 I choose images based on my objective. If I'm teaching characterization and/or vocabulary for emotions, I look for images with clear facial expressions. Situations that Ss can relate to are also key. #G2great
Q2: I love getting Ss in the habit of searching for the setting. It can make or break the story line. Also, visuals that support character development. The simplest story, such as Tortoise and the Hare can spur deep discussion on character. #g2great
A2: Without the text, this image from ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME could be an invitation to talk about how we learned to write our names. Remember that tricky corner. How did Alma do here? What's happened in her attempt? Bonus? Sharing a new Caldecott Honor Book. #g2great
Actually, I think we sometimes make reading difficult for Ss in school by the kinds of hoops we ask them to jump through in order to get a mark, a check on the rubric, etc. Instead, we should be creating conditions that allow reading to be enjoyable and energizing. #g2great
A3 John Medina’s Brain Rule #10 is a great reminder of the power of visuals: Vision trumps all other senses. They offer a concrete visual reference that we can come back to again and again that will offer a powerful reminder of different ways of seeing/knowing. #G2Great
Yes!! I first discovered that book at a session with @frankisibberson - and I’m pretty sure it was ordered and heading from Amazon to my house before the session finished!! 2 of my favorites are The Girl and the Bicycle and The Boy and the Airplane #g2great
In reply to
@girlworld4, @flynn_catherine, @frankisibberson
You are kind @ssvincent Marie Clay is such a foundational leader in literacy. I don't think my students will forget her name now! :) #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Thank you for teaching new teachers about Marie Clay’s brilliant influence on our understanding of early literacy! #g2great (Susan, late to the party! Sorry!)
Let's just put it out there...reading is so complex and difficult...just ask my #EDUC 860 class after last week and their Marie Clay exercise. I think we sometimes forget how difficult reading is b/c it comes so automatically for us. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 I think inferencing is hardest 4 Ss. Although talking about characters & how they develop, why they do the things they do can be challenging. And, while I’m on this...thinking about theme is also not easy. They talk in terms of topics, rather than messages. #g2great
Q2 is about expanding our definittion of "text." everything in life is text. Argument at recess? Text. Photo from a field trip? Text. Life is text. #g2great
Stand alone images are also a great starting point. It doesn't take as long to "read" a painting as it does a wordless picture book. Leaves lots of time for guided and independent practice. #g2great
A2 While pictures books are such a great source, let’s not ignore stand alone paintings, drawings, & photographs that inspire meaningful conversations. Trevor Bryan’s work opened my eyes to the richness of meaningful talk these carefully chosen images promote. #G2Great
A3 Quality texts are rich in visual references that Ss of all ages can uncover,leading to deeper comprehension & richer conversations around texts that ALL readers of any ability can enter into. I'm discovering that even my early emerging readers share deep thinking #G2Great#AOC
A2 Images are a terrific way to invite students to discuss questions such as: What does it say? How does it say it? Whose voice/perspective is represented? Whose voices/perspectives are excluded? #G2Great
@PaulWHankins#g2great I was just admiring this book at our school library yesterday. It’s done in graphite and colored pencil- such lovely and sweet illustrations.
A3: As I look at it I think about Notice and Note. My students become better at understanding a text because they know what to look for. A huge novel can be overwhelming but with the signposts it becomes less so. A complex image given access points seems the same. #G2great
It really does! And @trevorabryan 's #AoC framework makes this work accessible and easy to understand for Ts who are not familiar or comfortable with this approach to teaching. #StepAwayFromTheWorksheet#G2great
#G2Great A2 wordless picture books & Pixar shorts are excellent 🙌 I think Ss are suprised to see a picture really is worth a thousand words, they see how setting influences characters, How mood/tone changes, internal/external conflict
A3 These visuals offer a reminder of the thinking we hope to eventually help them to internalize. Once this thinking goes underground, they have taken ownership of the visuals but they still reside beneath the surface. I love this thinking tool! #G2Great
A2: So many images from I WANT MY HAT BACK that could be used for this purpose. Especially that last page of the story. Here is a mentor text in picture book inference. And support of student opinion based upon story as a whole now. #g2great
A3: As I look at it I think about Notice and Note. My students become better at understanding a text because they know what to look for. A huge novel can be overwhelming but with the signposts it becomes less so. A complex image given access points seems the same. #G2great
A3: Great guide for awareness, paying attention to subtext: WHY did that character move that way. WHY did the author use that sound...how do these small things impact the whole? #G2Great
A2: I like using visual images to emphasize attention to detail whether it be through reading images and/or through reading words! #LitBankStreet#g2great
A3. My 3 year old when she was about 2 was telling me about a sad monkey. Had no idea what she was talking about until we were reading a fav book later and she showed me the facial expression... sold me on that lens!! #g2great
Sorry to miss #g2great Will have to check tweets later. Crazy intense day to sub in Los Angeles. Rain hail thunder and lightening threw kids for a loop. Assuaging fears by reassuring them that I too get scared at times with all this weather. Surrounded by kids needing comfort.
That’s exactly why a basal program with scripted questions and expected answers worries me Elisa. It leaves no room for the unique thinking of unique children. #G2Great
A3: The access lenses are visual reminders of how authors convey emotion. My students at times are too literal when it comes to recognizing the moves an author is making. Rain in a scene, for instance, can be much more than a weather anomaly. It can give insight. #G2Great
I wholeheartedly agree @elisaw5 and yet there are still some children for whom reading is very difficult, my daughter being one of them. I think it is important for us, as teachers, to experience what they type of struggle feels like. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Actually, I think we sometimes make reading difficult for Ss in school by the kinds of hoops we ask them to jump through in order to get a mark, a check on the rubric, etc. Instead, we should be creating conditions that allow reading to be enjoyable and energizing. #g2great
I love the ALL STUDENTS in your Tweet, JoAnne. That is what is so incredible about #AoC and what makes it such a powerful tool to use with students! #G2great
A2 Visual images are so amazing for comprehension. I dabble as an artist and the kids love it when I model how to quickly sketch ideas and then they try it. It is very freeing- especially for Ss who are intimidated by print. #G2Great
A3 I love the phrase “enter visual texts.” The Access Lenses offer something to hold on to as they also enter the thinking supported by visual texts. It also gives kids the language that lets them make this thinking public by gently nudging conversations around them. #G2Great
Congratulations to @AgentPepper you are a WINNER also! Thank you thank you @stenhousepub Please DM your name and address so we can get the book out to you. #G2Great
A3. My 3 year old when she was about 2 was telling me about a sad monkey. Had no idea what she was talking about until we were reading a fav book later and she showed me the facial expression... sold me on that lens!! #g2great
A3 "Zoom In, Zoom Out" is really helpful. Ss often don't realize when an author spends a lot of time on a single event or object, they're doing so because this is IMPORTANT! #g2great
A3: Great guide for awareness, paying attention to subtext: WHY did that character move that way. WHY did the author use that sound...how do these small things impact the whole? #G2Great
A3: I'm learning so much from kids as they interpret illustrations and discuss author/illustrator intent, lenses give them the words they need to explain their thinking #G2Great
#g2great That is amazing! Picture books say so much with so little. I’ve heard them talked of as if they are the haiku of a novel or something such as that.
How amazing is this... love it when picture book authors/illustrators and teachers collaborate. How amazing is this? #G2Great@trevorabryan@peterhreynolds
A1 Many students struggle to use supporting details to support their thinking. Visual texts, along with the Access Lenses can help students to understand how to do this. #g2great
I love when @hayhurst3 is giving away great books in #g2great like she is the Oprah of giving away great books. You get a book, You get a book. LOVE IT!
Oh my word @DrMaryHoward I am still on question 1! Sitting back and being amazed by all of this knowledge and wisdom...how about you? #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A4. Love to start a unit or skill study with visual images. Just visual. Take off words.
End Goal: Show not tell and equal access for ALL Ss. #Equity
ALL Ss can do this work when begin with visual images.
#G2Great
A2: So much inferencing work can be done using visuals. You can choose to focus on one comprehension strategy and ask Ss to look at particular things, or you can open it up and let the Ss lead the discussion. #G2Great
A3 When we help students develop the language of talking and thinking about text in this way, we are fostering independence because this becomes their self-talk when they approach texts on their own. #G2Great
A3 As a HS Coach/Rdg Spec, I encourage Ts to use picture books. Once Ss get to HS, we forego some of the best practices from elem/MS. Picture books help Ss to go deep & analyze more than just the dialogue...#G2Great
a3: I like that @trevorabryan coins this phrase "access lenses" because it makes me think of the "frames" in which those lenses will will be supported. Like buying glasses. The different "frames" here help to guide the reader toward what they could be looking at or see. #g2great
A4 We analyze captions & graphics using conversational ponderings as a stepping stone to reading. This isn't about the curriculum checklist “school” thing but “real life” tool we use as readers ourselves. It’s not about DOING but using it to promote pre-reading thinking. #G2Great
I think that’s because so many teachers have been programs to see only text as reading. We tend to teach what WE see and that can narrow thinking from both sides. #G2Great
A3 just like we narrow our teaching to one skill or strategy to move Ss forward in their thinking or bring them into the minilesson, a lense for looking at visual texts helps Ss focus their attention on one thing and access the skill being taught #G2great
A4: I love using images for quick writes but also just for discussion and thoughts. The other day we were looking at a picture from the New York Times Whats happening here (I think) kids that are not into books jumped into conversations around the pictures. #G2great
A4 Lots of turn-and-talk during read aloud so that ALL readers are entering into the #AoC conversation and are sharing the #AccessLenses they see in the story #G2Great
A3: This week reading an "Anansi" story to K. They immediately noticed not only the word patterns, but the repeated patterns in the illustrations. They noticed some things before I did! #g2great
As a reading teacher I realized that a main difference between readers and those who chose not to read was one saw pictures and one saw black marks on the page. Using pictures helps all students get that reading is visual #g2great
It’s amazing to me how much kids can notice when we open the noticing door and invite them in. They begin to see things we don’t even see (and then WE become the students and kids the teacher. I love that! #G2Great
A2 My kinder Ss are discovering powerful meaning-making about story/character mood simply from observing color in an illustration. “Red is a MAD color!” is one comment I heard from a recent visit we had w/@trevorabryan as he led us through #AoC work #G2Great
A4: visuals level the playing field for all learners! Each child has their own thoughts, responses, and ideas and they all have part in the discussion. #g2Great
Not saying it may not be challenging. Am saying sometimes we make it harder by doing things we know readers don’t do rather than starting from place where Ss are. Kids who struggle need more books, more convos, alternatives 2 traditional instruction. Not what they get. #g2great
A4. I have had students “cast” the movie versions of some novels perhaps half-way through the reading. This provides a great tool for readers to uses in the second half and opens the door to great debate on who chose the best actor for a role. #g2great
As a reading teacher I realized that a main difference between readers and those who chose not to read was one saw pictures and one saw black marks on the page. Using pictures helps all students get that reading is visual #g2great
Oh my. I am ever so grateful. However, I bought a copy and @stenhousepub graciously sent me a copy. Could we put the book back into the mix for another teacher. I shared my free copy with a colleague today. #g2great
In reply to
@hayhurst3, @stenhousepub, @DrMaryHoward, @franmcveigh, @trevorabryan, @stenhousepub
It's not just the ability to read texts. We want Ss to be thinkers, connectors & meaning-gmakers. Today, more than ever, Ss have to engage with all kinds of texts. Their ability to engage deeply & thoughtfully is paramount. The arts can help Ss to do this important work #g2great
As a reading teacher I realized that a main difference between readers and those who chose not to read was one saw pictures and one saw black marks on the page. Using pictures helps all students get that reading is visual #g2great
A4 I’m not a fan of traditional picture walk where we drag kids through a whole book & give away the good stuff. I prefer selective picture walks using 102 images or a “cover walk” as we linger a bit longer to ponder what the author/illustrator is telling us in advance. #G2Great
A4: Art as a window into the mind of author and presenter. Students are frequently required to choose art as a way to make meaning for their audiences. End goals: create slides with purpose and intent, engage audiences, and reduce presenter reliance on reading slides. #G2great
#G2Great This is another reason graphic novels have been a gift for Striving readers, an engaging, meaningful yet manageable and visually supported means to access text
#g2great I do this all the time!! I love it! I’ve heard Jack Gantos speak on being a writer several times. He talks about making a visual map of the neighborhood you grew up in to loosen one’s mind for writing ideas. I believe this is good for readers and writers.
In reply to
@hayhurst3, @DrMaryHoward, @franmcveigh, @brennanamy, @trevorabryan, @stenhousepub
A3-The Access Lenses are a scaffold that levels the playing field for ALL students to make meaning. The visual references support meaning making by guiding students in what they may notice. #G2great
A4: using illustrations to cont talk about author craft and intentionality-stds will capture own image-photo or drawing to tell a story, using art to define mood #G2Great
A4: Art as a window into the mind of author and presenter. Students are frequently required to choose art as a way to make meaning for their audiences. End goals: create slides with purpose and intent, engage audiences, and reduce presenter reliance on reading slides. #G2great
A4 Visual images can support any goal that leads to literary understanding. Facial expressions in leveled readers are a perfect support for 1st graders as they begin to think about how characters change during a story. #G2great
Not saying it may not be challenging. Am saying sometimes we make it harder by doing things we know readers don’t do rather than starting from place where Ss are. Kids who struggle need more books, more convos, alternatives 2 traditional instruction. Not what they get. #g2great
A4 part 1: Georges Seurat’s pointillism for how main idea is made of many supporting details (extend this by examining shade & color, same as an author’s deliberate word choices). #G2Great
A 4 I work with students in 6th grade reading at a mid-third grade level. Pictures are where we start. Before reading we spend lots of time analyzing visuals. Doing this supports reading the text and helps Ss transfer what learned reading puctures. #G2Great
A4 Again, the goal of analyzing & discussing images before reading is that it’s what good readers do in the real world. We are simply giving kids an entry point into the same thinking you and I do when we read, which to me is the best kind of thinking! #G2Great
I’m excited about the access lenses because many readers of all ages think pictures tell THE story but they tell ONE version of the story and it is always one perspective so this can help readers recognize this #G2Great
A4: My K babies read "Diary of a Worm" during our soil study and then drew a worm "habitat" and glued a little paper worm on their artwork. I was amazed at their details and some that aren't very outgoing excelled in that form of expression. #g2great
A4: https://t.co/KKNDY28u5E might be a good resource here for open source photography. You can search images by subject to find pictures taken by photographers who share at the site. #g2great
A7: Visual analysis promotes the ability to process information and create schemas in which to build upon a student's learning & should be a standard practice because it promotes a multimodal sense of literacy that can aid in valuing prior knowledge. #G2Great
A5. Wonderings:
Why is this child alone?
Why is she facing away from her desk? Bored? Unhappy? Mad?
Why is there work on her desk and not on the others?
Why is the 3 desk area shaded in? Where is the rest of the class?
#G2Great
A4 Deeper comprehension and enjoyment, as well as an assessment of students reading processes, and a window in their emotions. What do they focus on, and why? How they are feeling can affect how they interpret the visuals. #G2Great
A5 I LOVE the phrase “wade into moods” since in my mind it implies glorious time the word ‘wading’ implies. Deep dialogue that promotes deep thinking requires ample time and so it’s a reminder to celebrate the thinking a carefully chosen image could inspire. #G2Great
Q4 I love to use image sets before starting a read aloud novel, especially one set in a time or place that’s different from ours. I also use image sets with science/ social studies units. #G2Great
Reading comprehension begins with pictures. It begins with a child at our side or on our lap, listening to words wash over them and studying visual images. #g2great
A5 Ask Ss: "How do the colors in the picture tell us how Vashti is feeling?” or “Are there colors in this picture that are different from the beginning of the book? Why do you think @peterhreynolds chose those colors?” #G2Great#AOC
A3 These visual references help support the words in the text. The more we “read” them, the more the words will make sense and, depending on the book, the pics might tell a parallel story that’s not in the words. #g2great
Reading comprehension begins with pictures. It begins with a child at our side or on our lap, listening to words wash over them and studying visual images. #g2great
A4 part 2: One of the most powerful was created by students! Retelling Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by creating Victorian rowhouses w/ doors that open to show moments that changed Edward. #G2Great
A5 I am reminded when Trevor actually taught a group of us to do this using THE DOT. In the beginning our noticings were tentative and a little shallow (dark colors) but Trevor is a master nuding greater depth (What does that make you think about/remind you of?” #G2Great
Q4 I usually teach the skill of close reading and having conversations with accountable talk with still images before applying those skills to printed texts. #G2Great
A5: Since starting TQE with my students I tend to ask the "Why did the author..." question a lot more. I think with visuals this question becomes so much more encompassing. #G2great
The first independent reading experiences in early childhood are the reading of visual images. From pictures children area able to read emotion, infer, predict, synthesize, compare . . . the list goes on. #g2great
Q4 I love to use image sets before starting a read aloud novel, especially one set in a time or place that’s different from ours. I also use image sets with science/ social studies units. #G2Great
A5: I love the use of The Dot by @peterhreynolds as the first example in the book. The exquisite simplicity of the illustrations invite kids in, and the complex ideas are able to be built from the observations followed by probing questions. One of my faves! #g2great
A5 The key word is DIALOGUE which implies we support, nurture, and WELCOME that thinking along the way. This won’t happen through question interrogation but conversation that’s invitational. There’s a BIG difference & images are a powerful way to do this. #G2Great
A small request. I ask ever so humbly of the #g2great group. I'm back in that Twitter space of not being able to follow so many super educators in the thread tonight. I've hit my max. It means I have to reduce my follows. Okay. . .everyone follow everybody else. That will help.
A small request. I ask ever so humbly of the #g2great group. I'm back in that Twitter space of not being able to follow so many super educators in the thread tonight. I've hit my max. It means I have to reduce my follows. Okay. . .everyone follow everybody else. That will help.
A5. The greatest part of reading—whether in 3rd grade or 50–is to step into the heart of another person. “Wading into moods” references a level of empathy that allows us to view life from the perspective of others. #g2great
A5 What’s the mood? How do you know? What’s causing the mood? Puts students into discussions about themes/big ideas and helps them make strong-link connections. #g2great
A6. The images:
The whiteness of the paper on the desk - not a mark on it.
Sitting backwards on her chair.
Alone.
Gray color.
Facial expression.
Student and desk as focus.
#G2Great
A5 I am reminded when Trevor actually taught a group of us to do this using THE DOT. In the beginning our noticings were tentative and a little shallow (dark colors) but Trevor is a master nuding greater depth (What does that make you think about/remind you of?” #G2Great
This reminds of reading Axle Annie by Robin Pulver with my *then* young sons. We’d make angry fists, like the illustrated Speed Grump every time! #g2great
A6 Peter Reynolds is a master of just right coloring/shading that speaks volumes. But we don’t notice things we don’t know are relevant so that’s where AoC & a perfect image like this comes into play. Authors/illustrators +Ts + kids unite victorious in meaning-making! #G2Great
A5: I have been teaching sharing structures (Kagan) this week, so we can have lots of sharing going on at once. I would ask Ss to tell about a time they didn't feel good at something, but they tried anyway. #g2great
A6 With @trevorabryan 's support, my kinders discovered how to analyze @peterhreynolds illustrations to see when Vashti’s mood changed. This opened up great conversation about how the pictures changed & why her mood changed. Deep thinking for Ks! #G2Great#AOC
This is so important. This is often true with quality emergent level texts . . . So much rich story is embedded in the pictures . . . yet too often we push kids through, asking them to focus more heavily on the simple words. #g2great
A3 These visual references help support the words in the text. The more we “read” them, the more the words will make sense and, depending on the book, the pics might tell a parallel story that’s not in the words. #g2great
This reminds of reading Axle Annie by Robin Pulver with my *then* young sons. We’d make angry fists, like the illustrated Speed Grump every time! #g2great
A5: Whatever this "shadow" shape is meant to represent in the illustration it is "heavy" enough to "flatten" the legs of the desks in the room. What is this "heaviness" in the illustration? What feels "heavy" in the work we do in our classrooms and buildings at times? #g2great
A6. The images:
The whiteness of the paper on the desk - not a mark on it.
Sitting backwards on her chair.
Alone.
Gray color.
Facial expression.
Student and desk as focus.
#G2Great
A5 What’s the mood? How do you know? What’s causing the mood? Puts students into discussions about themes/big ideas and helps them make strong-link connections. #g2great
A6: I also think the clock is important. When you are having a hard time working on something, the clock seems to be your enemy. I think kids feel that strongly, too. #g2great
This is so important. This is often true with quality emergent level texts . . . So much rich story is embedded in the pictures . . . yet too often we push kids through, asking them to focus more heavily on the simple words. #g2great
A3 These visual references help support the words in the text. The more we “read” them, the more the words will make sense and, depending on the book, the pics might tell a parallel story that’s not in the words. #g2great
A5-I will never forget a Dot discussion with @trevorabryan when he helped me discover the blank page. Vashti has her back turned toward the blank page. The fear of the blank page. What is your blank page? What do you fear? #G2great
A6 The empty desks behind Vashti & table with empty writing (made evident by no color) and his placement away from all of those is so telling. But to help kids notice these things takes time, modeling & gentle nudge through thoughtful dialogue and support. I love that! #G2Great
Thanks for an illuminating #g2great tonight friends! Special thanks to @trevorabryan and @peterhreynolds as well as everyone with the G2Great family. Have a lovely night. 😊
Love it! No one has ever made that connection! I've been discussing this @peterhreynolds image for 6 years! Always learning and having my thinking stretched. #g2great
A6: The framed dot - someone values your effort. Someone has faith in you. Color: angry red slashes w/ Vashti’s first jab; she’s in a cloud of yellow light=positivity, hopefulness; green cloud - she’s showing growth mindset (“I can do better...”) #G2Great
Yes . . . Back to balance. Trevor's work is a celebration of meaning making through images. Reading is so much more than decoding little black marks on the page . . . #g2great
This is so important. This is often true with quality emergent level texts . . . So much rich story is embedded in the pictures . . . yet too often we push kids through, asking them to focus more heavily on the simple words. #g2great
A3 These visual references help support the words in the text. The more we “read” them, the more the words will make sense and, depending on the book, the pics might tell a parallel story that’s not in the words. #g2great
A6: I also think the clock is important. When you are having a hard time working on something, the clock seems to be your enemy. I think kids feel that strongly, too. #g2great
A5 What dialogue could it NOT invite? It is a magical book. Any and ALL dialogue is wonderful. Using the access lenses to guide the questions and then just soaking in the conversation the students generate. Priceless. #G2Great
A6 I realize EVERYTHING matters once we’ve been taught this thinking. I really connect to Vashti. His facial features, body language, how he’s sitting, the use of color around him… it’s ALL a springboard to the meaning we can draw from these things. #G2Great
A7. The "rigor" of the district standards are met when the Ss can read the "visual text," talk abt it, & write abt it. It's the application of a bundle of standards, not just 1, where Ss use evidence in text to explain their understanding. Simultaneous - Also Like Life!
#G2Great
Just like the ‘70’s architects who thought that windows in schools would be distracting to Ss, so they built multi-story buildings w/a narrow window or two in classrooms. Is that where Vitamin D deficiency might come from? #g2great
In reply to
@franmcveigh, @Kari_Yates, @trevorabryan
Oh, boy! Big breath in. Big breath out. Turn and face that blank page (or whatever else scares the bejeebers out of you) one small dot at a time we can all begin. Simple starts, right? #g2great
A7 I think the best way to convince an administrator of the rigor of visual analysis is to see it in action. No better way than through Trevor: https://t.co/3P6UsCteRv#G2Great
We underestimate the heavy lifting all Ss can achieve to uncover deep meaning & ultimately deep comprehension when they use the #AccessLenses. I would invite my admin to join my class for an #AoC lesson! This would certainly shift their thinking. #G2Great
A6 The blank paper, the scowl and slanted eyebrow on her face, the fact that she is sitting backward in her chair, the dank colors, she is alone... My first graders noticed it ALL. #G2Great
We wouldn’t think of doing that to an adult, so why would we even consider that with our children. The pictures are as essential to the meaning as the words. They work in tandem to make meaning. So silly to suggest shutting off a part fo the meaning making process #G2Great
This is so important. This is often true with quality emergent level texts . . . So much rich story is embedded in the pictures . . . yet too often we push kids through, asking them to focus more heavily on the simple words. #g2great
A3 These visual references help support the words in the text. The more we “read” them, the more the words will make sense and, depending on the book, the pics might tell a parallel story that’s not in the words. #g2great
Yes! Simple Starts. Not sure if you saw it but I gave "Simple Starts a nod in my book. It's one of my headings and was in honor of your great book. #g2great
They work so well with students. Focusing on visuals also creates anticipation for reading the text and as you pointed out, Gravity, making pictures using the words. #G2Great
Have to sign off now, kids calling (Thursday nights they always go to bed later b/c of you!) Thank you, as always for a great chat! #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A7: students are bombarded with images everywhere they turn, teaching them to look closely, think deeply and discuss richly is a lifelong skill #G2Great
My class was talking w/an author today for #WRAD19 who talked about “the blank page” and the solution is to “just write” because the real writing is in the process of revising. #g2great
When we pair these opportunities for deep thinking with opportunities for rigorous dialogue, we are not only doing the work of the standards, we are doing the work of the work place, the family, the life! #g2great
We underestimate the heavy lifting all Ss can achieve to uncover deep meaning & ultimately deep comprehension when they use the #AccessLenses. I would invite my admin to join my class for an #AoC lesson! This would certainly shift their thinking. #G2Great
A7. There are few absolutes when it comes to reading. One is that visualization is an essential element to comprehension; and visualization is impossible without images. #g2great
A7: It's pretty simple for me. As an AP ENG LANG AND COMP instructor, I could show my principal the number of times an image, cartoon, graphic, or chart has appeared within the synthesis prompt's textual set over the past few years. #g2great
A7: I would invite them to observe. The amount of thinking and analyzing (and built in differentiation) that goes into this process far outweighs any paper and pencil worksheet any day! #G2Great
They work so well with students. Focusing on visuals also creates anticipation for reading the text and as you pointed out, Gravity, making pictures using the words. #G2Great
On a side note, the images in this book are so appealing that my son and daughter (5 and 7 or so at the time) turned our hallway into an art show very similar to this one. Thanks, @peterhreynolds. #G2great
Rigor is often not really understood and used to mean making things “harder” for the sake of it. I think rigor is about choice, ownership and thinking beyond the awareness you just had a moment ago. #G2Great
A7 I believe that AoC should be standard practice across all content areas because it illustrates the deep and respectful conversations we can have with kids that invite their thinking and then use that thinking to nudge them to deeper levels of thought. I love it! #G2Great
Engaging with the arts, discussing the arts, sharing our thinking around the arts can help us comprehend our own lives. True of books, plays, movies and artworks etc. #g2great
A7: Invite the admin in for a fishbowl lesson. Don't wait for the evaluation visit for a demo lesson in using picture books in the classroom as a part of our practice. Not a sometimes thing. It's a synthesis thing. Run the book, ZOOM or RE-ZOOM at the group. #g2great
And won't it be a beautiful thing when we all better understand our own lives, the lives of those around us, and and peaceful and purposeful intersection of the two? #g2great
Engaging with the arts, discussing the arts, sharing our thinking around the arts can help us comprehend our own lives. True of books, plays, movies and artworks etc. #g2great
A7 We can NEVER underestimate the value of conversational dialogue that promotes thinking for all children. Imagines become an indoor to the very thinking they will do in print. What can possibly be more respectfully rigorous than that? #G2Great
Rigor lies in the depth of thinking and the transfer of that thinking to other situations. Using visual images alongside print texts actually increases rigor because it gives access to all, and allows for cross text/media comparisons. #g2great
A7-Using visual analysis should be standard practice across all content areas because it gives ALL students access to higher level thinking, discussion, speaking, listening and meaning making. Everyone is part of the conversation. #G2Great
A7: I would invite them to observe. The amount of thinking and analyzing (and built in differentiation) that goes into this process far outweighs any paper and pencil worksheet any day! #G2Great
A7: It is depth and complexity all over the place! Details, patterns, seeing multiple perspectives, unanswered questions, independent thinking and communicating that all Ss can do at their level and feel competent. #g2great
Thanks so much
for guest hosting
@trevorabryan
It's been a delight to see your book in print after various previews on Voxer. Thanks #G2Great friends for sharing your thinking!
I encourage the use of "vigor" instead of rigor (comes from the Latin word "rigor mortis" which means "of death" and "stiff.") I like vigor-energetic, enthusiastic, & engagement! I know, just semantics, but I like it! #G2great
A7 Are you looking 4 the flippant answer or a well-thought out one? LOL! #g2great The images get Ss talking, levels the playing field, is engaging, sets them up 4 success, is fun, gives them background info. It’s fun. Did I say that already? Bears repeating: it’s fun. #g2great
A7: We spend our lives as humans trying to interpret subtexts of others’ actions, tone, body language. Signals & symbols matter. Makes us more mindful. Plus, too many students skim only the surface of texts; to understand, one must immerse in ALL the layers. #G2Great
