Reading Strategies Teachers Say They Use

Abstract

One Of the undergraduate courses for which I have primary responsibility at my institution is entitled Teaching Reading in the Content Area. It is the only literacy course middle secondary preservice teachers are required to take. Required courses are not always easy to teach, the content specialists (social studies, science, English, mathematics, foreign language) who take my course would rather focus on their content area. In order to maintain student interest I must frequently reexamine my curriculum my personal motivation for teaching this course. Do I choose the elements of my curriculum because I have the academic freedom to make that choice? Do I teach what I do because it is part of my job description I am required to do so? Do I teach what I do because I truly believe it is important relevant? Fortunately I am able to say yes to all of these questions. However, I am most passionate about the third one because I have a son, George, who has a learning disability. George is bright, athletic, social, but for all of his 14 years reading has been a struggle the thought of reading out loud in class, painful. My heart starts to pound, he said, and my hands get all sweaty when I have to read. I get so nervous I can hardly think.