Think alouds

Thursday's experiment: I used a think aloud in my Fundamental Reading class so that students could learn how to make connections and ask questions while they read. It seemed effective but I made several mistakes I'd like to correct next time...

Learning outcomes: In a group discussion the students reported that they found the method helpful and thought it would boost comprehension. They answered the reading comprehension questions in the text accurately. However the text questions are multiple choice and test only the lowest level of understanding, so many students can answer them after previewing! Argh. I need to create a better assessment tool.

Learning objectives: 

1. Make connections to the text while reading.
2. Ask questions about the text while reading.

 ABSE Learning Standards (Read with Understanding): 

• Select and use reading strategies appropriate to the purpose
• Analyze the content and reflect on the underlying meaning
• Integrate the content with prior knowledge to address the reading purpose

 Lesson steps:

• Wednesday's pre-lesson: students identified their reading purpose (analysis) and then previewed a non-fiction article in the text:
• worked in pairs, alternating reading the 1st sentence of each paragraph aloud
• closed the book
• wrote down everything they could remember about the article (silence)
• stood up and shared their retells orally with the class - one person starts, others add what they caught that hasn't been said yet

• Thursday's lesson:
•  introduced think aloud:
• explained the problem with teaching them reading: reading is invisible, they can't see what I'm thinking (doing) while I'm reading
• need to pretend I've sliced the top off my brain so they can "see" my reading
• to make this happen I'm going to say aloud everything I'm thinking while reading
• ask them to try it after I show it
• not a permanent technique (they won't be babbling in the college library)
• on the way to writing notes in their texts while reading
• demo thinking aloud about one paragraph
• read the words aloud
• every time a thought came into my brain, said that aloud
• asked questions about the material (why is this guy hiking with no coat?)
• made connections (I hiked in UT and I was scared of the flash floods...)
• noted my reactions (I'm getting the idea this is going to end badly)
• put students in pairs to try it
• asked one person to do a think aloud of one paragraph, other to listen, then switch
• circulated to listen
• redirected students to push pair to make connections, ask questions, give reactions
• redirected students not to wait for end of sentence to jump in - go with any chunk of content
• students completed comprehension questions in the text, solo
• students checked their answers with the pair
• brought pairs back for whole class discussion
•  meta-cognition: what did it feel like? what do you think of this?
•  content: discussion of the article

 Patterns of student difficulty:

• Students tended to read along without commenting
• Students seemed to want to read a whole sentence before stopping to comment
• At least on the first try, it seemed like the pair was needed to prompt the student to stop and think, make a connection, analyze, etc.

 Student workaround:

• One student thrust a pencil under the other students' chin like a sports interviewer with a mic
• Tell me, Ms. _____: 
• What questions do you have at this time? 
• What is your reaction to this? 
• What connections can you make?
  

Successes:

• students tried to do the think aloud with good heart
• a student returned from meeting with an advisor and other students showed her how to do it
• student connections, questions and reactions were interesting and on point
• in the meta cognitive discussion students said this technique will boost comprehension
• students were able to answer text questions about the article correctly

Errors to learn from:

• intro took too long
• use two sentences only:
• I'm going to show you how...(clearly announce the purpose)
• While I'm doing this try to notice how I am doing this...
• need an inquiry! random text selections are not reason enough to learn and use strategies
• use college-level text - this text is so easy it's hard to find ways to dig deeper and it's hard to demonstrate the strategies
• build a more meaningful assessment - the multiple choice questions are too easy
• try isolating a single strategy for each demo?
• be more clear about the technique(s) I'm demonstrating, in the intro
• avoid reteaching instructions by having students identify them 
• tell them to notice while I demo
•  have them pair and share or share in whole class
• build instructions for the technique I am demonstrating on the board

Prezi with steps I need to follow for future think aloud experiments!