Pattern Texts
Name a concern for some teachers when using a pattern text.
- students memorize text
- students struggle without a text introduction or teaching of specific sight words
- students come across words they have not yet learned how to decode
-limited opportunities for inferring or deeper meaning connections (less opportunities to develop students comprehension beyond the text)
Name a limitation for using decodable texts for emergent readers.
- unnatural language structure
-tongue-twister effect (difficulties for some students to read sentences when the initial phoneme is repeated)
- stories sometimes are boring or do not make logical sense
-limited opportunities for inferring or deeper meaning connections (less opportunities to develop students comprehension beyond the text)
Name one criteria educators should consider when selecting a well balanced text.
- interest
-decodability
-opportunities for thought/comprehension
Pattern texts may cause beginning readers to think reading is:
a) memorizing texts
b) using pictures to infer
c) no need to look at print
d) all of the above
d) all of the above
Authors of decodable texts will often use highly decodable words such as /sob/ instead of /cry/. Why can this sometimes be problematic for emergent readers?
Some of the short decodable words may be new or unfamiliar to the reader.
Why is the "sound it out" prompt often unhelpful with a pattern text?
Often, early readers have limited number of phonemes and are not yet able to sound out text specific words (some examples from "My Grandma" are 'laughing' or 'yawning').
All texts have some elements of decodability and predictability. All learners have different needs. What would be the "best text" for an emergent reader?
a) a decodable text
b) a pattern text
c) a text that corresponds with the needs of the learner
c) a text that corresponds with the needs of the learner
Look at the following two texts: Sally's Snowman by Annette Smith and Pal's Help by Jane Rogers. What are some of the pros and cons of using each text with a beginner reader. Figure 6.4 and 6.5 may be helpful (pg. 141-142).
Some possible answers:
Sally's Snowman
Con
- mostly word repetition and highly predictable
- fewer decodable words
Pro
- higher interest
- personal connections
- exposure to sentence structure
- high sense-making value
Pals Help
Cons
- low sense-making value
- some words that beginner readers may not be familiar with (pals, hen)
Pros
- highly decodable
- some word novelty
- high orthographic value