PART II - READING WORKSHOPS

READING AS A PROCESS

The Book Bridges program conceptualizes reading as a constructive process in which meaning is derived from the interaction between the reader and the text. To facilitate meaning making, readers require strategies that encourage and support effective thinking. This involves activating what is already known about the topic, identifying the author's key ideas and organizational pattern, monitoring comprehension, and when comprehension fails, implementing "fix-up" strategies.

Book Bridges also accepts the premise that learrung takes place within a social context. What learners initially accomplish with assistance, they are eventually able to do by themselves. Instruction is therefore an ongoing process of thoughtful negotiation and renegotiation between teacher and student. In each case, the reading workshops consequently move from a teacher to a student-centred focus with instructor modeling and volunteer guidance to promote the eventual internalization of metacognitive strategies.

Wide reading, which is a hallmark of the Book Bridges program, makes a significant contribution to knowledge. However, wide reading in and of itself is not sufficient. Time to reflect upon and weigh ideas is necessary. Accordingly, Book Bridges provides for discussion, response, and the sharing of what is read. Opportunities to respond to literature in a variety of ways deepens and extends understanding and develops a sense of ownership, pride and respect for learning (Harste, Short and Burke, 1988).

WORKSHOP SEQUENCING

The second section of this resource book for literacy instructors has been compiled to parallel and interconnect with the writing workshops. Each Book Bridges session begins first with book sharing (Literature Circle). This is followed by a writer's workshop and finally the reading workshop.

In the beginning, the reading workshops emphasize reading for meaning and remembering, focusing on strategies used before, during, and after reading. While these strategies continue to be practiced and reinforced during the next series of reading workshops, the second phase of the workshops shifts slightly to emphasize aesthetic responses to reading. The final series of sessions emphasize the processing of informative text.

In some sessions, sample mini-lessons related to developing word meanings and comprehension monitoring strategies have been included. Depending upon the needs of the participants, additional sessions patterned after these may also be developed to supplement learning.

Session One in the first series of reading workshops on reading for meaning and remembering begins with self-questioning as a strategy to enhance reading comprehension and recall. All of the stories in the first series of workshops are Family Stories and Realistic Fiction.