Individualizing Reading Instruction In The Classroom (1957)

[Music] down the in the jungle. The licky ticky hand [Music] go and he's just a little monkey. [Music] Eat this all day and lunches. Banana spider bunches [Music] are the noodle doodle. A baby [Music] singing favorite songs in the class, observing together the growth of plants the children have started from seed. There are many worthwhile opportunities for teachers to work and play with their pupils in groups. A small group is practicing one phase of number skills, learning to tell time on self-made clock dials. And here the teacher and some of her pupils work on the three Rs together. All right, you can sit down. Sometimes group reading develops spontaneously out of everyday activities. But many teachers would like time for individual instruction in reading to get to know each pupil better to help each one where he needs it most. In this film, we see first graders learning to read. Their teacher has developed such self-direction in the children that she can teach reading individually as well as in groups. Let's watch the children planning with the teacher what they will do during the activity period. The time when the teacher will work with a few individual readers. Some children have jobs they want to finish. Two decide to work on their papier-mâché animals. Many children want to continue writing their classmates names and addresses for their address books, but there are too many for dress cards. So, some select other activities. Donna, for example, agrees to join the finger painters practicing the give and take that has been stressed during the year. All right, we can manage. You can sit over there at the table. Bruce and Robin decide to try out the potato printing the teacher showed the class last week. Block building is a favorite of the boys. Eight want to work with the blocks today, but since five is the agreed maximum, some choose other activities. It is near the end of the year, so planning sessions show the result of much practice. Everyone understands exactly what to do and how to go about it. But planning takes time and six-year-olds are wiggly. After plans have been made, the teacher announces that it's time to go out for supervised play. But planning is only part of the preparation. Papier-mâché paste is mixed. Address cards are laid out so children can copy them for their own address books. Glass plates, paint, and rollers are put on the table for potato printing. A potato stamp is cut from a child's design with a sharp knife. There are always some lastminute things for the teacher to do. And of course, materials must be in accustomed places so pupils may help themselves. After outdoor play, the children need to settle down. This time they're going to share a scroll movie they have made. Well, we'll try to [Applause] [Music] have no this time only one. We'll read it many times more. No, just one turner. Are you ready to walk? Are you every just a minute now? Everybody ready? Good. And Margie's going to use her very big voice so you can all hear it. All right. This is Margie picture and Mary's story. So, let's listen to it and maybe we can read your story. This neighbor is a water p. He eats grass and leaves. Very good. It have a little ing on there, but that was very good. Were good. Let's let Robin read it. Giraffes have long necks. They like to eat the tender leaves that grow at the top of the trees. Very good. All right. You don't mind, Nancy, do you? Because you'll be reading with me. All right. Very good. I think that is all we're going to have time for now. We're going to read the rest a little later in our room. That next one is yours. Well, you did very well. Now children, we are going now to our activity. You can see just a minute. You can see we're all now block builders, you have the biggest job about being quiet. This let me see. These children have been taught to work independently and responsibly. Thus, the teacher can help individuals as they read from books they themselves have selected. Here is the tentative selection of the readers for the morning. As the group activities get into full swing, the teacher is ready to begin with Brett. All right, here we go. That's the Well, let's read the whole Let's read the whole sentence, dear. Look, in a big voice so we can hear. Look at Sally, said Dad. Oh, said Sally. Here is my fish. It is a little fish. Look, mother, see my little fish. See, Nancy, did you think Sally was proud to catch a fish? Did you ever catch a fish? Yep, you did. And I fell in the water also. You did? He's almost up to my neck. Oh my goodness. Could you swim? Uhhuh. Can a fish swim? You think so? All right, let's go to the next stage and see what happened now. Where are they? Oh. Oh, said Sally. Here is my fish. It is a little fish. Look, mother. See my um Where do you think Ted and Sally are? Um at the camp. Yes. What are they about to do? Eat. Now, did you ever eat outdoors like that? Uhhuh. You did? All right, let's go ahead. I don't like fish, though. You don't like fish? Well, you have a hard time. My father doesn't either. I I I sometimes I eat throat. You do? Just like chicken, does it? Well, all right. Well, let's go ahead and read. Sally said, Ted, here is my rhymes with pig. Big. That's right. Fish. My my said Sally. Think to yourself first before you read this. Try to read it smoothly as if you're reading it all at once. If you're really talking, it is a big fish. Can you try it once again? Now, think what you have to say, then read it all together as if you're just talking. It is a big fish. All right, that's fine. You just started. When each reader has finished, the teacher records his progress and notes any help he needs. An indispensable device for guiding individual growth. Bill says, "See the animal pictures." Honey, let's read one line. Think one line to oursel before we read that last real flu. That was good. But let's read it first. No, just go on. Took it with two fingers. Father took them in a big park. Sound. That's right. You know the little word there. And now do you know how that word starts? Can you guess what that might be? Where what is it saying? By the water. So what do you think's by the water? Well, what's by the water that has something that rhymes with and in it. Read the whole sentence out loud and then maybe it'll come to you as you read. If not, I'll tell you. David said, "I have something." I have I have That's right. Something I I found I found in the sand sand by the water. Now you know what rhymes with, don't you? All right, go ahead. Let's try the next page. Miss Hall said, "What good surprises? I can see that call and David like to find out about many things." You left out one name. Who's it? Bill. That's right. No, I said Bill. Read it again. Maybe I'm wrong. I thought you left Bill out. Miss Hall said, "What good surprises." I can see that Carl and Bill and David like to find out about many things. We will do that at school too. We will have many good times. Bob said, "John, I Alan [Applause] down in my book a little later. I'll read what I was up to. Oh, yes. Wherever you left off. Come on. You were popping out of them. Your father says yes, you certainly are big now. You look in the mirror and wonder why do you always say I'm so big? I How big is big? Big is big, Kenny. That is because of those lights. That's pretty big. He is pretty big. An elephant is big. He's the biggest animal in the zoo. If if you go for a ride on the elephant, the ground looks very far away. high up there on the back of the big elephant. It seems to be the w the to be the biggest thing in the world. Oopsie. Let's try that again. All right. Hi up there on the back of the big elephant. It seems to be the biggest thing in the world. Is there anything bigger than an elephant? Do you know anything bigger than an elephant? A tree is I think you think a tree is? Yeah, I think so. Are all trees bigger than an elephant? No, not all. But some trees are. All right. Well, look, you you must have looked at this book before. Did you look at what trees are? All right. We'll go. Most trees are much taller than the biggest elephants. Even if the elephant lifts a trunk way up, he can't reach the top of the tall tree. It would take many elephants standing on top of the other to reach the top of the tallest tree. A tree is very big. Is there anything bigger than a tree? Sun is on it. You think the sun's bigger than a tree? Looks pretty. Look at it. Think a house is bigger than a skyscraper. Ah, a skyscraper is much bigger than a tree. A tall tree doesn't look very big skyscrapers. If you went up to the top of the skyscraper and look down, the biggest tree would look like a toy tree. A skyscraper is tall. It is taller than the biggest tree in the world. But if there's something bigger than a skyscraper, a house comes next. No. Did you think a skyscraper is not as tall as a house? Have you ever been in a skyscraper? No. Do you know what skyscraper is? Think so. What do you think it is? I think it's What do you think it is? What? It's the thing that gave this cup. You think it's crazy? Yeah. Well, let's go back and take a look at pictures. Well, Nancy, what are you going to read today? Here's George. Oh, here's my list. Your list? How's it coming? Okay. Out here. Right here. Yes. Right here. Tractor. The tractor stopped. A little bigger boy. The tractor stopped and and two men jumped out. Well, well, said one of the men. A little monkey who can ride a a bike. Bronco. Bronco. Bronco. Bronco Fish. We can use you in our animal show tonight. I am the director. Director of the show. And this is Bob. Where do you think those men worked? The zoo. In the zoo, maybe. Earth circus maybe. Yes. Right. He can straighten straighten your wheel and fix that fend in. You know a little word there. That flat. See what happened to the to the tire. He can straighten your wheel and fix that flat in no time. And we'll and now we'll take you along to the place where the show is going to be. Very good, honey. I wish we had time to finish the story. We don't. Time to get um It's time to get So, we'll have to um put Mark here. What page are you on? This is 28. 28. Let me see now. Let's see. 28. Let's see. [Applause] All right. Now, do you have any books you've read that um Hyde might not have down? This is Curious Joyce. Do you have any more on your list? The last one I read was Happy Days. Happy Days. All right. The last one I have down is It Happened One Day. Let's see now. I heard that twice. Oh, do we have that down by mistake? Twice. [Music] We have the painted calf. Tommy little after it happened one day. So we can add Tommy little painted cast are happy days. Fine. My goodness, Nancy, you're a pretty busy reader. That's 85 books you've read. 86. 86. Oh, happy ways is one book and Happy Days is a different book. We're going to have to put down a lot here. All right, let's see. [Applause] Can I take home some um some of the paper and um some plain paper so I can copy to my telephone book for more addresses for your address book? Sure, you can do that. All right. Now, dear, I think I remember to bring them back tomorrow. That's fine. Of course, you can do that. You have quite a few more to go. More to go. Summer vacation's coming soon, isn't it? Have to get those phone numbers down. All right, dear. You did very, very well. And uh [Applause] individual reading time is over. Now comes something equally important. A time for the teacher and pupils to share enjoyment in the work each child has done. These address books will help children get together during the summer. Phone numbers. Jay, may I see yours? Dry Robin. Oopsie. Oh, you really got caught, didn't you? There you are. They take turns showing the teacher and classmates what they have created. They have learned to welcome helpful suggestions as well as praise. Let's let Susan die by. All right. Do you want to say anything about your picture? I hope that you can see the pattern. Yeah, she had a good design. Very good. Stand up and show everybody what it is. You want to tell us just a wee bit about it? This is Tooth Little's Big House. Very good. Well, boys, you certainly have a tall building here. We was going to make it taller, but you won't let us. Why wouldn't I let you? Because we're going to touch. We could have brushed the whole school that might wouldn't make a big noise, wouldn't it? But it won't. Oh, you want to tell me about it, would it? Can't we make a big Well, not today. This is the end. All right, children. Sorry I have to stop you, but it's cleanup time. Cleanup time is important, too. The children put things away, wipe up paint, and get the classroom ready for the next activity. These self-reliant youngsters know that good housekeeping is essential. You have seen individual reading in a first grade. One of the many ways this teacher works on reading with her pupils. Planning together is a key to success. Six or seven children in the two daily halfhour sessions have their time alone with the teacher. Their classmates work together creatively while the individual readers share their triumphs with the teacher. Each child reads the books he himself selects. He reads at his own speed and at his own level. Combined with other effective ways of teaching reading, individualized instruction leads to real enjoyment and rapid progress.