Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Conferring With Students
Conferring With Students
Reference: Routman, Regie. (2005). Writing essentials: Raising expectations and results while simplifying teaching. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Conferring with Students
Example of a Conference Log that could be used to confer with students about their speaking and listening skills.
Name: ________________________________________ Collaborative Discussions Conference Log
HARDLY
SOME
MOST
N/A
ALL
EX
INDICATORS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE
4
PREPARATION
Has completed work Brings I have my calculator
prior to group work text/supplies/assignment here.
to class My notes are on my
Takes out desk.
text/supplies/assignment
Engages in learning Arrives on time My cell is turned off.
Puts electronics away How about if I work
Works with a wide range on ________ and you
of students work on ________?
Takes a positive role in _______ may join our
groups group.
Shares materials You may use my
Does equal share of the book.
work We need to ________
Tracks progress towards in order to meet our
goals/deadlines goal.
SPEAKING
Gives evidence to Makes eye contact On page ___, it
support ideas Incorporates vocabulary states
expected of the content I found another
Reads a passage from the source that
text that illustrates an corroborates
idea I found a source that
Brings another challenges
information source to First. Second.
support an idea Third
Presents information in an was a cause of
organized way
Asks questions to Makes eye contact How do?
generate discussion Uses open-ended Why does?
questions What do you think
Respects the Makes eye contact Although I do not
opinions of others Allows others to finish agree with
speaking ____________s idea,
Comments on the idea, she gave several
not the person examples of why she
Minimizes gestures thinks that.
Another way to look
at it might be
Extends others Makes eye contact I agree with
responses Allows others to finish ____________ because
speaking ________s idea
Acknowledges ideas of reminds me of
other members ______________.
Stays on topic
LISTENING
Encourages others Faces the speaker I like your idea
Smiles because
Assumes open body Tell me more about
posture that.
Nods in agreement
Leans forward
Asks clarifying Faces the speaker Would you say that
questions when Allows others to finish again?
something is not speaking Would you give me
understood Writes down ideas another example so I
Acknowledges ideas of can understand?
other members
Asks for evidence Faces the speaker Would you tell me
when something Allows others to finish why you think it is
sounds incorrect speaking true?
Writes down ideas Would you show me a
Acknowledges ideas of place in the book that
other members illustrates that idea?
Restates, Faces the speaker So it sounds like
paraphrases, or Allows others to finish . Is that what I am
clarifies an idea speaking hearing you say?
Writes down ideas When you say _____,
Acknowledges ideas of do you mean ______?
other members
Summarizes for Listens to all group As a group, we
understanding members think
Acknowledges ideas of These are the main
other members points of our discussion
Captures key ideas from as I see them:
the discussion
Reflection
My two greatest strengths are:
Two areas I need to work on are:
I will work on them by doing the following:
Conferring with Students
Example of a Reading Conference Log that can be used when conferring with students about their reading.
Reading Conference
Name Opening Statement Comments/Notes:
Date Student Read
Title Compliment
Teaching Point
Book Level Model Teaching Point
Student Practice
Genre Restate Teaching Pt.
Easy Just Right Reading Log checked?
Challenging
Name Opening Statement Comments/Notes:
Date Student Read
Title Compliment
Teaching Point
Book Level Model Teaching Point
Student Practice
Genre Restate Teaching Pt.
Easy Just Right Reading Log checked?
Challenging
Name Opening Statement Comments/Notes:
Date Student Read
Title Compliment
Teaching Point
Book Level Model Teaching Point
Student Practice
Genre Restate Teaching Pt.
Easy Just Right Reading Log checked?
Challenging
Name Opening Statement Comments/Notes:
Date Student Read
Title Compliment
Teaching Point
Book Level Model Teaching Point
Student Practice
Genre Restate Teaching Pt.
Easy Just Right Reading Log checked?
Challenging
Conferring with Students
Example of a Reading Conference Log that can be used when conferring with students regarding their reading.
Readers Workshop Conference Form
Reader: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Dates: A _________________________ B ___________________________ C __________________________
Reading Material
A _____________________________________________________ Level_______ Easy Just Right Challenging
B _____________________________________________________ Level_______ Easy Just Right Challenging
C _____________________________________________________ Level_______ Easy Just Right Challenging
Why? Tell me a little about the book. Is there something you didnt understand?
A ___________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
B ___________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
C ___________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary Development:
A _____________________________ B ________________________________ C ____________________
_____________________________ ________________________________ ____________________
_____________________________ ________________________________ ____________________
_____________________________ ________________________________ ____________________
Read this part of the book for me. If you catch yourself thinking or talking back to the book, please do it out
loud so I can hear your thinking.
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Comprehension: Brief Retell or What were you thinking? Stopped to think on own __________
With prompting __________
Making meaning yes no
Strategy Use: monitoring ~ connecting ~ sensory imagery ~ questioning ~ inferring ~ DI ~ synthesis
Strengths: Goal:
Adapted from: Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Conferring with Students
Examples of student reading goals that can be used when conferring with students regarding their reading.
3. Make sure you can decode and understand the words in the books you select.
4. Think about why characters act and behave the way they do.
5. Make connections to your life and what you already know to help you understand the story.
9. Read more, at least thirty minutes a day at home, plus thirty minutes in school.
10. When you dont know what a word means, use surrounding wordsor read the next sentence of twoto
help you figure it out.
11. When you dont know what a word means, use word parts to help you figure it out.
12. Use the pictures (graphs, charts, visual aids) to help get meaning.
Adapted from: Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well. (p. 106). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.