Reading Workshop Research Articles

O PAPEL DA LEITURA NO DESEMPENHO ACADÊMICO: DESAFIOS E IMPACTOS NO CONTEXTO UNIVERSITÁRIO

This article aims to analyze the impacts of reading on academic performance, highlighting how this skill influences academic performance and the integral formation of students. The bibliographic research carried out based on repositories such as SciELO.org investigates how critical reading contributes to the development of essential skills, including analysis, argumentation and communication necessary, both in the academic environment and in the future professional career. The results showed that, although academic reading is important, many students face difficulties due to technical terminology and the lack of previously developed reading skills. To address these challenges, the study suggests the implementation of supportive pedagogical policies and practices, such as reading workshops, peer tutoring, and support for textual production, as well as an inclusive approach that values the diversity of student profiles. The promotion of reading from basic education is recommended as a means of better preparing students for higher education and the job market.

Academic reading: fear and trembling or being and belonging?

At the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, we are in the second year of a project to promote and improve reading skills. One part of our work has focused on embedding collaborative reading techniques within subjects to improve confidence in tackling texts, promote reading as a social practice, and boost belonging within disciplines and cohorts. Our poster presentation reviews the literature on student emotions towards reading, and how these influence their practices. We use this visual representation when liaising with academic colleagues to co-create and facilitate collaborative reading activities. Considerations of the role of student ‘affect’ foreground the motivational dimensions of the reading experience; we look at both pre-existing psychological and emotional barriers to engagement, and incentives and enablers that encourage confident reading and enjoyment of academic texts. We consider how the research literature accords with and further informs our empirical experience of running practical reading workshops. It is hoped that activities such as reading circles and textmapping relieve the individual from sole accountability for comprehension, bringing reading ‘out from the dark’. Deconstructing the process of reading through collaborative roles contributes towards the co-construction of understanding and knowledge, activating fresh insights. Discussion of reading through this shared approach potentially helps to develop student confidence, to nurture feelings of belonging, and to enhance cohort identity. However, we are mindful of the real-world impacts and outcomes of reading strategies for the diverse body of students that we encounter in higher education, with their wealth of difference in cognitive abilities, backgrounds, and cultural experiences. Through this literature review, it is intended that learning from work already published will contribute towards evolving best practice in channelling agency and easing anxiety in academic reading for all students.

High‐interest books, choice, and independent reading: Piloting a reading program with male adolescents in Chile

AbstractReading is linked to numerous positive outcomes, including academic achievement, reduced stress, and enhanced life expectancy. However, a significant portion of Chilean adolescents engage in limited reading. Notably, male students tend to exhibit lower levels of reading motivation compared to their female counterparts, with declining reading self‐concept over time. To address this challenge, this study explores the impact of a 9‐month‐long pilot reading program aimed at increasing students' reading motivation and volume in an all‐boys rural school in southern Chile (N = 120), guided by Self‐Determination Theory and adapted from Atwell's reading workshop. The program included four pillars: access to high‐interest print books, 90 min per week of in‐class independent choice, and peer interactions around reading. t‐Tests showed a significant increase in students' reading volume but not in their reading motivation. Nevertheless, multiple regression analyses revealed that, when controlling for students' pre‐program reading motivation, achievement, and volume, post‐program reading motivation and time allocated for independent reading were significantly associated with the number of pages read during the program. Implications for practice and future research avenues are discussed.

INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT POLICY: LEARNING LITERACY AT TEACHER COLLEGE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

The purpose of this research is to present a comprehensive overview of the Microcredential program TCRWP in an effort to improve teacher literacy competence in Indonesia. The research method used descriptive qualitative with 53 teachers as subjects from PAUD (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini/Preschool) and SD (Sekolah Dasar/Elementary School) levels from 14 provinces in Indonesia. The results of the study show the government's success in increasing teachers’ literacy competence through implementation of the TCRWP microcredential program with an indicator of test scores > 80. The rationalization for the success of this program consists of (1) An increase in teachers' understanding of the continuum literacy principle conceptually as a representative polarization of literacy learning in the context of Indonesian education; (2) Capacity building in choosing and developing decodable books and their levels; (3) An increase in ability to formulate reading workshop strategy as an innovative strategy in developing more contextual literacy learning.

Implementing Active Reading Strategies in Virtual Settings: High School Students’ Experience During Remote Learning

This quantitative study aimed to analyze the impact of using active reading strategies on students’ learning in virtual settings during remote learning, which has special relevance after the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants included 273 English as a foreign language (EFL) students from Ecuadorian high schools located in 22 provinces. The age range of the participants was 12 to 14 years, and their language proficiency level aligned with the A1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). A quasi-experimental design was employed. A pre-test, post-test, and online survey were administered to collect data. Furthermore, four reading workshops based on active reading strategies, such as predicting, using graphic organizers, summarizing, brainstorming, and scanning, were offered through Zoom meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that active EFL reading strategy implementation in virtual settings improved students’ reading skills. Students perceived that the strategies used were motivating and enhanced their reading comprehension during remote learning instruction. Certainly, the effective implementation of active reading strategies and inspirational stories during remote learning instruction motivated students to continue fostering their reading habits in the future.

Eye tracking sentences in language education

The present study reports and discusses the use of eye tracking qualitative data (static and dynamic gaze plots and heatmaps) in reading workshops in a middle school and in Generative Syntax and Sentence Processing courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Both endeavors take the sentential level as the proper object to be metacognitively explored in language education in order to develop innate science forming capacity and knowledge of language. In both projects non-discrepant qualitative eye tracking data collected and quantitatively analyzed in psycholinguistic studies carried out in LAPEX-UFRJ (Experimental Psycholinguistics Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) were displayed to students as a point of departure, triggering discussions. Active, problem-solving based methodologies were employed with the objective of stimulating student participation. The article also discusses the importance of developing full literacy, epistemic vigilance and intellectual self-defense in an infodemic world.

Hear Our Voice: Motivational Curriculum and Perceptions of Adults with Intellectual Disability

Students with intellectual disability (ID) benefit from classrooms offering specialized curricula and resources designed to meet their individual learning needs. This qualitative, single descriptive case study applied Keller's Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) Motivational Instruction Model to reading instruction for adults with ID in a Northern California learning environment previously excluding a specific motivational curriculum component. Twelve adult student participants with ID experienced a reading workshop curriculum including and without the addition of Keller's Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) motivational instruction model. The research questions, presented in a focus group format, asked how the students described their perceptions of learning ability in the four ARCS focus areas of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. The sub-questions asked which areas the students perceived as the most engaging part of each workshop. Four instructor participants also provided classroom observations in post-workshop interviews. Resultant themes identified that perceived personal connection to class material, personal support, and recognition of accomplishment motivate student concept learning, engagement, and success. Implications and recommendations for scholars, practitioners, and leaders present suggestions for developing new models or adapting existing models for motivational instruction designed for optimal education of this special student group.

The Impact of the Translated World Literature on Arab Children

Children's literature is one of the creative paths in which children discover the world, and it plays an influential role in shaping the thinking process and perception. Hence, the type and content of the Arabic or translated stories that are given to a child is important, for their impact on a child’s personality, values, and style of thinking. The history of international children's literature is full of ideas, stories and famous characters that have attracted the attention of children all over the world. With the translation movement in this field, these books have become a vector of knowledge about another world that has its own customs, traditions, values, and culture, as well as models of personalities that may be good or have a negative impact. The interest of the Arab child in the translated stories has raised our attention and prompted us to present this proposal to study the most important pros and cons of the translated foreign literature for the Arab child. This study consists of two parts: the first part is theoretical, presenting some negative and positive examples of translated international literature presented to the Arab child, and the second part is practical, which begins with a questionnaire to know the child's reading tendencies from translated books, followed by four reading workshops in which the children participated with their opinions, discussions, and creativity.

Together in the Struggle

The authors, illustrator, and translator discuss their efforts at creating a bilingual children’s picture book, Alejandria Fights Back! / ¡La Lucha de Alejandria! (The Feminist Press 2021) which deals with community displacement and gentrification, and youth agency. The panelists share the origins of and hopes for the book, which was a community-based partnership project with the Rise-Home Stories Project based in Boston, Massachusetts. The speakers share how elementary and middle schools can use the book for teaching strategies, teacher education, effectively engaging with communities, and developing tools for supporting multilingualism. This presentation was offered by the Educator Collaborative on April 10, 2021. The Educator Collaborative provides K–12 literacy professional development to schools across the United States and around the world. They provide expert support in areas such as writing workshops, reading workshops, balanced literacy, anti-bias education, multilingual pedagogy, digital literacy, and standards integration.

Pupils’ and Parents’ Perspectives Towards Using Smartphone Strategies to Improve Reading Skills

In this 21st century, reading skill is one of the most essential skills to achieve language literacy. On this basis, an early introduction to proper reading strategies shall develop good attitudes towards reading. Based on a study conducted by the Malaysia National Library in 2015, the rate of reading is lower among Malaysians, with only 15 to 20 books on average per year. Due to this, the researchers conducted a reading workshop, “Using Smartphone to Improve English Skills” in three districts in three different states. This qualitative study was embarked to explore the perception of workshop participants (pupils and parents) towards the reading workshop. Despite the pupils’ and parents’ perceptions towards the workshop which generally are positive, however, some suggestions are given to further improve the reading workshop. The participants in this study consisted of 79 people of different ages, races and socioeconomic statuses. The pupils are from primary schools with the ages of 10 to 12 years old (Year 4 to Year 6) and the parents are from the ages of 25 to 50 years old. They are residents of the Southern region of Malaysia which are Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor. The research instruments employed were field notes, open-ended interview responses from Google Form and semi-structured interview responses. The findings suggested that the majority of the students and parents agreed that the various reading strategies introduced using smartphones are both interesting and exciting and may serve as the focus of future studies. The study implies that the smartphone reading strategy workshops should be carried out at different locations to enhance the pupils’ reading skills in reading English materials. Both parents and their children should participate in this workshop to ensure the strategies could be practiced effectively at home.

Heroes in The Middle: Design Thinking in Reading Workshop: Flexible Strategies for Sparking Empathy in Middle School Readers in the Time of COVID-19

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Improving parent–child interactions through interactive reading workshops

IntroductionMany authors agree on the importance of training parents in early literacy strategies. ObjectiveThis study analyses the effects of an intervention to improve parent–child interactions during reading sessions, using interactive reading techniques. MethodThe design is exploratory and includes a treatment group (n=22), which benefited from four interactive reading workshops, and a control group (n=18), which did not benefit from specific training. Both groups read the same books, three times a week, for 10weeks. The children come from middle socioeconomic backgrounds and attend preschool or kindergarten (grades 1–3). ResultsThe analyses were conducted on the basis of pre- and post-intervention video observations, coded using the Adult–Child Interactive Reading Inventory (ACIRI). Results from an ANCOVA show that parental behavior, and in turn child behavior, improves in post-intervention: parents improve their children's attention to the text and implement literacy strategies, while the children become more involved in the interactions. ConclusionInteractive reading workshops for parents improve the quantity and quality of parent–child interactions when reading books in a natural and playful context.

Consideraciones para desarrollar competencias digitales de investigación en un ambiente virtual

Research training is acquired by students in Mexico in high school by the subject of Methodology of Research and similar subjects like reading workshops and drafting; however, upon reaching the higher level, students have serious limitations in research skills. For this reason, this work presents the progress of an Educational Intervention Project that aims to account for digital skills for research in undergraduate students; It is based on the Action- Research methodology and is based on constructivism, focused on the skills approach. The group selected as the object of study are the students of the fourth semester group A of the Petroleum Process Engineering career at the Universidad para el Bienestar Benito Juarez Garcia, at Poza Rica, Veracruz. In the diagnostic phase, the following instruments were applied: VAK test, study conditions test, semi-structured interviews, observation guides and an instrument made up of 43 questions that revealed the level of mastery over digital skills required by students to improve in research, since 83 % of Students do not use indexed databases to search for reliable sources of information, 66 % are not considered suitable to consult virtual libraries and 67 % do not consult articles and scientific journals when researching, due to these results the competencies of: search and selection of scientific texts and critical thinking in the analysis of scientific texts. Given the qualitative evaluation of the results obtained, it was determined that Project Based Learning (PBL), in flipped Classroom modality, is the guideline to design the strategy to be implemented in the Educational Intervention Project through which it is expected to develop digital research skills.

Encouraging Independent Readers: Combining Reading Workshop and Textbook‐Based Lessons in a Japanese High School Classroom

AbstractIn Japan, the workshop‐style approach for teaching reading has drawn recent attention. However, the obligation to use Ministry of Education–approved textbooks makes applying this method in classes difficult. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possibilities of incorporating workshop‐style lessons into a Japanese language arts class and its benefits for high school students. Based on findings from questionnaires and interviews undertaken with students and reflective dialogues with the teacher, the benefits of incorporating reading workshop–style lessons were examined and compared with the traditional textbook‐style lesson. The main finding is that reading self‐selected books accompanied by teacher/student conferences nurtures good reading habits. Although this study indicates the importance of workshop‐style lessons, it also highlights the benefits and importance of traditional textbook‐style lessons. Finally, how to integrate them into the curriculum is discussed.

Recursive readings and reckonings: kindergarteners’ multimodal transactions with a nonfiction picturebook

PurposeOur world had always been multimodal, but studying how young children enact and embody literacy practices, especially reading, has often been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to examine how young children respond to nonfiction picturebooks in multimodal ways. This paper aims to answer the question: What multimodal resources do readers use to respond to and construct meaning from nonfiction picturebooks?Design/methodology/approachUndergirded by Rosenblatt’s transactional theory of reading and social semiotic multimodality, a 9-min video clip of three boys making sense of one nonfiction picturebook during reading workshop was analyzed using Norris’ approach to multimodal data analysis. This research stemmed from a five-month-long case study of one kindergarten class’s multimodal and collective responses to nonfiction picturebooks.FindingsFindings demonstrate how readers use gesture, gaze and proxemics in addition to language to signal agreement with one another, explain new ideas or concepts to one another and incorporate their background knowledge. In addition to reading images, the children learned to read each other.Originality/valueThis research indicates that reading is inherently multimodal, recursive and complex and provides implications for teachers to reconsider what kinds of responses they prioritize in their classrooms. Additionally, this research establishes the need to better understand how readers respond to nonfiction books and a broader examination of multimodality in the literacy curriculum.

Earth unbound: Climate change, activism and justice

This experimental writing piece by the Earth Unbound Collective explores the ethical, political and pedagogical challenges in addressing climate change, activism and justice. The provocation Earth Unbound: the struggle to breathe and the creative thoughts that follow are inspired by the contagious energy of what Donna Haraway (2016) calls response-ability or the ability to respond. This energy ripples through monthly reading groups and workshops organised by this interdisciplinary collective that emerged organically in January 2020.

Encouraging healthier choices in supermarkets: a co-design approach

PurposeThis research describes and evaluates the co-creation of a programme called “A Healthy Choice”. Underpinned by design thinking (DT), this study aims to improve the healthfulness of food choices in supermarkets among consumers to promote their well-being.Design/methodology/approachThe research features two studies. Study 1 included five co-design workshops with consumers and staff (n = 32) to develop a consumer-centred programme. The findings supported the design and implementation of a programme evaluated in Study 2 (an ecological trial). The programme modified a supermarket environment to increase the prominence of healthier products (shelf-talkers and no discount), ran positive food experiences (cooking and label reading workshops) and was supported by a community-wide information campaign in social and local print media.FindingsA total of 15 new strategies were developed by consumers and staff to support health and well-being in supermarkets. Feasibility discussions and staff voting contributed to the development and storewide implementation of the programme. Evaluation showed that the programme was effective in increasing consumer knowledge of healthier food choices (measured via public survey). Sales analysis showed mixed results; sales increased for promoted products in some categories, but there was no effect in others.Research limitations/implicationsGiven the real-world setting in which this programme and its evaluation were conducted, there were several innate limitations. The co-design process generated many more ideas than could be implemented, thus creating a healthy “pipe line” for the next iterations of the programme.Practical implicationsThe key contribution of this work to supermarket intervention literature is the recommendation to change the paradigm of engagement between the key stakeholders who are typically involved in supermarket programs. Using the co-design and DT frameworks, the authors offer an example of stakeholders working together in close partnership to co-design and collaboratively implement a programme that promotes healthier choices.Originality/valueThis project contributes to the emerging body of empirical work using DT principles in the area of healthy food choices in supermarkets. A rigorously designed evaluation of a co-designed supermarket programme contributes to scholarly evidence on food well-being programs in supermarkets.

Практичні аспекти використання методів критичного мислення у філологічній підготовці майбутніх учителів початкової школи

The article presents in detail the practical aspects of using the methods of critical thinking in the philological training of future primary school teachers. The subjects of the philological cycle include the following educational components: oral and written communication and academic rhetoric, foreign language for professional purposes, children's literature with the basics of literary criticism, modern Ukrainian language with a workshop, teaching methods of language and literature education, speech culture with expressive reading workshop, national education in primary school in language and reading lessons. It was proposed to use different methods: methods of working with different types of texts, visual methods and techniques for organizing information, posing questions, methods of reflection, etc. The examples of tasks on the educational components of the philological cycle are given, which make it possible to effectively use the methods of critical thinking for its formation in the process of professional training. The most effective methods in the preparation of future primary school teachers are determined: conducting discussions, project activities, a self-assessment sheet, the use of semantic and graphic organizers, etc.

Using an arts-based design to explore the experience of Shared Reading: A pilot study

This pilot study explores the use of an arts-based design to record the experience of a Shared Reading workshop. There is considerable evidence of the effectiveness of Shared Reading as a support for well-being across a wide range of situations and settings, and studies have suggested that this literature-based intervention may have the potential to support both thinking and feeling. However, describing the personal and emotional responses that provoke the impact of Shared Reading is a challenge. The capture of the discussion occurring during this pilot workshop is made visual using both words and pictures, and this ‘capture’ is then synthesized and an evocation is created using the medium of film. This article discusses the process and the effectiveness of this arts-based approach as evidenced during data collection, in interpretation and again in dissemination, and implications for further use of this methodology are explored.

Mediações de leitura como estratégia para compreensão de textos por crianças de 6 anos em processo de alfabetização

O artigo situa-se no contexto do letramento literário e tem por objetivo analisar as influências da leitura compartilhada de histórias para compreensão de textos por crianças de 6 anos, em processo de alfabetização. Com foco na literatura infantil procurou-se desenvolver condições para formar leitores fruidores da arte literária. Foi desenvolvida pesquisa-ação com realização de oficinas semanais de leitura compartilhada de textos literários, com crianças matriculadas no 1º ano de escolaridade. Com o trabalho sistemático foram produzidas condições para a criança ouvir a leitura e compreender a linguagem escrita. Como resultados do estudo, constatou-se que as crianças puderam verbalizar sentimentos e percepções, antecipar sentidos, confirmar hipóteses, compreender, fazer inferências, desenvolver a sensibilidade e a criatividade, aguçar a curiosidade e a imaginação, ampliar conhecimentos, abrir-se para novos universos culturais e sociais.