LISTENING

TO LEARN
Caroline Kuremsky

Meet Herman!
My story begins on September 14, 2016 in Ms. Pokrandt's class at

the Butler Lab School. On this very day I began working one-on-

one with a leader, a football player, a thoughtful classmate, and a

confident reader- Herman. After several initial assessments,

interviews, and Running Records, I came to realize Herman's

astounding capabilities. He is an enthralled reader, one who

Teacher Research Inquiry
inquires and works towards deeper understandings. Through my
What is my role as a listener? What
does listening look and feel like? Are
initial conferencing with Herman, I found that he is determined

to be an accurate and thoughtful reader. While most of the time

he reads with confidence and profound prosody, I noticed that there different ways in which I can
when approaching unknown words, Herman becomes timid. It is

listen that will help me better connect

this noticing that drives the story of Herman and I, leading me to

create literary actions that would support Herman in my goals set

and understand specific students?
for him.

Tryout 1 Tryout 2
Literary Action Provide Herman a toolbox
of strategies that will help Reflective Individual
GOAL FOR
him become more
HERMAN proficient when working Listening Questions
with non-fiction texts.
How do you know when someone is 
listening to you?

So wh
at I he What does listening 
ar you look like?
 saying
 is...
What does it feel like when 
someone is listening to you?

“So what I hear you saying “They are really focused on

is that you noticed that the what you are telling them.
pictures in the nonfiction They are really hearing. It gives
text can help you better me confidence when you
understand the story.” -Me repeat what I am
saying.”–Herman

“So what I hear you

saying is that your title is “Maybe they are writing
Herman’s Football Team, what I am saying, like you
and you put the are doing now.” –Aleigha
apostrophe between the
"I feel like I am being heard
letters n and s in the
and tell Ms. Pokrandt my
word Herman because it ideas on the subject because I
is something that is know she will listen. It makes
yours.”-Me me feel special.” –Mckayla

As I executed these two tryouts, I made sure to not only

I knew this goal was within Herman's reach due to his

confer with Herman, but also with his classmates. During

each individual conference I made sure to audio record the

ability to apply "readinking" (reading+thinking)

conversation, while also writing down any specific notes

strategies when reading fiction texts. In selecting this

concerning the student's body language, the environment

goal, it was my hope that Herman would be able to

of the conference, etc. While both tryouts were rather

different, I was able to better understand what listening

apply new strategies to expand his understanding

looks and feels like. After taking a step back and looking at

across all genres of literature. After creating my goal,

my collection of data as a whole, I was able to see clearly

I executed an intentional instructional plan that

the effect of listening on the learner, leading me to the

creation of my very own research claim.

would push Herman's thinking a step further.
 Stacking Herman's Toolbox Research Claim
Conferring Data has shown me that reflective
Conferring was cherished one-on-one time with Herman in
listening contributes to a child’s agency,
which we could work together towards achieving his literary
identity, and overall confidence.
goal. Within each of my conferences I used strategies within
My audio recordings and written documentation

Kathy Collin's, Growing Readers, to support my instructional have shown that all students responded positively

plan. to the listening language. I noticed that students'

Strategies I Presented to Herman

body language would change. Some students smiled,

some sat up taller, others leaned in closer to their

Readers make sketches to understand

desk, gripped their pencils tighter, some silent, while

Readers stop & think to make a picture in their minds to understand

others began to talk faster, and louder, developing

When readers really understand their reading voices sounds smooth

their thinking deeper. Noticing the students'

response to the reflective listening was crucial. It

Conferring was also a time in which I could inquire about

was through analyzing their responses that I was

listening. Herman was attentive and receptive throughout

able to determine that reflective listening, most of

each conference, helping me reach better understanding of

the time, boosts a child's agency.

what listening looks and feels like.

"Good talkers are good listeners, too." -Kathy Collins

Re-reading student quotes, as well as re-listening to

audio recordings of conferences has not only helped

me develop my claim, but has also helped me better

Group Setting develop a more holistic view of listening. I am

learning the pure importance of listening, not only

how to listen to my students, but how to encourage

Herman is a clear asset to the classroom. When working

students to listen to their peers as well. If listening

in a group his contributions are influential, setting an

in a multitude of ways truly contributes to a child’s

example for those around him. While Herman is a clear

identity, agency, and overall confidence, then I

leader when working in a group, he also benefits greatly

believe teachers must respond to the call for action.

from a group setting. From my small and whole group

instruction, Herman was able to acquire new reading

strategies not only from our conference time together, but

also through getting to converse with classmates.

Herman s ' Accomplishments

After interviewing Herman and beginning to work with him one-on-one, I was able to

accomplish creating a safe space for Herman to read confidently in, as well as make mistakes to

find room for growth. In doing this, Herman made strides in his reading agency due to his

newfound confidence and comfort when working with me. “I like when you read with me because you taught
me ways to understand words I don’t know”
–Herman 11/30/16
Overall, through conferring, I noticed Herman’s toolbox of reading strategies expand. I noticed

each week that Herman was beginning to apply and implement these strategies when reading

texts in different genres.

The group lessons I conducted explored text features and how they can be used to support one’s reading. During the first mini lesson, Herman was able to access

an ample amount of prior knowledge concerning text features. I noticed that he was better able to look through the informational text with

confidence. Through his intelligent noticing’s I saw progress. During the second mini lesson, Herman expanded his thinking on text features, explaining to the

group that we can deeper understand a text when using text features to support us. For example, Herman confidently looked at different photographs and

made inferences from them about the text. Herman’s progress here lies within his ability to not only identify and name the textual feature, but also to use it

to support his understanding.

Being a thoughtful learner is something

Herman has displayed, and from his actions I

"Children with strong
now have a better understanding of how to be
belief in their own
thoughtful and intentional with my students agency work harder,
Personal
and are less likely to
Growth
when listening. I am also learning how

intentional listening is just one way that a give up when they

teacher can honor differences within the encounter difficulties."
classroom- creating a space for students to -Peter Johnston
develop a stronger sense of agency.