Danbury Schools: Middle Schools: Teacher Zone: Language Arts:: Mosaic of Thought

Resources for Using Mosaic

Mosaic of Thought: A Primer

This page is designed to be a synopsis of the major ideas of Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader's Workshop, by Ellin Oliver Keene and Susan Zimmerman. In no way is it meant to be a complete explanation or discussion of the ideas. It is designed to serve as a starting-point for an understanding of the book and the ideas promoted by Ellin Keene and Susan Zimmerman. For more comprehensive resources, click here.

Thinking Strategies Used Consistently by Proficient Readers

Proficient readers are "metacognitive;" that is, they "think about their own thinking" while reading. As such, proficient readers:

Connections: Activating Schema
Proficient readers make connections to their own "schema" as they read. Connections are of three types:
  • text-to-self connections
  • text-to-world connections
  • text-to-text connections
Determining Importance
Proficient readers monitor their own comprehension as they read; they know when the text they are reading makes sense, and whethere or not the unclear portions are critical to overall understanding. As such, proficient readers:
  • make decisions on importance on three levels: whole-text level, sentence level, and word level;
  • make decisions based on the reader's purpose; the reader's schema for content; the reader's beliefs, opinions, and experiences; the reader's schema for text format; and concepts pointed out by others
  • are aware of what they need to comprehend in view of the purpose for which they are reading;
  • pause frequently to reflect on what they have read.

Asking Questions
Proficient readers ask questions as they read. As such, proficient readers:
  • spontaneously generate questions before, during, and after reading.
  • use questions to focus their attention
  • understand that many questions are not answered explicitly in the text; and recognize the difference
  • understand how asking questions deepends their own comprehension;
  • understand that listening to others' questions spark new questions in their own minds.

Creating Sensory Images
Proficient readers create images as they read. As such, proficient readers:
  • create images from all five senses
  • use the images to engage themselves on a deeper level;
  • use sensory images to draw conclusions, create interpretations, and recall details
  • adapt their images as they read;
  • adapt their images as others share their own images.

Inferences
Proficient readers draw inferences as they read, making the text their own. As such, proficient readers:
  • draw conclusions;
  • make predictions
  • create interpretations that are dynamic, that is, change as they continue to read;
  • answer questions as they read;
  • make connections between conclusions and other beliefs;
  • make judgements about what they read.

Synthesizing
Proficient readers synthesize both as they read and after they read. As such, proficient readers:
  • monitor overall meaning, concepts, and themes as they read;
  • are aware of changes in their conclusions as they read;
  • are aware of text elements and patterns in both fiction and nonfiction, and use them to help understand and predict;
  • revise their synthesis as they read;
  • are able to express their synthesis, including ideas and themes;
  • use synthesis to critically review books they have read.

Fix-Up Strategies
Proficient readers can identify confusing ideas, themes, and "surface elements," and suggest ways to solve the problems they have. As such, proficient readers:
  • use "fix-up strategies" to determine "surface structure," i.e., letters, words, and grammatical structures;
  • use "fix-up strategies" to determine "deep structure," i.e, meaning, schema, and purpose

 Resources for Implementing Mosaic of Thought

Mosaic of Thought Home Page

Teaching Tools and Lesson Plans for Mosaic of Thought

Book Database: ideas for books to use in lessons, categorized by Strategy

Listserv: join the Mosaic of ThoughtListserv and connect with others!

Madison, Wisconsin's Language Arts Page: Resources to Accompany Mosaic of Thought

Activities from Teaching as a Work of Heart: posters to accompany Mosaic, ideas, graphic organizers

Middle Schools Teacher Resource Page
Barbara Myers-Letson, MS Technology Leader
Danbury Public Schools
Last Revised 1/04