Summary
- Reading is painful when the reading worksheets take longer to do than actually reading a book. How reading is traditionally taught and assessed encourages students to hate reading. Alternatives should be established to accomplish the same goals but keeping with the habits of true readers.
- Deep analysis of classic literature does benefit students, but there needs to be a balance between picking a book apart to examine and experiencing the totality of what a book offers (p.125).
- Alternatives: Rethink the Whole-Class Novel (p.126); book pass (128). Recommending a book in order to get a friend to read it is more what adult readers do when they finish a good book rather than having a standard comprehension test.
- Book Review Criteria (p.138).
Traditional reading logs are no proof that students actually read much. It is just a reward for students with strong home support
for reading and a punishment for those who don’t.
Relevant Vocabulary
Unexamined Wallpaper
Whole Class novel
Book talk
Book commercial
Book review
Reading log
Round robin
Popcorn reading
Whole Class novel
Book talk
Book commercial
Book review
Reading log
Round robin
Popcorn reading
To Use in Your Classroom
- Worksheets for books take longer than actually reading the book. Plus student’s don’t enjoy them. Don’t waste time.
- Not recommend whole class reading, BUT if you have to (for book clubs) balance between what needs to be read and what wants to be read.
range of texts on this topic, and form book groups” (Miller 128)
*Book previews
1)Have students rate the books for the book clubs with stars
2)Look at the summary of book, the first few pages and the visuals
3)students pick 1st 3 choices and then YOU choose the book out of those choices that seem most appropriate for
that child
*Children will flourish in book clubs if they like what they read and grow off of each other- doesn't have to be same
reading level. Actually better to mix it up
- No one specific text can teach all elements of reading (characterization, symbolism, etc.) Don’t be afraid to use a wide variety of books. If you try to teach multiple things through one book, children may get bogged down and confused.
- Standardized testing- “In many classrooms, I see a shift from deep reading instruction with a wide range of materials to endless drilling and rote memorization of test-taking tricks. This is not teaching reading, it is teaching test taking” (Miller 133)
*“I spend a few weeks prior to the yearly standardized test on showing students how the test are
designed, discussing the different types of test questions, and examining the terms that are used in
question stems” (Miller 134)
- Book reports create pressure to read and develop inconsistent reading behaviors
1) Book talks (although not recommended because still presenting book in a boring manner)
2) Book commercials (modification on my part: perhaps create a movie poster for the book; emphasizing on
important parts, quotes, themes, etc.)
- Oral reading in class (ex: popcorn reading) DON’T DO!
your most gifted ones. High-ability students resent being used as tutors, and they, too, deserve the
ability to grow as readers- something they will not be able to accomplish by reading with readers who
are less capable then they are” pg 149
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