More reading strategies were exposed to us today. First, transactional theory which reveals two ways readers can "own" what they are reading. Efferent is when information is why the reader wants to read the material. Aesthetic is when the reader engages his or her five senses to enjoy the material. In m opinion, efferent or aesthetic reading are both good methods to maximize student comprehension.
The next method was the reader response, where students can pretend they are one of the characters in the book. I think that the students will enjoy this the most as they are still in the egocentric mode of their mental development. Students, especially in the middle school love to attach their personalities with someone else. That is why they idolize movie stars and popular singers. Having them choose a character and write out what they feel, think, and say as they become the character may pull them into the story even more and engage them into reading.
Summarize, Question, Clarify and Predict (SQCP) seemed like it needed more critical thinking than imaginative thinking. This would be more appropriate for older, more advanced students. Although it can also be adapted for the middle school aged student, I think it will be more successful in the higher grades. This can even be extended into a research paper or a reaction paper and really get the students not only involved in reading the story, but also learning about the background, the characters (fictional or not), and the historical events.
I really look forward to using these tools in the classroom.
Happy birthday classmates: Vonnie, Cat and TJ!
Thanks so much Gemma!!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the students will probably like the character journal the best. I think this helps them to relate to the character the best and it allows them to put their perspective and experience in.
ReplyDeleteGemma, now how to apply it in math. Do you think that reading Under the Blood Red Sun as a required assignment will go well with the department head? Do you think that I'm out of my mind for thinking so?
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn! I was thinking maybe using an activity like measuring distances in Hawaii, to and from the places the characters visit or doing something about the WWII statistics. It is difficult though, and who knows, we might not even have to do this for our students. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, for the Birthday Greeting, Gemma! Hey, that's pretty good advice for Evelyn, she may not read it unless you reply it to her post. You probably already did that, but just in case you haven't... you should.
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