I think we also have to broaden our definition of reading. My own sons, the two younger boys anyway (Middle School Guys), do an incredible amount of reading online. Both play Magic (some card game thing) and love video games, which I love to hate. However, there has been such a interesting change in the way they play. Their new handhelds are wireless and there is constant messaging (reading and writing) involved in their play. They also download these long documents telling them how to beat certain levels or describing game strategy. The thing is, these things are reasonably to extremely well written and they are written in large part by kids. I am becoming a huge fan of the guys who wrote Going With the Flow and these experiences meet all the criteria for flow. Let me add, that it does concern me that their genre focus is narrow but my two kiddos can read any darned technical manual you give them and act accruately upon that information.
Luckily for me, both are readers though one is a self-procalimed picky guy, who reads only solidly recommended and award winning books (okay, he is lovable and bit strange sometimes). Lori On Thu, 5 Oct 2006 04:51 , RICHARD THEXTON <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> sent: >I must agree and what a sad, sad situation! This is exactly why I have HUGE >issues with computer programs that award points for answering 5 multiple choice questions after a child has read a book, then the child is allow to "buy" items with those points. (no names mentioned) As a matter of fact, The National Association of the Arts issued a warning a few years ago that we through these programs, we are creating a generation of students who do not enjoy reading. Teachers has forced the extrinsic value of reading, beginning in 1st grade, to the point that children never get the opportunity to simply love to read, to internalize the story, to find the INTRINSIC value of reading! > Teachers, PLEASE stop placing so much stock in those points! Please offer > other after reading activities that are FUN and truly reflect how the child interacted with the text. (for some great ideas, see When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do, by Kyleen Beers) > Show your students how much YOU enjoy reading. Offer up a selection of > "wide reading". What do your students have available to choose to read? Are there comic books, magazines, newspapers, in addition to the good literature? Validate that reading magazines is real reading! > I agree that a recommended reading list each semester or quarter needs to be > provided for students to expose them to wide variety of genres. I even use my example that until I read Angels and Demons, I didn't know how much I like those types of books. Now I"m hooked! I've completely changed the books I chose when looking for something good to read. > We do have to work hard to remove that "reading is a subject at school" > mentality and show students the enjoyment of reading in order to create a life long lover of reading! > Kelli > > >William Roberts [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have a concern that I've noticed and was wondering if anyone else has >noticed anything similar....on paper, my 8th graders this year look good. >Reading levels are up, fluency is up, scores are up....but for the first >time in many years, they ALL say they hate to read. They see no purpose to >reading. They only read because they have to read. In previous years, many >liked reading and would bring books on the first day of school...this year, >they all said they hated reading. I have worked my butt off to change their >minds and am beginning to see a change in attitudes after 6 weeks, but I was >wondering if anyone else is seeing this problem: >We have kids who are better readers, but they aren't life-long readers. >What's the point if they aren't going to read AFTER school is over? Latest >research says that most students never read another book after high >school...are we creating a nation of better readers by sacrificing the joy >of reading? > >Bill > > >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >[email protected] >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >[email protected] >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
