the challenge is AR assessments are not interactive. The student responds and that ends the discussion. How deeply are your students comprehending text. Also the componant of writing to think is also missing...as a quick check of comprehension like a retell, AR informs a basic understanding but that is all
Andrea ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 2:11 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group > You have to understand that AR is handled differently at our school. If a > child wants to read an author or book that isn't AR, we just order the > tests > for the kid. Every book in our library has an AR test if it's available, > and many that don't have one available, a teacher made quiz can be added > to > the AR quiz list. AR doesn't control the selections, the teachers and > students do. I also stress the need for other types of genres and > authors, > so I do bring up books that aren't AR, but we control it. > Bill > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Carolyn Booth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 11:18 AM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group > > >> Hi Bill ~ In our middle school, new seventh-grade students discover >> they no longer must participate in the AR program. Every year they >> cheer when I announce this change in the reading program. Instead, >> they must read pages per trimester, only 600 pages first trimester, >> 700 pages second trimester, and 800 pages third trimester. While many >> students read double or triple this number of pages, some are >> challenged to read this number each trimester. Students earn 10% of >> their Language Arts grade by spending time with me in a "booktalk" >> after they've read a book and filled out a booktalk sheet, briefly >> answering questions related to character, conflict, resolution, and >> changes within the main character(s). After the first booktalk each >> year, students are surprised at the ease with which they earn their >> scores, as the reading is their own choice, and the booktalk is >> relatively painless. :-) >> >> However the exciting news for these students is the opportunity to >> make their own selections of books: literally they can read anything >> they want, within their reading range that is determined by STAR >> testing at the beginning of the school year. For the past six years >> that I've taught seventh-grade, I have seen many students who didn't >> like to read learn to enjoy reading for what seemed the first time in >> their lives. Additionally, providing time in class for them to read >> while I "booktalk" or conference with those students who have >> finished a book allows students a corporate time to read >> independently as a class. As they literally settle into their books >> each Monday and Friday for twenty to thirty minutes, they learn to >> find a book they will enjoy reading. Using Atwell's In the Middle as >> a guide to reading and finding "just right" books, many students who >> were beginning to hate reading learn to actually like and then love >> reading. Over the years, parents have informed me of the change in >> their son or daughter's reading habits and have thanked me for >> providing the opportunity for their child to begin learning to enjoy >> reading. >> >> Finally, providing time for students to share their books with one >> another, as well as reading excerpts to develop interest in a book, >> have helped students learn to love reading for its own sake. The >> combination of these methods has helped struggling readers and good >> readers finally learn to love reading. >> >> Carolyn Booth >> Seventh-grade LA/SS/PE/Health >> Pine Lake Middle School, WA >> >> >> >> On Oct 5, 2006, at 8:50 PM, William Roberts wrote: >> >> > We have used AR for years, but this is the first time so many >> > students hate >> > reading. I think it is more a result of the constant emphasis on >> > testing. >> > My 7th grade reading teachers insist on homework logs and 20-30 >> > minutes of >> > reading every night and it is a large part of their grade, so the >> > kids are >> > forced to read. Plus, there is an emphasis on getting their AR >> > points by >> > those teachers so that the points take precedence over the act of >> > reading. >> > I tell mine it's important to get the AR points for their grade, >> > but when >> > they are done with it, they can go read other books and authors. I >> > also >> > prefer to help my kids find books they are interested in so they >> > will want >> > to take the book home and read it. >> > >> > Two different viewpoints on the same thing. Problem is that they >> > believe >> > they are doing what is best for their kids, so it's hard to argue >> > otherwise... >> > Bill >> > >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" >> > <[email protected]> >> > Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 10:50 PM >> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group >> > >> > >> >> Hey Bill, and others following this thread, >> >> Have your read "Why We Do What We Do" by Deci? It is an older book >> >> and >> > probably much has been learned since its writing, but Deci would >> > certainly >> > argue the lack of student interest in reading that you describe may be >> > directly related to the increase in extrinsic motivation as a tool to >> > increase reading. He would say interest gets lost if motivation >> > depends upon >> > any sort of external control system (like, for example, AR does). >> > Even if >> > you do not use points and rewards he would probably still advise >> > against >> > such a system. So much of what we do in "test-reaction" tends to >> > go in >> > similar directions--setting the students on path that we determine >> > for them. >> > I wonder if you are not feeling the motivation outcome of a system >> > that >> > focuses so much upon students inching up a scale rather than on >> > student >> > affect. All the time, I find myself wondering about the same thing you >> > discuss, student love of reading. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Bonita DeAmicis >> >> California Grade 5 >> >> >> >> -------------- Original message -------------- >> >> From: "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> >> >>> Everyone seems to have misunderstood the purpose of my question. >> >>> I know >> > how >> >>> to motivate my kids to read. I know to expose them to quality >> >>> books and >> >>> stories. I've read all the books from Chris Tovani's to Kylene >> >>> Beers. I >> >>> just wanted to know if everyone was noticing what I was >> >>> noticing....we >> > are >> >>> getting better readers, but they aren't becoming life long readers. >> >>> >> >>> Most of my kids had to do homework logs last year in 7th grade >> >>> and they >> > hate >> >>> to read. They got all their AR points last year, and they hate to >> >>> read. >> >>> They did fluency practice every day last year, and they hate to >> >>> read. >> > They >> >>> read leveled stories out of the reading text (high interest, low >> >>> reading >> >>> level and intelligence level), and they hate to read. We are >> >>> forcing the >> >>> act of reading on them, and they are hating to read. I understand >> >>> the >> > need >> >>> to practice, and I stress it with my kids, but are we practicing >> >>> them to >> >>> death? I hated practicing piano, but I loved to pick out tunes and >> > figure >> >>> out songs. Are we neglecting the joy of reading? >> >>> >> >>> They may be able to pass the state test, but if they hate to >> >>> read, they >> >>> won't teach their children to read. If that happens, we are going to >> > have a >> >>> nation of non-readers who hate to read and their children who >> >>> will learn >> > to >> >>> hate to read and then what's the point of all our work? We need >> >>> to make >> >>> them better readers, but we have forgotten the emotional appeal of >> > learning. >> >>> I have loved reading since I was a baby, and I am an excellent >> > reader....not >> >>> because I practiced every day, but because I loved reading. If we >> > instill a >> >>> love for reading, the better readers will develop. >> >>> >> >>> 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. >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> >> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: >> >> 10/2/06 >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > 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. >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: 10/2/06 >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. 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