Even though I am a 3rd grade teacher, I have found that the best motivator is using what they do enjoy. Here are some ideas... Myspace: Bill, go on myspace and print out several peoples profile pages. They can be random strangers. Teach a lesson on inferring. What can we infer fabout these people from what is on their page? What character traits fit them? Here is a website with traits (http://www.teachervision.fen.com/writing/resource/2669.html). Print it out and give each student a copy. It gives them words to work with instead of them having to come up with their own. Have them as a homework assignment print out their own myspace page. Or have them print out someone else's, doing the same inferring on their own. Maybe setup a class profile page where students can post the profiles they found and what they inferred, rather than a report or written assignment. Use what they already do! Music: Find out what kind of music they like. Make copies of any CD covers and lyrics. Do a strategies lesson using that text. YouTube: If you can project a web page on a screen, go to youtube and pick out a few videos to show. You could pick something out that would be funny at first to catch their attention. Continue doing this for a week or so and then move to real movies. Movies: You have to use current movies. Go to your nearest video rental store and ask what are the most popular new releases for teenagers. Watch them and find scenes that are appriopriate to show. Yourself: Kids like when you are real with them and make your own self vulnerable before they will be. Bring in items of your own that they can infer things about your personal life. Maybe an assignment could be for them to bring a few things in. I think the best advice I got was in order to bridge the gap with the students we teach, you have to know truly what they are all about. If it means you going to the video stores, you looking at myspace pages, you listening to their music, and you watching their movies, then you gotta do it! Hope this helps! Stephanie Sanchez 3rd/CA
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