What about novels in rhyme? Crank, for example... Perhaps the poetry would be less intimidating for him than a dense page of prose. The content may strike a chord as well.
Lori On 12/12/08 8:16 AM, "carol minkoff" <[email protected]> wrote: > I love this, too! It makes reading strategically so much more meaningful for > the students. Question: I am doing some volunteer work in a high school > program in which students who have been suspended choose to participate as > an alternative to just staying home. Many of the kids are very bright, but > have emotional issues. Yesterday a student approached me and explained that > he has not been able to read a book, even for pleasure, from beginning to > end because he looses focus and starts thinking about other things. Before > he knows it, he is reading the words, but not paying attention to the text. > He said that when he takes his medication, it can help, but doesn't really > do the trick. He will only be in the program 4 more days--then he returns > to class. He asked me if I could help him in anyway; he wants very much to > overcome this problem. He said that he prefers non-fiction, and he is > interested in sports biographies, but has many other interests as well. Does > anyone have suggestions of high interest non fiction? He is in 11th > grade--and an honors English student. I want to stay away from anything that > might be sad or depressing, as this could be an issue for him. There is > very little time to work with these kids as they only attend the program > while on suspension. Also, it is rare for these kids to demonstrate > motivation...and I really don't want to let him down. Suggestions would be > Greatly appreciated > Thanks so much, > Carol > Carol's Classroom > Independent tutoring and reading coach > Former teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland > > > On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 8:48 AM, Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I am so with you and Frank! How can a strategy become the unit of study? >> Isn't it a tool to access the unit, to make it richer and help kids get the >> big ideas? In a nonfiction study, isn't it a natural to shine a light on >> determining importance to support study habits and synthesis to support >> students in learning to internalize and re-represent information? That is >> the conclusion I drew after a couple of years of trying to teach a unit >> around a strategy. So I try to help teachers design meaningful units of >> study and then to ask themselves, is there a specific strategy or two that I >> would like to 'shine on' here, so that children can expand their ability to >> think more meaningfully about what they are learning? Do I seen >> opportunities to remind students that previously focused upon strategies can >> apply in this new sort of reading--to help them generalize strategies across >> genre and text types? I am finding that beginning with immersion in genre, >> often with a writing or performance (speaking/listening/viewing) project in >> mind, that the strategies fit in like puzzle pieces. It would be my hope >> that by spotlighting strategies with our younger learners, that we can move >> students towards a natural and more integrated use of strategies across >> their DAY and across their LIVES. It is about so much more than reading... >> >> >> >> Lori Jackson >> District Literacy Coach and Mentor >> Todd County School District >> Box 87 >> Mission SD 5755 >> >> ----- Original message ----- >> From: [email protected] >> To: [email protected] >> Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:02 PM >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Re (Mosaic) Reflections on units of study (long...) >> >>> I just came away from Frank Serafini's workshop today and realized how >>> closely aligned his thoughts were to the posts on the listserv as of >> late.... he >>> is a very funny man who makes you think about why you do what you do in >> your >>> practice..... his big talk today was about comprehension strategies and >> his >>> feelings that perhaps we are taking the strategy instruction a bit too >> far and >>> teaching as if they are the big units in a reading workshop. ...rather >> than a >>> way to access those big units of study. He did a marvelous job of showing >> how >>> graphic organizers and reader responses should be used as discussion >>> starters rather than an end "product" which teachers tend to use as >> assessment. He >>> asked us to consider a graphic organizer like a t-chart in which the >> child >>> or a group of children determine the parameters. He said if teachers are >>> filling in the top of the t-chart and kids are responding to our >> descriptors then >>> we've reduced their thinking and asked them to align their thoughts to >> ours. >>> I am sure I am not saying it well.... but it drove so many points home >> that I >>> must say I am guilty of..... >>> >>> He told a funny story of how a teacher was trying to compliment him on >> his >>> new non-fiction series he has written for primary kids... how she uses >> them to >>> teach inferences... boy did he go off on it... humorously... making the >> point >>> that the books are about nature and his purpose was never to write books >> to >>> go with a unit on inferencing.... he kept showing how inferencing >> happens... >>> that it is determined by the genre of the text: where it happens, when it >>> happens, why it happens, and with what other strategies kids use while >> they are >>> inferencing are all text bound... not a study in and of itself... that it >>> will take various shapes... or forms... if I had to give a >> "visualization" for >>> it. >>> >>> He also gave many ideas of how inferencing works( and I use that example >>> because the last few posts were about inferencing) outside the book >> (where he >>> says all inferences happen) but yet, still bound by what you have learned >> in the >>> text. To drive that point home he did an activity with us in which he >> read >>> excerpts from the book and then asked volunteers to become the book >> character. >>> The audience could ask any question they wanted of the characters (not >>> necessarily related to the plot) ... but the volunteers had to answer the >>> questions by inferencing what they thought the character would say about >> a >>> particular question.... think dinner party talk! Then use the responses >> to determine >>> if they were logical and in line with what you thought about the >> character.... >>> and it is the later part... the discussion.... that is most important >> not >>> the response of the volunteer.... >>> >>> His focus was geared for third grade and up but it really was a "mindset" >> he >>> was talking about... He showed how in primary we tell the kids to use >>> illustrations to support text... but he pulled plenty of picture books >> out that >>> not only showed symmetrical support (images parallel the the >> information) but >>> "enhancement" interplay where illustrations enhance the text (think The >> Boy >>> Who Looked like Lincoln) where the ah ha is in the picture and adds so >> much >>> more to the text then the words can say... and then counterpoint >> interplay where >>> the image provides information that is contradicted by the text (think >> The >>> Sweetest Fig) Anyway... this might be old hat for some but it blew >> away some >>> of cornerstones of pedagogy and forced me to rethink .... and maybe >> looking >>> out from a lens is as productive or perhaps more productive than >> focusing >>> on the stuff under the lens. >>> Pam >>> In a message dated 12/11/2008 5:44:22 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, >>> [email protected] writes: >>> >>> I like Bev's idea of Comprehension Connections >>> (mcGregor). It is easy to implement right away. I also think that Daily >>> Five would be a good start. You mentioned class size and it combines >> management >>> and reading. It sounds like your teacher's have a lot to handle, and >>> Comprehension Connections and the Daily Five use activities to get going >> right away. >>> >>> Once the group is established, MOT would be great to study. >>> >>> Linda >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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. >>> >>> >>> >>> **************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and >>> favorite sites in one place. Try it now. >>> ( >> http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom0000001>> 0 >> ) >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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. > -- Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach & Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 57555 http:www.tcsdk12.org ph. 605.856.2211 Literacies for All Summer Institute July 17-20. 2008 Tucson, Arizona _______________________________________________ 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.
