I think the jigsaw strategy is especially good in workshops to give
participants an overall "taste" of something, AND when they have the
whole piece in their hands so that they can go off and read it later.
I don't think it's meant to give participants a complete, detailed
account.
Renee
On Nov 7, 2010, at 8:47 AM, Jan Sanders wrote:
Sally, you make some good points!
For me, I usually go home and read the whole thing over so it makes
sense in
MY mind.
Jan
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to
your
grandmother.
-Albert Einstein
On Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 10:56 AM, Sally Thomas
<[email protected]>wrote:
I agree with you Jan. Especially personally. I do think committed
adult
learners always want every bit of the information, don't you
think? And
I
definitely wouldn't use jig sawing all the time. But I do think
it is
useful for helping students who might have a very hard time reading a
larger
volume of text where there isn't really time. (and time is an
issue in
every
classroom I know) For example, English language learners have
good reason
to read slowly and can't necessarily handle the same volume of
reading as
others. And in the case of this request, it was a content area
class where
I'm sure teachers are accountable for the content of the
curriculum, not
just reading. So class opportunities would help the students
model how to
go about accessing content area reading that at times they would
need to do
entirely independently. It also would be my job as a teacher to
be sure
students had an appropriate "into" the text so that dealing with a
middle
section and "beyond" (debriefing and clarifying
misinterpretations) were
effective experiences. "Into/thru/beyond" is the "used to be"
descriptive
framework for planning reading events during the more
constructivist days
of
schooling! I also think there is much value in having students
expected to
collaboratively construct meaning and share that construction with
others.
Of course it could happen as well with every group reading the
same text.
As a teacher of younger students or adults, I would always have
available
of
the whole text for anyone who wanted it!!!
On 11/6/10 9:34 AM, "Jan Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote:
While many people love jigsaw, I personally do not like it -
especially
when
I go to a conference and it is used. Why? You get someone's
interpretation
of the piece, not necessarily what the author intended, or what
you would
get from it. Also, I hate it if I don't get the first part to
read as I
have trouble entering into something at the middle or end of the
piece.
I
often have to go back and scan what came before so it makes sense
in my
mind.
I read only at a moderate pace and take time to absorb what is
written
there, and often the time alloted is not sufficient for me. As a
coach,
if
I was going to use an article at a training for the teachers I
work with,
I
would give it to them a few days ahead of time and allow about 15
minutes
reading time (or longer for longer articles) at the training. The
teachers
appreciated this as some needed more time to process like me.
I bring this up as there may be students with some of the same
feelings.
Maybe there is a person who needs to start at the beginning for
it to
make
sense, maybe someone's explanation of a section wasn't clear,
maybe the
length of time given to read wasn't long enough...
Jan
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it
to your
grandmother.
-Albert Einstein
On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 12:42 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Sally,
I'd love to hear more about how the jig saw method has worked
for you.
I have done that, and it usually fails for me. Too many
students wait
for
others to do the work for them. Parents (of the working
students) have
complained to me about the unfairness. Jan
Quoting Sally Thomas <[email protected]>:
I think many readers don't develop reading stamina. The effort
tires
them
quickly, and it's especially hard when they are not motivated.
I would
not
lower the quality of the readings but make them shorter. Pick
out key
passages for them to problem solve with as readers and then you
fill in
the
gaps with your input. OR jig saw and let students teach each
other
their
shorter parts. As an English teacher for example, I would pick
5 or 6
key
scenes (either because of theme, plot, whatever) and students
would
read
those in the original with great care and lots of discussion,
often
reading
as readers theater etc. But I would fill in the rest. They
did not
have
the stamina to wrestle with the whole play in Elizabethan English.
How wonderful that you are seeing your role in supporting students
reading
in the content areas!!! Takes a village as the saying goes.
Thank
you.
Sally
On 11/3/10 7:16 PM, "ginger/rob" <[email protected]> wrote:
I received this email and I believe she intended it for the
Mosaic
group
so
I am forwarding it on:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My name is C. Wright. I am trying to incorporate reading into
my 11th
grade
content area because our students score low on the reading and
social
studies part of the exam. I know part of the problem is that may
students
do not know how to read. Some do not comprehend. So I am
trying to
teach
students how to be successful readers on the test as well as
acquire a
life
skill. I noticed that if the passages are long many students
do not
any
attempt to read. My greatest problem is trying to find
strategies
that
work
during a reading assignment. The before and after is okay,
but during
the
reading my strategies fade. > Carolyn Wright
[email protected]
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To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
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To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
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"We are here to infiltrate space with ideas."
~ Ramtha
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To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
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