To me, the key here is a question: are we cultivating THINKING to the same
degree if they read only books at their instructional level, or current
"comprehension" level? The part of me that agrees with the little specialist
voice in your head agrees with Ellin as she suggests the first level of
challenge in order to develop a greater reading/comprehension level. But I
love Ellin's idea (and Taberski's) of the second book, which may indeed not be
what is needed to increase reading as much, but may be exactly what is needed
to increase THINKING more, especially STRETCHY thinking.
Ah, the tightropes we walk as we attempt to find balance as a profession - just
as we try to find balance in the instructional programs of each of our children.
Bev
***********************************************************
> Then later on page 150, Ellin talks about using different levels for >
> different purposes...varying text difficulty depending on what you are
> teaching. > Ellin writes "I propose that at any given time students have
> books in their > possession that address at least two levels of challenge:
> first a book at their > instructional reading level...second a book they may
> find challenging...at > least with respect to ideas."> > The reading
> specialist in me is having a hard time with this...I have read > so much
> research on the importance of the volume of reading...of reading lots > of
> instructional and independent leveled text and I know that a difficult book >
> slows you down as a reader and so you read less...and that isn't good for a >
> struggling reader. YET...I totally understand that ALL kids need rich, >
> difficult text to practice comprehension strategies...and to learn to value
> the > struggle. > > I read all of Ellin's arguments here, and I get the idea
> of reading for > different purposes, of scaffolding difficult books for kids
> but the tiny reading > specialist voice in my head keeps saying "Yes,
> but..."> > I would love to hear everyone else's thinking on this topic...>
> Still struggling here in Maryland...> Jennifer> > > > **************Gas
> prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for > fuel-efficient used cars.
> (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)>
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