I've actually had a few success and meant to write about them, but just never had a chance. Before I forget, I'm going to write a few quick notes.
-I interviewed Dexter. I got a few good pieces of data.
1. He enjoys listening to read aloud. That led me to think about books on cd/mp3. He lost his iphone, so can't use that, but I could get some cds out of the library and burn them. Or order a few on amazon, bc I bet other kids would be into them. I could write a donor's choose to get a grant for those.
2. He definitely sees reading as something that is static, either you enjoy it or you don't. Here's what he had to say. "When I say, can, I mean like to enjoy it. It's easy for you to visualize the book. I can read fluently. But you don't get sidetracked easily. I can read. I don't have a problem with the reading. I'll read a whole page and not know what it's about.
I find this quote interesting bc he's actually using the language I've taught, about visualizing the book.
He also says he's finished "like 2 books" his whole life. Coraline and Maniac Magee. Had to finish one in a day bc it was due for a book report.
Finally, I said what makes someone a better reader. He didn't really have an answer. He said, "I don't think it's easy at all. Being a better reader means you enjoy a book. It's a talent."
So, all of this is super interesting. Because he's kind of saying conflicting things. On the one hand, he understands that reading is supposed to be about enjoyment, and he sees people in his class who do enjoy it. But, he thinks that's a talent, to enjoy it. I've never heard anyone put it that way.
Overall, I've been mostly frustrated with him. He just don't really care about his grades and so he isn't actually shifting his behavior at all. In fact, it's getting worse. He just blatantly doesn't read. So, I'm tracking another student to add to my mix, bc I'm not sure I'm going to have success with him.
Here are other things that I've seen work well.
1. My wall of photos of book recs! I've had at least three kids specifically say something about the wall. One asked me what a book was about when we were standing by the wall. Another, a struggling reader, said, "I saw Patrick's picture on the book talk wall and it looked good, so I got the book." He actually went to the library and picked up the book and has been reading it ever since. I've seen other kids over there talking about the pictures. So that's pretty exciting. I've got a system working with students and it's pretty easy to get them up there. We've also been pretty good about getting the book talks done at the beginning of each class, which I think is also useful.
2. Recommending books to kids. Putting books in their hands, taking them to the library. I've been watching a couple of kids that have had trouble sticking with a book. Reading the back with emphasis and giving a small summary of what the book is about seems to help.
Here's what I've found.
Zaria- Gave Undercurrents on 1/27. On 1/30 she was on p. 28. On 2/6 she was on p. 61, on 2/8 she was on p. 99. I'll check today to see where she is.
At the library Shi-Lin found a spoof of Twilight. She showed it to me and said, "I think this is one book I might actually read." I'll watch for that over the next few weeks. I wonder if she's read Twilight, and if not it might not make as much sense to her, but we'll see.
3.Putting the reading strategy on the back of the reading log. So far we've done about four strategies. Visualizing, predicting, connecting and now inferences. One thing I noticed is that my focal students weren't really doing the back of the log. I think visualizing wasn't hard, but predicting and connecting was. I thought I was doing really well with this until Diana, one of my focal students said, I don't know how to do this. I was like, ugh, really? I was feeling so good about myself, this one little sentence made me realize, I need to be more explicit. So I need to do more examples with read aloud, which I've tried to focus on more. I think they really need it as an example. We can't do it everyday, but I'd like to get in read aloud a couple of times per week. I think it's more useful than SSR in the classroom a lot of times, but many of them don't actually read during that time.
So, here's my plan for my presentation.
This matters because in order to be successful in school, students need to be fluent readers. Finishing books demonstrates enjoyment for reading and fluency.
I have three students who don't really read. I've added in one other student who is a bit more focused on doing well in school but doesn't really enjoy reading.
The wall of recs. The idea of audio books. Being explicit with the reading strategy.
-I interviewed Dexter. I got a few good pieces of data.
1. He enjoys listening to read aloud. That led me to think about books on cd/mp3. He lost his iphone, so can't use that, but I could get some cds out of the library and burn them. Or order a few on amazon, bc I bet other kids would be into them. I could write a donor's choose to get a grant for those.
2. He definitely sees reading as something that is static, either you enjoy it or you don't. Here's what he had to say. "When I say, can, I mean like to enjoy it. It's easy for you to visualize the book. I can read fluently. But you don't get sidetracked easily. I can read. I don't have a problem with the reading. I'll read a whole page and not know what it's about.
I find this quote interesting bc he's actually using the language I've taught, about visualizing the book.
He also says he's finished "like 2 books" his whole life. Coraline and Maniac Magee. Had to finish one in a day bc it was due for a book report.
Finally, I said what makes someone a better reader. He didn't really have an answer. He said, "I don't think it's easy at all. Being a better reader means you enjoy a book. It's a talent."
So, all of this is super interesting. Because he's kind of saying conflicting things. On the one hand, he understands that reading is supposed to be about enjoyment, and he sees people in his class who do enjoy it. But, he thinks that's a talent, to enjoy it. I've never heard anyone put it that way.
Overall, I've been mostly frustrated with him. He just don't really care about his grades and so he isn't actually shifting his behavior at all. In fact, it's getting worse. He just blatantly doesn't read. So, I'm tracking another student to add to my mix, bc I'm not sure I'm going to have success with him.
Here are other things that I've seen work well.
2. Recommending books to kids. Putting books in their hands, taking them to the library. I've been watching a couple of kids that have had trouble sticking with a book. Reading the back with emphasis and giving a small summary of what the book is about seems to help.
Here's what I've found.
Zaria- Gave Undercurrents on 1/27. On 1/30 she was on p. 28. On 2/6 she was on p. 61, on 2/8 she was on p. 99. I'll check today to see where she is.
At the library Shi-Lin found a spoof of Twilight. She showed it to me and said, "I think this is one book I might actually read." I'll watch for that over the next few weeks. I wonder if she's read Twilight, and if not it might not make as much sense to her, but we'll see.
3.Putting the reading strategy on the back of the reading log. So far we've done about four strategies. Visualizing, predicting, connecting and now inferences. One thing I noticed is that my focal students weren't really doing the back of the log. I think visualizing wasn't hard, but predicting and connecting was. I thought I was doing really well with this until Diana, one of my focal students said, I don't know how to do this. I was like, ugh, really? I was feeling so good about myself, this one little sentence made me realize, I need to be more explicit. So I need to do more examples with read aloud, which I've tried to focus on more. I think they really need it as an example. We can't do it everyday, but I'd like to get in read aloud a couple of times per week. I think it's more useful than SSR in the classroom a lot of times, but many of them don't actually read during that time.
So, here's my plan for my presentation.
What question are you asking?
How can I get resistant readers to start reading and complete their books.
Why does answering this question matter?
How did you choose your focal student(s)?
What have you done to answer this question? What data have you gathered (our hope is that by this time you will have at least three or four pieces of data for each focal student)?
I have collected reading logs, copies of their reading response journals, reading assessments and interviewed all three. I will do another round of interviewing to get specific information about books that they're reading.
What is a recent piece of data that you have collected and what does it tell you about student understanding?
Interviews and discussions with kids.
-Dexter- I like read aloud
-Diana- I don't understand how to do that
-Shi-Lin- book I might actually read
-Ronnie-I saw Patrick's picture on the wall.
What discoveries or realizations have you made along the way about your students’ learning? What have you learned about what they know and/or what you want them to know? (Here the best idea is to focus-in on one particular student -- since time is tight-- and talk specifically about what you have learned about that student).'
How have you changed your teaching based on what you have learned?
I'm really focused on knowing each individual student and recommending books to them that I think they would like. I've also started a unit on graphic novels to see if that grabs a few of my resistant readers. Putting the reading strategy on the back of the reading log. Being more explicit with the reading strategy.
What have you noticed about your students’ learning progress around your question?
I think that they mostly understand that I want them to finish a book. But to be honest, I haven't really seen a lot of movement. I've seen small development in that I think 3 of them have gotten closer to finishing their books. But
What do you want to do next?
I'm working on the graphic novel unit.
I'd like to find a way to celebrate finishing a book. How could I put that into an easy rotation in my class?
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