Chapter 14-When Kids Can't Read

I thought this chapter was interesting because it talked about the importance of choosing books that are not always appealing to us (teachers), but are interesting in the eyes of the student. Many times, teachers make students read books that they themselves enjoyed as students, but their own students do not take interest in them. Teachers must realize that each student is different.

By listening to reluctant readers, teachers begin to see what holds their interest and what makes them want to read. The chapter talks about how students can create a list of topics that they find interesting in books. With a list like this, a teacher can begin to help students find books that suit their interest. After finding books that interest students, it is important that teachers give free time to read and take many trips to the library.

Connecting Students to Culturally Relevant Texts

After reading the hand-out, I can't help remember what Francisco says about the story, Rain of Gold. Francisco says, “It was a huge book of 562 pages and only one of several we had to read. I felt overwhelmed and hopeless. Reading in English was slow and such hard work!” When he first saw the book he felt very doomed to failure and discouraged. However, when Francisco read the first few chapters he couldn’t put the book down.

I think this story shows us that despite the size of the book, we must take a greater look inside it and find some aspect of it that we can relate to. I think that teachers need to find books that are culturally relevant like this article talks about, so that students will be able to connect on a greater level with the book much like Francisco did.

Reading Response Chapter 1

After reading chapter one, I learned a little more about the close connections between reading and writing. According to the text, “Children build on oral language knowledge as they learn to read and write. “ And, Children begin to understand more complex reading through writing. The book defines literature as a complex, and interactive progression using fundamental and intricate skills to make meaning. “Reading is interactive and constructive but it is also complex.”

The goal of the teachers should be to help their students be able to read an assortment of material easily and with curiosity even when the text it difficult to comprehend.
The text also mentioned that there are many factors that contribute to literacy rates in the classroom. According to the text, only 15% of students are reaching more advanced levels of literacy. Large and Suburban towns have a higher performing literacy rate that urban or rural communities. Poverty is also plays a factor in literacy. Poverty stricken communities usually always have lower literacy rates. When literacy goals are not met in the classroom, there are severe consequences for not only faculty but also students. Teachers many times center their attention on students who need help the least and are unable to help the student who is struggling.

In conclusion, this chapter talked about the importance of having” well-prepared, knowledgeable teachers who can make professional judgments about instruction based on their familiarity with research.” The chapter also mentioned that it is crucial for teachers to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual student. It the job of the educator to work around their weaknesses and help find a teaching strategy that works best for the student.

Literature Circles

What I read on literaturecircle.com:
Literature circles give students the opportunity to explore books that hold their interest and other common-minded students. There are many different literature circles, and each circle chooses a different book. With their group, students get to discuss the book they are reading and share ideas and make connections with their own lives and the characters in the book. During the circle time, the teacher should be observing and evaluating the discussions. According to literaturecircle.com, there should be a “spirit of playfulness and fun.” After all of the groups finish their books, students can share ideas and a deeper meaning of all of the books. They can also encourage or discourage others to read the book that their group has chosen.

What I thought was interesting about the websites:
I thought that the literature circle websites were interesting because I had never really heard of a literature circle before. I love the idea of students getting to choose what they read and share what they learned with their peers. It’s sad when English teachers force students to read tiresome literature and refuse to give students reading options. I believe that through literature circles, students will feel like they have the freedom to read what interests them and desire to read outside of school.