Reading and Engaging Students

When our small but passionate group met to discuss "I Read It But I Don't Get It" we talked a great deal about motiviation for kids to read and the ability to tap into their background knowledge as they read.

I've come to learn and believe that the best readers are ones who make connections while they read. Reading isn't like watching television - sit down, take it in, turn it off - nothing left. (Unless, of course, you are watching Lost!) We need to create mental images as we read - as those are based upon our experiences. Think about David's comments in the previous post about each time he read Dickens - and why the second time was so much more meaningful.

I've posted some anticipation guide samples at the companion wiki since we talked a great deal about them. They worked with my students - even if they didn't believe they had any background knowledge, these helped them to look for certain things in the text. Even my most reluctant readers responded to this.

And I think that the new technologies available to us can help us to connect students to what they are reading. Here is a lesson from a colleague: John J. has integrated blogs into his Honors 10 class and has started posting some "critical lens" type questions for students to respond to. And they get into some pretty good discussions!!! Here's what I noticed - the students are making some powerful connections with their own lives and interests, they are responding to one another in a meaningful way, and - this one is important - they can weigh in with their true opinions on some books. What works and what doesn't. I think they read it and they get it!!