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[CCBC-Net] Why are children reluctant to read?
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From: Lisa Von Drasek <lisav>
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 12:45:43 -0400
I appreciated Robin Smith's posting. Many important points.Being in a position as not only the school librarian but also serving as an academic librarian for a college of education this is an issue that often presents itself. Less the why but more what will get them to read.Many of our techniques have been mentioned but bear repeating. First of all a collection that respects free choice for independent reading- Yes we have Calvin and Hobbes, Bone, and Garfield collections as well as Meg Cabot and Rachel Vail. Books that we want to read aren't always the books that someone else thinks we should read. And yes it is okay to reread Harry Potter for the millionth time. We respect personal interests. I had a 9 year old that could but wouldn't read, was interested in sports but didn't like Matt Christopher. Turned out he loved Dan Gutman and later Tunis. I made him my official sports book reviewer, fiction and non-fiction. He stops by my office now begging for new books.All of our students have the opportunity to
choose and read what they want.Yes we make them read- Reading response groups or literature circles, book groups as well as a Mock Newbery. Literature and looking at it critically is part of each classroom curriculum. I booktalk hundreds of books by genre in their classrooms. This way the classroom teachers also get interested in the titles. I really enjoyed the moment a 4th grader came to the library looking for a dystopic novel. We look for alternatives to the dreaded book report. Some of our assessments include- drawing alternative book covers, writing jacket copy, making trading cards of characters, fact-checking non-fiction, creating advertising for a title, creating mobiles of the essential symbols, creating murals inspired by novels, writing a newspaper article reporting events in a book, mapping imaginary communities and of course book-talking to their peers. When I walk the collection with reading tutors and teachers to find the books of interest to the individual child, I am amazed at the req uest, " I need a level 3 reader" Not "I am working with a kid who is reading Henry and Mudge but we are looking for something a little more challenging that is funny and has chapters. Oh and he hates Mr. Putter."
Lisa
Lisa Von Drasek Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education School for Children Pre-K- 8 610 West 112th St NY NY 10025
lisav at bnkst.edu
212 875 4452
Received on Mon 07 Aug 2006 11:45:43 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 12:45:43 -0400
I appreciated Robin Smith's posting. Many important points.Being in a position as not only the school librarian but also serving as an academic librarian for a college of education this is an issue that often presents itself. Less the why but more what will get them to read.Many of our techniques have been mentioned but bear repeating. First of all a collection that respects free choice for independent reading- Yes we have Calvin and Hobbes, Bone, and Garfield collections as well as Meg Cabot and Rachel Vail. Books that we want to read aren't always the books that someone else thinks we should read. And yes it is okay to reread Harry Potter for the millionth time. We respect personal interests. I had a 9 year old that could but wouldn't read, was interested in sports but didn't like Matt Christopher. Turned out he loved Dan Gutman and later Tunis. I made him my official sports book reviewer, fiction and non-fiction. He stops by my office now begging for new books.All of our students have the opportunity to
choose and read what they want.Yes we make them read- Reading response groups or literature circles, book groups as well as a Mock Newbery. Literature and looking at it critically is part of each classroom curriculum. I booktalk hundreds of books by genre in their classrooms. This way the classroom teachers also get interested in the titles. I really enjoyed the moment a 4th grader came to the library looking for a dystopic novel. We look for alternatives to the dreaded book report. Some of our assessments include- drawing alternative book covers, writing jacket copy, making trading cards of characters, fact-checking non-fiction, creating advertising for a title, creating mobiles of the essential symbols, creating murals inspired by novels, writing a newspaper article reporting events in a book, mapping imaginary communities and of course book-talking to their peers. When I walk the collection with reading tutors and teachers to find the books of interest to the individual child, I am amazed at the req uest, " I need a level 3 reader" Not "I am working with a kid who is reading Henry and Mudge but we are looking for something a little more challenging that is funny and has chapters. Oh and he hates Mr. Putter."
Lisa
Lisa Von Drasek Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education School for Children Pre-K- 8 610 West 112th St NY NY 10025
lisav at bnkst.edu
212 875 4452
Received on Mon 07 Aug 2006 11:45:43 AM CDT
