From: Lisa Von Drasek <lisav>
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 15:39:02 -0500

I usually avoid the subject of reading level as it is often not an indication of ability and interest. When approached by a parent and child together I often try to disengage the parent from the conversation. Often the interaction begins with the parent but I try to engage the child by asking, " What was the last great book you read?"
"Are you reading a book with your class?" If it is a hard case and the kid says none, I hate reading, I ask what movies she/he likes, funny, silly, scary, mysteries or even what tv shows. I may ask how old the child is to gauge developmental appropriateness. Then I grab about 5 titles in a range of reading levels, say Elizabeth Levy's Something Queer series, or Vampire State Building, My Weird Teacher, Time Warp Trio and Einstein Anderson plus the Dragon slayers Academy. I may rattle off a sentence or two about each series and then leave the child alone with the pile while distracting the parent with a conversation about the importance high-interest self -selected reading. 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 Thu 02 Nov 2006 02:39:02 PM CST