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Re: Trying to define "reluctant readers"
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From: Claudia Pearson <pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:00:20 -0600
I am somewhat opposed to the whole idea of finding books a "reluctant reade r" is willing to read. Reading is not supposed to be just about what a kid already knows, but about expanding horizons. The goal is to open their mind s to the idea of imagining different ways of being, to generate feelings of empathy and understanding, isn't it?
Kari-Lynn Winters looked at some readers' seeming lack of interest in chara cters and subjects they knew nothing about as part of her research. Very in teresting stuff. I was especially interested in the readers' lack of intere st in characters that were not like them. Although it was not the focus of her study, it would be interesting to extrapolate from her research to expl ore the reasons why boys often don't read about/relate to main characters w ho are female while girls have no problem reading about boys, and to the wa ys in which and reasons why readers will identify with/relate to anthropomo rpic characters who are nothing like them.
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI SouthernBreeze pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
See Award-winning illustrator, EB Lewis, at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators GA, AL, MS Spring Conference '11 in Atlanta - Regi stration is now open! www.southern-breeze.org
----- Original Message -----
From: Meghan McCarthy To: pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net;Boagjohns@aol.com;gmkruse@wisc.edu;ccbc-net@cc bc.education.wisc.edu Sent: 2/4/2011 12:35:59 PM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
I'm actually talking about this on my blog right now. I had many attention problems growing up and had a hard time reading. In the 4th grade my teache r sent me to a doctor for testing. I did an interview with my mother on thi s very topic and I'm posting it in bits and pieces. You can read it here:
I think it is important to realize that people like me can go on to succeed AND publish! Also, it's about picking the right reading material. The chil d must find something he or she is interested in! I'd say I was and AM a re luctant reader. I will get very into reading something if it's the RIGHT so mething.
Meghan McCarthy
From: Claudia Pearson To: "Boagjohns_at_aol.com" ; gmkruse@wisc.edu; ccbc-net@ccb c.education.wisc.edu Sent: Thu, February 3, 2011 8:44:15 PM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
So far as I can tell, there are basically two types of reluctant readers. T he first is comprised of those who have visual learning issues, dyslexia or decoding deficits or attention disorders which prevent them from actually reading the words and sentences.
The second type of reluctant reader can read the words just fine, but has n o interest in reading. This may be because the reader prefers other activit ies, but I suspect that a large number of these potential readers have neve r made the cognitive leap required to fill in the details fiction leaves ou t or only suggests.
Kari-Lynn Winters studied the ways in which integrating the arts with readi ng can help students make the necessary cognitive connections. Her research results and the classroom activities she used are reported in her book, Be yond Words: Using the Arts to Enhance Early Reading Comprehension.
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI SouthernBreeze pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
See Award-winning illustrator, EB Lewis, at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators GA, AL, MS Spring Conference '11 in Atlanta - Regi stration is now open! www.southern-breeze.org
----- Original Message -----
From: To: gmkruse_at_wisc.edu;ccbc-net@ccbc.education.wisc.edu Sent: 1/29/2011 7:34:30 AM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
Hi, Ginny
You are so wise in your writings. I too find it difficult to "define" a re luctant reader. I think as librarians we need to try to discover the area i n which a reluctant reader is truly interested and try to find material to fit his/her needs in that area AS A STARTING POINT. As a reader over a long life span - I call myself a very reluctant reader when it comes to fantasy ! When I worked as a school librarian, I would put books on a table with n o notes about them and see who took what. It is amazing what "reluctant rea ders" will select if given a chance to make their own choices.
H.M. Smith
In a message dated 1/28/2011 5:41:05 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, gmkruse_at_wi sc.edu writes: On 1/27/2011 6:52 PM, Sherry Rampey wrote: "...you wanted to know what the commonalities were among RR's, truth be told, they vary across the nation. They can range from innercity kids, who may like urban fiction; or suburban kids who like the manga; or it could be the rural kids who like to keep th ings realistic..."
Between grades one and twelve, my daughter Ann was a "special education" st udent. (That was the language used when Ann was young.) Ann learned to rea d in first grade. She became not only an "avid reader," but a "life-long re ader," as well. Most recently Ann read Ted Kennedy's autobiography, and cur rently she's reading the new biography about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt . While Ann was a girl, I noticed that the books suggested by teachers and other librarians to special ed students were definitely "reluctant reader" books, even series. These novels were, and they were action packed, featuri ng - for example - young teens wh o were juvenile delinquents or drug users . There was an assumption that some or all of the kids - understood to be " challenged readers" or otherwise "reluctant" to read for pleasure - will wa nt to read about kids in trouble or troubled kids.
One of my former school library positions was in Newton, Massachusetts. It was a fabulous job with a bevy of high-powered volunteers in an absolutely terrific public school with a student population including black students b ussed there daily from Boston. There was abundant funding for me to develop specialized book and media collections, one of which was a "Black Studies Collection." A certain day in that wonderful school library is etched in m y memory. That afternoon one of the Black students from Boston asked me to recommend a book she could check out to read over the weekend. I eagerly sh owed her two or three of the newest books in the Black Studies shelves. She looked me in the eye and quietly said, "Mrs. Kruse, I reall y prefer to re ad fantasies. Don't you have any fantasies to recommend to me?"
Sherry, I can't be certain that rural kids "like to keep things realistic," or that only suburban kids take to the manga, or or that urban students pr efer urban fiction. Because of my two experiences (above), because I once went to a one-room rural school, and because as an adult I've lived in smal l towns, urban & suburban neighborhoods and the city of Madison, I'm a "rel uctant librarian" when it comes to trying to define, nail down or even labe l who any of our young readers actually are.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu Emeritus Director, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC), School of Edu cation, University of Wisconsin - Madison On 1/27/2011 6:52 PM, Sherry Ramp ey wrote: "...you wanted to know what the commonalities were among RR 's, t ruth be told, they vary across the nation. They can range from innercity ki ds, who may like urban fiction; or suburban kids who like the manga; or it could be the rural kids who like to keep things realistic..."
Between grades one and twelve, my daughter Ann was a "special education" st udent. (That was the language used when Ann was young.) Ann learned to rea d in first grade. She became not only an "avid reader," but a "life-long re ader," as well. Most recently Ann read Ted Kennedy's autobiography, and cur rently she's reading the new biography about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt . While Ann was a girl, I noticed that the books suggested by teachers and other librarians to special ed students were definitely "reluctant reader" books, even series. These novels were, and they were action packed, featuri ng - for example - young teens who were juvenile delinquents or drug users. There was an assumption that kids who were "challenged readers" or otherwi se "reluctant" to read for pleasure will want to read about kids in trouble or troubled kids.
One of my former school library positions was in Newton, Massachusetts. It was a dream job with a bevy of high-powered volunteers in an absolutely ter rific public school and a student population including black students busse d to school daily from Boston. There was abundant funding for me to develop specialized book and media collections, one of which was a "Black Studies Collection." I remember a day when one of the students from Boston asked m e to recommend a book she could check out to read over the weekend. I eager ly showed her two or three of the newest books in the Black Studies shelves . She looked me in the eye and quietly said, "Mrs. Kruse, I really prefer t o read fantasies. Do you have any fantasies to recommend to me?"
Sherry, I can't be certain that rural kids "like to keep things realistic," that only suburban kids take to the manga, or that urban stude nts prefer urban fiction. Because of the experiences I’ve described, because I once went to a one-room school myself, and because as an adult I've lived in small towns, urban & suburban neighborhoods and the city of Madison, I' m a reluctant librarian when it comes to trying to define, nail down or eve n label who any of our young readers actually are.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu Emeritus Director, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC), School of Edu cation, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:00:20 -0600
I am somewhat opposed to the whole idea of finding books a "reluctant reade r" is willing to read. Reading is not supposed to be just about what a kid already knows, but about expanding horizons. The goal is to open their mind s to the idea of imagining different ways of being, to generate feelings of empathy and understanding, isn't it?
Kari-Lynn Winters looked at some readers' seeming lack of interest in chara cters and subjects they knew nothing about as part of her research. Very in teresting stuff. I was especially interested in the readers' lack of intere st in characters that were not like them. Although it was not the focus of her study, it would be interesting to extrapolate from her research to expl ore the reasons why boys often don't read about/relate to main characters w ho are female while girls have no problem reading about boys, and to the wa ys in which and reasons why readers will identify with/relate to anthropomo rpic characters who are nothing like them.
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI SouthernBreeze pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
See Award-winning illustrator, EB Lewis, at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators GA, AL, MS Spring Conference '11 in Atlanta - Regi stration is now open! www.southern-breeze.org
----- Original Message -----
From: Meghan McCarthy To: pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net;Boagjohns@aol.com;gmkruse@wisc.edu;ccbc-net@cc bc.education.wisc.edu Sent: 2/4/2011 12:35:59 PM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
I'm actually talking about this on my blog right now. I had many attention problems growing up and had a hard time reading. In the 4th grade my teache r sent me to a doctor for testing. I did an interview with my mother on thi s very topic and I'm posting it in bits and pieces. You can read it here:
I think it is important to realize that people like me can go on to succeed AND publish! Also, it's about picking the right reading material. The chil d must find something he or she is interested in! I'd say I was and AM a re luctant reader. I will get very into reading something if it's the RIGHT so mething.
Meghan McCarthy
From: Claudia Pearson To: "Boagjohns_at_aol.com" ; gmkruse@wisc.edu; ccbc-net@ccb c.education.wisc.edu Sent: Thu, February 3, 2011 8:44:15 PM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
So far as I can tell, there are basically two types of reluctant readers. T he first is comprised of those who have visual learning issues, dyslexia or decoding deficits or attention disorders which prevent them from actually reading the words and sentences.
The second type of reluctant reader can read the words just fine, but has n o interest in reading. This may be because the reader prefers other activit ies, but I suspect that a large number of these potential readers have neve r made the cognitive leap required to fill in the details fiction leaves ou t or only suggests.
Kari-Lynn Winters studied the ways in which integrating the arts with readi ng can help students make the necessary cognitive connections. Her research results and the classroom activities she used are reported in her book, Be yond Words: Using the Arts to Enhance Early Reading Comprehension.
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI SouthernBreeze pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
See Award-winning illustrator, EB Lewis, at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators GA, AL, MS Spring Conference '11 in Atlanta - Regi stration is now open! www.southern-breeze.org
----- Original Message -----
From: To: gmkruse_at_wisc.edu;ccbc-net@ccbc.education.wisc.edu Sent: 1/29/2011 7:34:30 AM Subject: Re:
Trying to define "reluctant readers"
Hi, Ginny
You are so wise in your writings. I too find it difficult to "define" a re luctant reader. I think as librarians we need to try to discover the area i n which a reluctant reader is truly interested and try to find material to fit his/her needs in that area AS A STARTING POINT. As a reader over a long life span - I call myself a very reluctant reader when it comes to fantasy ! When I worked as a school librarian, I would put books on a table with n o notes about them and see who took what. It is amazing what "reluctant rea ders" will select if given a chance to make their own choices.
H.M. Smith
In a message dated 1/28/2011 5:41:05 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, gmkruse_at_wi sc.edu writes: On 1/27/2011 6:52 PM, Sherry Rampey wrote: "...you wanted to know what the commonalities were among RR's, truth be told, they vary across the nation. They can range from innercity kids, who may like urban fiction; or suburban kids who like the manga; or it could be the rural kids who like to keep th ings realistic..."
Between grades one and twelve, my daughter Ann was a "special education" st udent. (That was the language used when Ann was young.) Ann learned to rea d in first grade. She became not only an "avid reader," but a "life-long re ader," as well. Most recently Ann read Ted Kennedy's autobiography, and cur rently she's reading the new biography about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt . While Ann was a girl, I noticed that the books suggested by teachers and other librarians to special ed students were definitely "reluctant reader" books, even series. These novels were, and they were action packed, featuri ng - for example - young teens wh o were juvenile delinquents or drug users . There was an assumption that some or all of the kids - understood to be " challenged readers" or otherwise "reluctant" to read for pleasure - will wa nt to read about kids in trouble or troubled kids.
One of my former school library positions was in Newton, Massachusetts. It was a fabulous job with a bevy of high-powered volunteers in an absolutely terrific public school with a student population including black students b ussed there daily from Boston. There was abundant funding for me to develop specialized book and media collections, one of which was a "Black Studies Collection." A certain day in that wonderful school library is etched in m y memory. That afternoon one of the Black students from Boston asked me to recommend a book she could check out to read over the weekend. I eagerly sh owed her two or three of the newest books in the Black Studies shelves. She looked me in the eye and quietly said, "Mrs. Kruse, I reall y prefer to re ad fantasies. Don't you have any fantasies to recommend to me?"
Sherry, I can't be certain that rural kids "like to keep things realistic," or that only suburban kids take to the manga, or or that urban students pr efer urban fiction. Because of my two experiences (above), because I once went to a one-room rural school, and because as an adult I've lived in smal l towns, urban & suburban neighborhoods and the city of Madison, I'm a "rel uctant librarian" when it comes to trying to define, nail down or even labe l who any of our young readers actually are.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu Emeritus Director, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC), School of Edu cation, University of Wisconsin - Madison On 1/27/2011 6:52 PM, Sherry Ramp ey wrote: "...you wanted to know what the commonalities were among RR 's, t ruth be told, they vary across the nation. They can range from innercity ki ds, who may like urban fiction; or suburban kids who like the manga; or it could be the rural kids who like to keep things realistic..."
Between grades one and twelve, my daughter Ann was a "special education" st udent. (That was the language used when Ann was young.) Ann learned to rea d in first grade. She became not only an "avid reader," but a "life-long re ader," as well. Most recently Ann read Ted Kennedy's autobiography, and cur rently she's reading the new biography about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt . While Ann was a girl, I noticed that the books suggested by teachers and other librarians to special ed students were definitely "reluctant reader" books, even series. These novels were, and they were action packed, featuri ng - for example - young teens who were juvenile delinquents or drug users. There was an assumption that kids who were "challenged readers" or otherwi se "reluctant" to read for pleasure will want to read about kids in trouble or troubled kids.
One of my former school library positions was in Newton, Massachusetts. It was a dream job with a bevy of high-powered volunteers in an absolutely ter rific public school and a student population including black students busse d to school daily from Boston. There was abundant funding for me to develop specialized book and media collections, one of which was a "Black Studies Collection." I remember a day when one of the students from Boston asked m e to recommend a book she could check out to read over the weekend. I eager ly showed her two or three of the newest books in the Black Studies shelves . She looked me in the eye and quietly said, "Mrs. Kruse, I really prefer t o read fantasies. Do you have any fantasies to recommend to me?"
Sherry, I can't be certain that rural kids "like to keep things realistic," that only suburban kids take to the manga, or that urban stude nts prefer urban fiction. Because of the experiences I’ve described, because I once went to a one-room school myself, and because as an adult I've lived in small towns, urban & suburban neighborhoods and the city of Madison, I' m a reluctant librarian when it comes to trying to define, nail down or eve n label who any of our young readers actually are.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu Emeritus Director, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC), School of Edu cation, University of Wisconsin - Madison
---Received on Fri 04 Feb 2011 01:00:20 PM CST
