Today I was amazed to see my nephew pick up a book and read. Although I try to encourage him and tell him the important of reading he hardly ever take my advise. But today i visited a friend and saw him take up a book and stared reading he did not want to put it down. He asked if he can borrow it and was eager to finish the book.
I got curious and wanted to know what about the book did he found so fascinating. i heard him laughing and sharing parts of the book to his friends. I decided to have a look at the book. The name of the book was the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I open the book to realize that it was written in a cartoon format, and the animation almost looked life like. The style of writing meaning the font used was also animated and looked almost hand written. Just looking at it made me want to read it, and I intend to once I finish my assignments.
I then question my nephew to determine what he found so interesting about the book. He told me that he loved the use of pictures, and not just normal pictures but the animated "stick man" drawings. He also said that it was a popular book and it has a movie. He said just looking at the drawing in the book made him laugh so he wanted to know more.
This experience made me realize that we need to look for certain things in a book when choosing materials for our students to read. find out what interest them, choose materials that are at their level, and leave them to read at their own pace. We can also take them to the library and let them choose their own reading material.
We need to do whatever it takes just to get our students to start reading. I believe that once we get them to start the sky is the limit.
I would like to underscore your suggestions of providing books at students' level and suitable to their reading level.I had a somewhat similar experience some years ago. The school at which I was teaching then held a readathon over the period of a month.A standard 4 pupil reported that he had read 10 books over the weekend.The teacher consulted with another teacher and me because she felt that it was impossible for this child to have read 10 books when he does not read in class and is a very weak reader. upon interviewing the student, we realised that the books he had read were those of his younger sister who was in second year. he was indeed able to read and relate these stories because they were at his independent reading level and he was motivated by the competition.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to know that I am not alone. I think that things like these will motivate students and we need to share these experiences so that teachers will understand that students need to be motivated to read.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time we give them material that is way above their level, then we will say that they are dumb. All we need to do is assess these student and give them materials that are at their independent reading level. Once this is done we will be amazed to see that said child read.
Once we get them reading then the sky is the limit. Get materials that interest them, funny, pictures within the text what ever it takes, but once they start i assure you they will continue if you push and motivate them.
My nephew is on a next book and surprisingly it has no picture, I asked him how come he is reading that book and he told me that his friend told him it was good. just as good as Diary of a wimpy kid. So spread the word and encourage.