Motivating and Literacy Learning in the Secondary Grades Cara LeClair LLED 6010

Motivational Teaching Idea #1 Reading Journal Materials: reading notebook (spiral, composition or other bound notebook), independent reading material of choice, chart defining various text connections (text-to-text, text- to-self, text-to-world), chart listing other comprehension strategies (questioning, inferences, summarizing, visualizing, etc) Students will keep a reading journal throughout the academic year.  Daily, students will spend 3-5 minutes directly after ScSR time reflecting on what they have read.

Motivational Teaching Idea #1 Reading Journal  Students will be encouraged to make connections or focus on other comprehension strategies as it pertains to the text they are currently reading.  Some days will focus on specific comprehension strategies; other days students will get to pick a strategy of choice to write about.  Comprehension strategies will be introduced and taught at the beginning of the year through teacher modeling. Strategies will be introduced gradually, not all at once.

Motivational Teaching Idea #1 Reading Journal  Example: During a teacher Read Aloud of Fast Food Nation, I will model a text-to-text connection about how it reminded me of another book I’ve read, Supersize Me (I’ll explain why in more detail).  I’ll tell students to think about something else they’ve read that reminds them of what they are currently reading  During ScSR, I’ll ask the students I confer with about text-to-text connections.  After ScSR, students will write about their text-to-text connections for several minutes in their reading journal.

Rationale for Teaching Idea #1  Gambrell (2011) notes “students who were asked to write about how material they were learning was relevant to their lives were more motivated and more interested than students who were asked to just write about the material” (p. 173).  Having students write about making connections, asking questions and engaging in other comprehension strategies about a text will help them find value in what they are reading.

Rationale for Teaching Idea #1  Guthrie (2000) notes “writing activities that invite a wide range of alternative genres and topics are more motivating than activities that are highly defined and constrained” (p. 7).  By students writing in a reading journal about what they are reading throughout the year, they will get to explore a variety of genres and topics that interest them.

Motivation Teaching Idea #2 Teacher Book Selling and Peer-to-Peer Sharing Sessions Materials: Assorted books from classroom library.  Once or twice a month, especially at the beginning of the school year, the teacher will spend 3-5 minutes each “selling” about books found in the classroom library.  The teacher will use strategy by selecting books to “sell” that cover different genres and reading levels to pique students interest.  Example: In one book selling session, the teacher will pick five fiction and five non fiction texts to share of varied reading levels.

Motivation Teaching Idea #2 Teacher Book Selling and Peer-to-Peer Sharing Sessions  Examples of texts to share: Speak, Monster, Weetzie Bat, Bronx Masquerade, Hunger Games, along with five informational texts.  After sharing the title, genre, author and short summary for each of the texts, the teacher will remind students the texts are in the class library.  Extension: Later in the year, once a month, have students turn to a peer and share with one another what they are reading, giving the same details shared in the “teacher book selling” sessions (title, author, genre, short summary, how they rate the book).

Rationale for Teaching Idea #2  Gambrell (2011) notes that “teachers should invite children to read by raising interest and curiosity about books and other materials” and “students are far more likely to choose a book that they know something about (p. 174).  By introducing children to a variety of books in the classroom library through “book selling sessions,” teachers are raising interest and curiosity about books they may have not heard of before.

Rationale for Teaching Idea #2  Oldfather notes that one student “observing peers who were interested and involved, and seeing how the others approached the task, helped him overcome his own resistance” (p. 9).  Similarly, Gambrell (2011) mentions that “a number of studies have documented that instruction that incorporates social interaction about text increases students’ motivation to read and reading comprehension achievement” (p. 175).  Sharing information about different texts with peers and seeing peers interested and engaged in academic literacy tasks, increases motivation to succeed in literacy learning.

Motivation Teaching Idea #3 Banned Books Homework Assignment  Materials: List of current banned books list found on the ALA website PowerPoint on censorship and challenged and banned books over time, Banned Books Week website  Show a powerpoint, ideally during Banned Books Week, that discusses censorship, challenged and banned books, and a timeline of banned books over time.  Pass out a list of challenged and banned books.  Have students select and read one book from the list each nine weeks. Students must submit book title a week into the nine week period.

Motivation Teaching Idea #3 Banned Books Homework Assignment  At the end of the nine week period, students will share with the class the book they read by noting the title, author and genre, discuss why they chose the book, and provide a summary of the book. Most importantly, students will answer the following essential questions: “Why was this book banned? Who banned the book? Do you think the book should be banned and why or why not?  Students who have parents complain about the assignment will get to select a not banned book, but it will be explained that the idea is to get students excited about reading and promote freedom of speech!

Rational for Teaching Idea #3  Fisher and Frey (2012) note that “to a student, essential questions were critical in creating a need to read” (p. 591).  Fisher and Frey (2012) also mention that “choice, rather than whole class novels, is an important aspect in reaching students and engaging them in learning” (p. 594)  Guthrie (2000) notes that “choice is motivating because it affords students with control” (p. 6).  In the banned books assignment, the teacher is providing students choice in text selection that they will read to answer several essential questions. The questions will serve to guide the student about why they are reading the chosen banned book. Also, it gets students reading outside of the classroom!

Motivation Teaching Idea #4 Thematic Unit on Bullying-BookClub Activity Materials: List of books about bullying, chart of guidelines for book club as well as a chart of moderator guidelines.  During a thematic unit on bullying, students will be given a list of book titles about bullying.  Some titles on the list will include: Speak, Blubber, Slam List, Story of a Girl, etc.  Working in pairs or small groups, students will either review the books if they are in the class or look up the book titles online to read a summary of what each book is about.  Each student will choose their top three picks and be placed in groups according to their choices.

Motivation Teaching Idea #4 Thematic Unit on Bullying-Book Club  Next, the teacher will work with students to create a chart containing Book Club Guidelines, directing students to what needs to be added (for ex: be respectful of other students opinions). A chart listing moderator guidelines will also be created (for ex: encourage students to share thoughts pertaining to a specific element in the text, such as a character).  Students will meet weekly with their group to discuss their chosen text.  Each group will present the book they read to the rest of the class with the idea in mind to engage or hook the rest of the class. Creative presentation ideas, such as dramatic dialogue reenactments, creation of book posters or song or poetry creation are encouraged.

Rationale for Teaching Idea #4  Lapp and Fisher (2009) mention that “adolescents, just like adults, will read if the book is a good read, if the book is accessible, and if they can have some ownership in the selection” (p.559).  Lapp and Fisher (2009) also note that “students have to interact with one another and the teacher about the texts they are reading. They have to be challenged, supported, and encouraged but at the end of the day, they need to have their say about the text” (p. 561).  Working with an interesting and relevant theme pertinent to adolescents, while providing an academic setting to discuss books of choice with their peers, sets the stage for motivation and engagement.

Motivation Teaching Idea #5 Teacher Read-Alouds (Model Thinking) Materials: The book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part- Time Indian, by Shermin Alexie.  Within a thematic teaching unit on bullying, a daily read- aloud, think-aloud, lasting approximately 15 minutes, will be conducted by the teacher using The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  Example: Prior to reading, the teacher will note what happened in the story on the last reading. The teacher will then pick a comprehension strategy to model, note the strategy and model it during the reading.

Motivation Teaching Idea #5 Teacher Read-Aloud (Model Thinking)  Example Continued: For text-to-self connections, when the teacher comes to a point in the story where the main character is being bullied, the teacher will stop and connect to a time when she knew of a kid being bullied in school.  That day or the following day, students will be asked to make text-to-self connections in their personal ScSR reading journals pertaining to what they are reading independently.

Rationale for Teaching Idea #5  Fisher and Frey (2012) mention that teacher modeling “makes content “more understandable” and that they (students) like hearing what their teachers think about. Teachers model their thinking while reading or problem solving such that students hear experts and how experts process information” (p. 592).  By explaining a comprehension strategy and modeling that strategy during a daily read-aloud, students get insight as to how to implement that strategy on their own. Quite simply, modeling sets students up for success and gives them strategies to make text interesting and meaningful.

References  Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2012). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55(7), p  Gambrell, L. B. (2011). Seven rules of engagement. The Reading Teacher, 65(3), p  Guthrie, J. T. (2000). Contexts for engagement and motivation in reading. Handbook of Reading Research: Volume III (Kamil, Mosenthal, Pearson, & Bar, 2000). Published in Reading Online.  Lapp, D., and Fisher, D. (2009). It's all about the book: motivating teens to read. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 52(7),  Oldfather, P. When students do not feel motivated for literacy learning: how a responsive classroom culture helps.