1. Creating Embedded Readings
IFLT 2013
San Diego
Creating Embedded Readings
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2. This PowerPoint was part of a workshop
This PowerPoint was part of a workshop. The slides with the green background are the slides that were shown to the participants. The slides with the yellow background describe the action that took place in the workshop. Please feel free to share this PowerPoint.
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3. Embedded Readings are Created from:
“The Top Down” An existing text is pared down systematically in order to create several versions of the text.
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4. Embedded Readings are Created from:
“The Bottom Up” A base story is created and then subsequent versions are developed by inserting additional details.
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6. Base Story The teacher is tired. The teacher drinks coffee.
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7. Creating the base reading, and creating the subsequent versions of the text is often done by the teacher. Then, the teacher creates and leads activities to help the students read, interact with and comprehend the text.
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8. However….
The teacher and the students may co-create the text, including the base reading if desired. In the following example, the students were given the base reading: The teacher is tired. The teacher drinks coffee. Then, the next version was co-created by the participants, with direction from the presenter.
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9. The students were asked to add one word to one sentence and share it with a partner. Then volunteers shared their new sentences with the class…..
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10. The new sentences were typed on the screen as the participants watched.
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11. Version 2
The class is at the zoo. The teacher is very tired. The teacher walks with the class and drinks coffee.
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12. Reading the text IS AN ACTIVITY… But it should not be the only one
Reading the text IS AN ACTIVITY… But it should not be the only one. CO-CREATING a version of the reading is a very powerful activity.
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13. Then, the students were asked in depth questions about the new sentences. New details were discussed and agreed upon and added to the reading as part of the “class.” Again, the participants observed as the new text was added. The details were added throughout the reading.
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14. The Tired Teacher
One day, the class is at the zoo. They walk by all of the animals. It is a big zoo. The poor teacher is very tired so she drinks coffee. They walk by the elephants and she drinks a little coffee. They walk by the monkeys, and she drinks more coffee. Splat!! The coffee falls. The class sees and laughs.
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15. Phrases repeated from the original.
The presenter then took that version and added more language and details to the reading. The additions were:
Phrases repeated from the original.
Information from the second version in greater detail.
Ideas offered in the first discussion that were not added in the second version.
Transition phrases that improve the reading.
A “funny” twist at the end of the reading.
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16. In a class with students, the ideas added by students will be AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDENTS. Therefore, the language added to the text is already at the appropriate level. Eliciting ideas and details from students at different skill levels will add authenticity to the new text AND allow all students to feel ownership.
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17. Tired Teacher Takes a Fall One day, the class is at the zoo
Tired Teacher Takes a Fall One day, the class is at the zoo. They walk and walk. They walk by all of the animals. It is a big zoo. The poor teacher is very tired so she drinks coffee. (The poor teacher is very tired because she was at the IFLT conference all week.) The poor teacher is so tired that she doesn’t even see the animals. They all walk by the elephants. She drinks a little coffee, but she doesn’t see the elephants. They all walk by the monkeys. She drinks a little more coffee, but she doesn’t see the monkeys either. As she walks by the monkeys, she is drinking coffee and doesn’t see the banana on the ground. Splat!! The teacher falls on the banana and the coffee falls on her head. The monkeys and the elephants and the class see it all.
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18. Co-creating a version of the reading IS AN ACTIVITY
Co-creating a version of the reading IS AN ACTIVITY. But it should not be the only one. EACH version of the text should be read AND connected to an activity that involves the reader cognitively and emotionally. In fact, there may be SEVERAL activities that will be interesting and appropriate for levels of the reading.
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19. READING ACTIVITY
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20. Where can I find ideas for base readings ?
Target structures
A question
A real-life situation
A song lyric
A title
A picture
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21. The language and structures for the additional versions of the reading can come from a variety of sources as well:
Familiar vocabulary and structures
“New” formations of familiar structures
Repetitions of the structures in previous versions of the text.
New vocabulary and structures MAY be, but NEVER HAVE TO BE used in the new versions of the text.
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22. Participants were asked to choose a character for a story
Participants were asked to choose a character for a story. They were then asked to create a situation using for that character using the following structure: Wanted to
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23. Then they were asked to add detail or additional information to the story with the structure: Refused to
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24. A participant volunteered the following as a base story using that example: Pink Panther wanted to dance to jazz music. Porky Pig refused to dance with him. Participants then wrote Version 2 of this story, or their own, by using these sentences and adding details.
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25. Here is one participant’s second version: Pink Panther always listened to jazz music. He also liked to dance to jazz music. One day, he asked Porky Pig to dance with him. Porky Pig refused to dance with him. He said, “No! I don’t like to dance to jazz music. I prefer to dance to classical music.”
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26. It is possible to include a number of repeated patterns in subsequent versions:
Pink Panther always listened to jazz music. He also danced to jazz music. One day, he asked Porky Pig to dance to jazz music with him. Porky Pig refused to dance to jazz music with him. He said,
“No! I don’t like to dance to jazz music. I prefer to dance to classical music.”
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27. It is possible to include a number of repeated patterns in subsequent versions:
Pink Panther always listened to jazz music. He also danced to jazz music. One day, he asked Porky Pig to dance to jazz music with him. Porky Pig refused to dance to jazz music with him. He said,
“No! I don’t like to dance to jazz music. I prefer to dance to classical music.”
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28. It is possible to include varieties of a structure in subsequent versions:
Pink Panther always listened to jazz music. He also danced to jazz music. One day, he asked Porky Pig to dance to jazz music with him. Porky Pig refused to dance to jazz music with him. He said,
“No! I don’t like to dance to jazz music. I prefer to dance to classical music.”
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29. Embedded Readings are Created from:
“The Top Down” An existing text is pared down systematically in order to create several versions of the text.
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30. Embedded Reading was originally designed to prepare students to comprehend text that the students perceive to be beyond their capability.
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31. Always begin with a version of the text that
WILL
ACTUALLY BE
ACCESSIBLE TO
STUDENTS.
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32. Where can these texts be found?
Text that is already in a format that can be copied, pasted and adjusted are the best place to begin. However, ANY genre of reading material can be successfully adapted into an Embedded Reading.
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33. Articles Advertisements Emails Short stories Poems Song lyrics Chapter books Novels Etc.
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34. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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35. Simplify the text by:
Removing words and phrases that do not change the content.
Removing words and phrases are repeated.
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36. I pledge allegiance the United States of America, a nation with liberty and justice for all.
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37. Simplify the text by:
Removing esoteric vocabulary and replacing it with a synonym.
Removing unfamiliar vocabulary and replacing it with a synonym.
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38. I promise to be loyal to the United States of America, a country, with freedom and justice for all.
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39. Simplify the text by:
Altering the form of the verb to a more familiar tense/mood.
He wishes that he would go to the movies.
He wants her to go to the movies.
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40. Simplify the text by:
Altering the format of the text to include more “white space.”
Altering the format of the text to include “bullets.”
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41. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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42. with liberty and justice for all.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands…..
one Nation under God
indivisible
with liberty and justice for all.
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43. Each decision made about creating the versions of the text and the activities used with the readings should be made for the benefit of the STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF THE LANGUAGE.
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44. Will it be COMPREHENSIBLE TO THE STUDENTS?
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45. Will it be interesting TO THE STUDENTS?
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46. Will it be achievable FOR THE STUDENTS?
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47. Will it be ENGAGING FOR THE STUDENTS?
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