On page 125 of the text book it says, A growing trend is for classrooms to embrace texts from popular culture, including Internet Web pages, trade books, music, movies, and other media, magazines, and newspapers (Morrell, 2004). When I took Adolescent Literature in college, I learned about using graphic novels and comic books to entice students to read. The instructor also taught us that we should bring in different genres of literature and use newspapers and magazines as well to get students interested in reading. With computers and Internet in the classrooms, teachers do not actually have to bring in a hardcopy of a magazine or newspaper because students can access them on the Internet. Trade books are a great asset to use to teach different concepts. Teachers can read the book to the students no matter what grade they are in. Think about it, even we as adults still like to be read to, especially if it is an interesting book. Teachers can bring in various songs and music styles, and clips of movies to use to teach certain concepts. Teachers just have to open their creative thinking skills and find interesting ways to bring literacy skills to life in their students.
Digital texts are more and more common in schools today (page 132). Teachers are using digital texts in a variety of ways. Many teachers have their own class web page. I think this is a neat way for parents and students to keep up with what is happening in the classroom. The teacher can post upcoming assignments, lunch menus, field trip dates, etc. Another way teachers are using digital texts is by class blogs. Blogs are a great way for students to get other student's viewpoints about particular subjects. Check out this blog site by a teacher in Georgia. Her students blog about various English assignements. It is a neat blog so here is the address http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=17192.
Teachers are also using PowerPoints to bring about lessons. PowerPoints are a wonderful tool because they help a student view the main points in a chapter.
Carefully assess student's experience and understandings of assignments and tasks that accompany texts (page 152). Teachers should always observe students as they read to see if they are having difficulties. If the teacher sees students with a strange look on their face or their hands raised, then she/he needs to offer the student assistance to help the child understand. The teacher may even have to alter the lesson or teach some new vocabulary words so that the student can have a better understanding of what he is reading. Teachers must be prepared to think quickly and creatively so that students learn.
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Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteBetween your first and second paragraph, I think I've got you won over with technology. :) I'm pleased that you had a professor that broadened the use of texts by including graphic novels and comic books. I wish I would have had a language arts teacher or content area teacher to do that for me. Admittedly, I found things relatively boring during certain portions of my young education.