"All students, especially those who begin school with limited literacy skills, need to think of themselves as readers and writers, see the processes as meaningful, and have posititive attitudes about literacy before they can successfully engage in literacy practices." This quote is from page 34 of Writing Essentials.
I have noticed that in science; workbooks, worksheets and teachers especially have begun using the term scientists instead of person or student. "Today all the scientists in room 104 will be working on an experiment that involves water and lifeboats." For example; "List the names of the four scientists who worked on this experiment." At first it sounded clunky, and a little wierd, but I really like it now; it sets the tone for a transition and change; from student to scientist. For their part the kids seem to take it at face value; no one questions the terminology and kindergarteners see themselves as scientists with their bean plants just as well as High School students with their bunsen burners.
Thinking of themselves as readers and writers, and their work (or process) as meaningful will help to support positive attitudes about literacy, shoring up those with poor literacy skills to a higher elevation in reading. I am a reader. I am a writer. It's an important first step.
In middle school Social Studies they learn and practice pre-reading skills with a KWL chart, and by segmenting pre-reading textbook skills and learning them in small groups then bringing them together. I have not heard the terms reader, or writer; but I have heard (and have said) "yes, in 8th grade you need to be using complete sentences." A better way to say that would be "yes, complete sentences are required for this exercise and for all the work you will be doing in this class."
At our house we have a reader party for your first book you are able to read alone; and it was a really big deal for the third child because the older two made it seem like this would be an attainment, a definition for life, you would become A READER. Not all bad, but a little pressure there! We make a cake, the child reads their book to everyone and shows the pictures like a teacher or librarian, then we sing "for he's a jolly good reader" and they blow out the candles. Corny, I know, but in some ways there needs to be more celebrations and less drudgery. We have had the kids' friends come over to tell me that they can read their first book and have thrown together a cake for them too. Betty Crocker, she should jump on this one!
Becoming a reader doesn't mean that the hurdles are over; but the glow they felt reading that book out loud; and then calling Grandparents to tell them that they are a reader now; that was a glow of success and pride. They should be proud.
I have noticed that in science; workbooks, worksheets and teachers especially have begun using the term scientists instead of person or student. "Today all the scientists in room 104 will be working on an experiment that involves water and lifeboats." For example; "List the names of the four scientists who worked on this experiment." At first it sounded clunky, and a little wierd, but I really like it now; it sets the tone for a transition and change; from student to scientist. For their part the kids seem to take it at face value; no one questions the terminology and kindergarteners see themselves as scientists with their bean plants just as well as High School students with their bunsen burners.
Thinking of themselves as readers and writers, and their work (or process) as meaningful will help to support positive attitudes about literacy, shoring up those with poor literacy skills to a higher elevation in reading. I am a reader. I am a writer. It's an important first step.
In middle school Social Studies they learn and practice pre-reading skills with a KWL chart, and by segmenting pre-reading textbook skills and learning them in small groups then bringing them together. I have not heard the terms reader, or writer; but I have heard (and have said) "yes, in 8th grade you need to be using complete sentences." A better way to say that would be "yes, complete sentences are required for this exercise and for all the work you will be doing in this class."
At our house we have a reader party for your first book you are able to read alone; and it was a really big deal for the third child because the older two made it seem like this would be an attainment, a definition for life, you would become A READER. Not all bad, but a little pressure there! We make a cake, the child reads their book to everyone and shows the pictures like a teacher or librarian, then we sing "for he's a jolly good reader" and they blow out the candles. Corny, I know, but in some ways there needs to be more celebrations and less drudgery. We have had the kids' friends come over to tell me that they can read their first book and have thrown together a cake for them too. Betty Crocker, she should jump on this one!
Becoming a reader doesn't mean that the hurdles are over; but the glow they felt reading that book out loud; and then calling Grandparents to tell them that they are a reader now; that was a glow of success and pride. They should be proud.
