Thinking doesn't stop after a reader closes a book. Readers are still processing the material even though they are no longer reading the words. Given this information, it is not fair for teachers to expect students to fully comprehend a text right after they have finished reading it.
Scales can help students visualize the information that is presented in the text. Teachers can phrase things so that they are open-ended and encourage participation. The point is for students to compare/contrast, draw conclusions, and distinguish between facts and opinions. This format, like the Likert scales, helps students gain interest in the material. Once a student is interested, thought about the material is increased which, in return, multiplies a student's understanding of the text. Using these activities in the classroom challenges students to think from their own minds. I like this concept because I don't want the students in my class to get by with memorizing characters and plot.
The activity "Somebody Wanted But So" gives students confidence and organization while creating a summary of the text. This technique allows students to feel comfortable while summarizing and allows them not to worry too much about giving the wrong answer. I will definitely incorporate this activity into my classroom.
The activities mentioned in this chapter not only provoke thought about the meaning of a text but also increase participation in the classroom as well as student motivation!
I really liked the "Somebody Wanted But So" activity. I had never heard of it before reading about it in the book, but it seems like it really helps students with learning to summarize a text. This seems like a scaffold that will help students in the beginning and after a while they will get the hang of it and not even have to think of the four columns: Somebody, Wanted, But, and So.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about the quote from the begining of the chapter and I think its important that we recognize that just beacuse the students have finished a book doesnt mean they understand every aspect of it. We should give them a chance to sort of help each other debrief. Maybe then, they will actually be able to take something they learned from the text and actually use it.
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