I believe it is important for students to have a choice in what they read. This chapter gives teachers several suggestions as to how to 'sell' the books to students. I think that taking students to the school library is a good suggestion. This may sound obvious but some students don't use the library. I think that taking the time to show students exactly how the library works, and what is available for them in there, can improve students interest in reading. By taking them to the library students can see the real choice that they have in what they read.
Knowing your students' interests can also help a teacher encourage reading in the classroom. A teacher can suggest books that relate to the interests of students and will motivate them to learn. I also think that talking about authors can motivate students to pick up books. I think that teachers shouldn't just tell their students about biograhical information about the author (like when they were born and what university they studied at) but they should tell them about what they wrote about and their style. I know that if it hadn't been for some of my professors/teachers reccomending authors to me I wouldn't like the authors that I read now, I may have never heard of them before!
I completely agree with you about the importance of the library to students. I believe that students need to understand the freedom that the library give them when there selecting a book to read. Teachers assign books to students everyday, but when that student is given a choice, it opens up a whole new way of thinking for him/her because they get to read what they want.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Choice is always a motivator! This requires teachers to know what reading materials their students will like (the teacher must know their students and YA literature).
ReplyDeleteKnowing a students interest is the key. You can do so much from knowing more about your students, from dealing with situations to finding the right book to read. Agreeing with you and Wesley, I also think it is important to show the significance of the library. This is a free option for them that allows them to utilize so many resources.
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