Ready, set, READ!

Reading for enjoyment, versus reading to learn: I prefer to read literature that is a mixture of aesthetic and efferent reading; aesthetic being reading for enjoyment, and efferent being reading that informs or teaches in some way. I think that as an English major, aesthetic reading is a pleasure that I am rarely at liberty to take part in. For example, Shakespeare is seemingly an aesthetic read, but to an English major it is just another opportunity to evaluate, study patterns, and analyze...wait...I'm not sure anyone but an English major would find Shakespeare a leisure read... Ok, Sahara Special would be considered an aesthetic read, but I never get to read books like that. What I DO get to read is a lot of classic literature that has been tossed between critics for so long that my English professor, whomever she may be, is more knowledgeable on the piece than the author himself. And then I analyze it. Because literature that is taught is usually taught because it has redeeming qualities that include, but exceed the realm of aesthetics, I must say my reading library contains no Stephen King, Danielle Steel, or Dean Koontz. However, the informational articles varying from topics such as school systems to "How to lift fingerprints" do enter my mind when I think of relaxing on the couch and reading. Like I said...it's a mixture. _________________________________________________________ The Reading Process: DO try this at home! Pre-reading: Background information, introducing the text, etc. ex: Introduce the author, or a major theme in the text. Pre-reading is so important, especially in middle school and high school. If the teacher does not "sell" the book to the kids, it is unlikely that they will work to get through the first chapter. Pre-reading activities can be, and should be, exciting, interdisciplinary, and FUN. Reading: reading aloud, with others, or silently ex: The teacher reads to the class. Whatever the reading method, I think that it should be varied. Students can read in pairs, to the class, alone, in small groups, or be read to by the teacher. One thing I took away from Edu 255, Reading in the Content Areas, is that "Round Robin" is the anti-Christ of reading. I found it very hard to completely steer clear of it though...any ideas, anyone? Responding: what did you think about what you read? ex: What was the author's purpose? How is the theme reflected throughout the text? As an English major, I revel in the enjoyment that I take away from responding to literature that I have read. Whether it be an opportunity in class to reflect orally or through a writing assignment, I am always excited to find missing pieces brought together through reflection and response. I hope to provide my students with the same opportunity. Exploring: why? ex: Think about this theme, how can you relate? Once I have responded to literature, looking into my own life and connecting to literature to my own experiences brings a whole new meaning to the text. Literature encapsulates the human experience; it lets us know that we are not alone in our pains and joys. I think that exploring beyond the text to make these connections is a vital step in the reading process; the most important, I might say. Applying: how does this apply to your life? Create something that connects your life to the text. ex: Free write about a time when you felt the same way the main character felt. Applying what you have learned through exploration makes the entire process worthy of your time and energy. If you read a tragedy, and learn nothing from it, catharsis was not achieved, and you have therefore wasted your time. Read to learn, and learn in order to better live. Capable Readers? In order to develop capable readers, you have to read. Read with them, read to them, have them present what they read, have them write about what they read, and ask questions about what they read. Model the reading steps... In response and in accordance with what Becky Forbes said regarding developing capable middle school aged readers, I do believe that the teachers biggest concern should be to choose texts that will captivate students. The more time and effort you put into making sure the text is one they will enjoy, the more respect you will earn from the students. I say this because no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to please ALL students, simultaneously with a text, but if you work towards a variety that attempts to meet the needs of many, students will work through the pieces they do not enjoy - for you, which is, in turn, for their own benefit. Where and how does reading take place? Reading does not always mean English class. Reading can happen in any classroom, and it should. By reading students are able to learn and attach our own bias and opinions before they are fed to them. Lecture often leaves students with a hint of the lecturer's attitude toward the subject being taught. I was taken aback by the presentations given by some of Meredith College's art and music education students. One student incorporated an entire Harriet Tubman novel during a unit about music sang around the time of the Underground Railroad. What an awesome use of integration! Reading can be a short article in the newspaper, a magazine ad, a telephone book, a series of checks (have you seen that piece of literature?), even posters on your classroom wall that students look to during "zone-out/daydream moments" (God-forbid you should allow time for these moments!).