I feel like my class is dieing on the vine with reading the basal and social studies. Many in my class are very low readers, so I feel I must read at least social studies out loud. But popcorn reading goes so slow. And, I don't want to be the one reading all the time. Any ideas on how I can make it more engaging while still getting the information to the students?
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How do you handle reading-Boring!
- Thread starter DisTeach1
- Start date
imalith
Senior Member
organize the information
If reading is painfully slow with students than the book is too hard for them. I would suggest that during reading you work on fluency with your students.
During social studies, I would read the material to the students first and discuss the chapter. After they have become familiar with the material they can partner read the material, and complete a cloze reading or graphic organizer or questions.
Please don't make low readers read in front of an entire class. Only do that when they are grouped with others of like ability.
If reading is painfully slow with students than the book is too hard for them. I would suggest that during reading you work on fluency with your students.
During social studies, I would read the material to the students first and discuss the chapter. After they have become familiar with the material they can partner read the material, and complete a cloze reading or graphic organizer or questions.
Please don't make low readers read in front of an entire class. Only do that when they are grouped with others of like ability.
Mrs. G
Senior Member
Hands on
Try pulling in some hands on activities for both reading and Social Studies. In my reading class we sometimes play vocabulary charades or have them work in pairs to do a vocabulary web that involves a definition, antonym, drawing a picture and using the word in a sentence. Then I have the students present it to the class. They love doing this. Have them do partner reading sometimes or follow along with a prerecorded tape. How about assigning small groups scripts to read for readers theater one week?
Try pulling in some hands on activities for both reading and Social Studies. In my reading class we sometimes play vocabulary charades or have them work in pairs to do a vocabulary web that involves a definition, antonym, drawing a picture and using the word in a sentence. Then I have the students present it to the class. They love doing this. Have them do partner reading sometimes or follow along with a prerecorded tape. How about assigning small groups scripts to read for readers theater one week?
fun_friend
Senior Member
The "Learning Focused" way
Decide what the fundamental question that the passage will answer and formulate the "Essential Question." Preview the new vocabulary; for the most challenged readers, you might preview the new vocabulary sooner than with the other students if you are able to differentiate your instruction. Use a graphic organizer for students to take notes on. Most text book publishers provide custom graphic organizers for each section of the book. Preview the headings and boldfaced words. You might preview the questions at the end of the section. You can look at the pictures and charts that are in the passage. All of this prereading can be very time-consuming. If it takes up all your social studies time in one period, you could have the kids write a summary of what they have learned just from previewing. Have them predict what they still will learn and to formulate questions that they might get answers to once they have read. This kind of writing might make a great "ticket out the door," or a piece of work they turn in on the way out of class.
Once you have previewed the passage thoroughly it's time to actually read. You might allow the students to read in pairs while they fill out the graphic organizer. Once the reading is completed, have the students answer the essential question. I used to require the students to answer the question in paragraph form. Before the kids actually wrote the paragraph, you might have a prewriting session and write down salient points on an overhead during a class discussion. The kids can use the notes on the overhead to compose the paragraph. Have kids read their paragraphs orally and you can help them fill in any blanks they might have overlooked. If kids read aloud, you might record a grade right then and there to save yourself from having to read all the paragraphs later.
You could take the questions from the test and make up a quiz show game to prepare for the test. You could prepare a matching game to reinforce the vocabulary. Often workbook pages accompany the text to reinforce social studies skills. I recommend taking advantage of these resources!
Decide what the fundamental question that the passage will answer and formulate the "Essential Question." Preview the new vocabulary; for the most challenged readers, you might preview the new vocabulary sooner than with the other students if you are able to differentiate your instruction. Use a graphic organizer for students to take notes on. Most text book publishers provide custom graphic organizers for each section of the book. Preview the headings and boldfaced words. You might preview the questions at the end of the section. You can look at the pictures and charts that are in the passage. All of this prereading can be very time-consuming. If it takes up all your social studies time in one period, you could have the kids write a summary of what they have learned just from previewing. Have them predict what they still will learn and to formulate questions that they might get answers to once they have read. This kind of writing might make a great "ticket out the door," or a piece of work they turn in on the way out of class.
Once you have previewed the passage thoroughly it's time to actually read. You might allow the students to read in pairs while they fill out the graphic organizer. Once the reading is completed, have the students answer the essential question. I used to require the students to answer the question in paragraph form. Before the kids actually wrote the paragraph, you might have a prewriting session and write down salient points on an overhead during a class discussion. The kids can use the notes on the overhead to compose the paragraph. Have kids read their paragraphs orally and you can help them fill in any blanks they might have overlooked. If kids read aloud, you might record a grade right then and there to save yourself from having to read all the paragraphs later.
You could take the questions from the test and make up a quiz show game to prepare for the test. You could prepare a matching game to reinforce the vocabulary. Often workbook pages accompany the text to reinforce social studies skills. I recommend taking advantage of these resources!