10-Second Review: How valid is that survey or piece of research?
Title: “A Cautionary Tale about a Flimsy Source.” Norman Lobsenz. The Writer (August 2008), 29. The Writer is a magazine by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers to keep on writing.
Quote: “Don’t accept survey results at face value. Ask: Are the questions biased? Who sponsored the survey and when was it done? Was a large enough group polled? [How random was the sample?] Are there similar surveys that show conflicting results?
Comment: Good questions to ask about polls, surveys and research. Did you already know this information? So did I. I’ve read it many times. Still it’s a good reminder. How many suckers still fall for the “Research says….” “proof” of conclusions? RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Topic: Advice on Writing Poetry
10-Second Review: The differences between observing and writing.
Title: “How to Create Emotional Landscapes.” Marilyn Taylor. The Writer (August 2008), 15-16. The Writer is a magazine by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers to keep on writing.
Quote: “Let me simply emphasize, then, that there are two kinds of landscapes—the kind we experience with our five senses, and the other kind—the kind that takes shape in our minds, supplying every poem with an identifiable mood, a definitive stance, a clear point of view.”
Comment: This quote probably does not mean much to most people, but it does to me. It reminds me that objects, persons, landscapes, etc. don’t exist in themselves, but as part of your mood, stance and point of view. It’s not enough simply to observe. The subject needs to take shape in your mind. For those who can appreciate it, that’s a big distinction. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Title: “How to Create Emotional Landscapes.” Marilyn Taylor. The Writer (August 2008), 15-16. The Writer is a magazine by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers to keep on writing.
Quote: “Let me simply emphasize, then, that there are two kinds of landscapes—the kind we experience with our five senses, and the other kind—the kind that takes shape in our minds, supplying every poem with an identifiable mood, a definitive stance, a clear point of view.”
Comment: This quote probably does not mean much to most people, but it does to me. It reminds me that objects, persons, landscapes, etc. don’t exist in themselves, but as part of your mood, stance and point of view. It’s not enough simply to observe. The subject needs to take shape in your mind. For those who can appreciate it, that’s a big distinction. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Topic: Evaluating the Possibilities of Your Book
10-Second Review: Testing whether your idea for a book is good.
Title: “Put a Nonfiction Book Idea to the Test.” Mary F. DeMuth. The Writer (August 2008), 12-13. The Writer is a publication by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers not to quit writing.
Quotes. Ask yourself the following questions:
1. What genre is my book?
2. Where would a bookstore shelve it?
3. How well do I know that it is about?
4. Do I have access to good research, great interviews?
5. How unique is my book?
6. If this book were to go before a publishing committee, would the panel find it compelling?
7. What is a one-sentence summary of my book?
8. When I share it with others, does their interest seem piqued?
Comment: I should have asked my self these questions before I self-published my book, Teaching English, How To…. I’ve about decided that what was missing from my book was this kind of preparation and eventual refinement. On the other hand, if I prepared too much, I might never have written it, and I am glad that I wrote it! I said what I wanted to say about teaching English and my convictions are available for anyone who wants to discuss them and to teachers who are starting out to teach English. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Title: “Put a Nonfiction Book Idea to the Test.” Mary F. DeMuth. The Writer (August 2008), 12-13. The Writer is a publication by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers not to quit writing.
Quotes. Ask yourself the following questions:
1. What genre is my book?
2. Where would a bookstore shelve it?
3. How well do I know that it is about?
4. Do I have access to good research, great interviews?
5. How unique is my book?
6. If this book were to go before a publishing committee, would the panel find it compelling?
7. What is a one-sentence summary of my book?
8. When I share it with others, does their interest seem piqued?
Comment: I should have asked my self these questions before I self-published my book, Teaching English, How To…. I’ve about decided that what was missing from my book was this kind of preparation and eventual refinement. On the other hand, if I prepared too much, I might never have written it, and I am glad that I wrote it! I said what I wanted to say about teaching English and my convictions are available for anyone who wants to discuss them and to teachers who are starting out to teach English. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Topic: Censorship
10-Second Review: Preparing for censorship challenges.
Quote: "The trouble with censorship is that once it starts, it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.” –Studs Terkel. US News & World Report, 1982. Quoted in The Writer (August 2008), p. 9. The Writer is a magazine by writers for writers. Its goal is to encourage writers not to quit trying.
Comment: Be prepared for possible censorship incidents. Do your homework. Complete the following information BEFORE assigning a book to read with your classes. [My thanks to the National Council of Teachers of English]:
1. A brief summary of the book.
2. A brief description of the controversial parts of the book.
3. Appropriate grade and maturity level of the students who will be reading the book.
4. A detailed plot summary.
5. Values of the book to the students who read it.
6. Literary qualities of the book.
7. Objectives in using the book.
8. Teaching methods to be used in reading the book.
9. Assignments to be completed by the students while reading the book.
10. Possible objections to the book.
11. Professional educators’ opinions about the values of reading the book.
Thanks to NCTE.org.
Thinking through this information about the book should prepare you for possible censorship challenges. It will also make certain that this is the right book for your particular group of students.
Also in place should be a questionnaire to be completed by a challenger and a committee that discusses and renders a decision on the future of the book in the curriculum. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Quote: "The trouble with censorship is that once it starts, it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.” –Studs Terkel. US News & World Report, 1982. Quoted in The Writer (August 2008), p. 9. The Writer is a magazine by writers for writers. Its goal is to encourage writers not to quit trying.
Comment: Be prepared for possible censorship incidents. Do your homework. Complete the following information BEFORE assigning a book to read with your classes. [My thanks to the National Council of Teachers of English]:
1. A brief summary of the book.
2. A brief description of the controversial parts of the book.
3. Appropriate grade and maturity level of the students who will be reading the book.
4. A detailed plot summary.
5. Values of the book to the students who read it.
6. Literary qualities of the book.
7. Objectives in using the book.
8. Teaching methods to be used in reading the book.
9. Assignments to be completed by the students while reading the book.
10. Possible objections to the book.
11. Professional educators’ opinions about the values of reading the book.
Thanks to NCTE.org.
Thinking through this information about the book should prepare you for possible censorship challenges. It will also make certain that this is the right book for your particular group of students.
Also in place should be a questionnaire to be completed by a challenger and a committee that discusses and renders a decision on the future of the book in the curriculum. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Topic: Secondary School Reading
10-Second Review: The status of secondary reading skills is not good.
Title: “Effective Reading Programs for Middle and High Schools: A Best-Evidence synthesis.” RE Slavin, et al. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 290-322. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Quote: “Students who enter high school with poor literacy skills face long odds against graduating and going on to post-secondary education or satisfying careers. …reported (2003) that in the United States, roughly six million secondary students read far below grade level and that approximately 3,000 students drop out of U.S. high schools every day.”
Comment: The authors have tried and approved of certain specific secondary reading techniques, But have they tried a technique that is basic to all secondary reading techniques? The DRA? The Directed Reading Assignment?
1. You build the students’ background knowledge of the topic of the reading assignment. The more they know about a topic, the better they will be able to read and comprehend it.
2. Pre-teach crucial unfamiliar vocabulary—so that students will not only see the words when they encounter them, but they will know their meanings. I’ve seen research that shows students who are unfamiliar with a vocabulary word do not even see the word when they read it. Alerting students to the word ahead of time draws their attention to it.
3. Establish purpose for reading, usually in the form of questions after the students have read the title, subhead, first paragraph, first sentence of each intermediate paragraph and the last paragraph.
4. Give students the opportunity to apply what they have read in the assignment. One method is through further research of the topic on the Internet.
I agree with Olive Niles, who said many years ago that if every teacher in every high school used the directed reading assignment, there would be no reading problems in the United States. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Title: “Effective Reading Programs for Middle and High Schools: A Best-Evidence synthesis.” RE Slavin, et al. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 290-322. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Quote: “Students who enter high school with poor literacy skills face long odds against graduating and going on to post-secondary education or satisfying careers. …reported (2003) that in the United States, roughly six million secondary students read far below grade level and that approximately 3,000 students drop out of U.S. high schools every day.”
Comment: The authors have tried and approved of certain specific secondary reading techniques, But have they tried a technique that is basic to all secondary reading techniques? The DRA? The Directed Reading Assignment?
1. You build the students’ background knowledge of the topic of the reading assignment. The more they know about a topic, the better they will be able to read and comprehend it.
2. Pre-teach crucial unfamiliar vocabulary—so that students will not only see the words when they encounter them, but they will know their meanings. I’ve seen research that shows students who are unfamiliar with a vocabulary word do not even see the word when they read it. Alerting students to the word ahead of time draws their attention to it.
3. Establish purpose for reading, usually in the form of questions after the students have read the title, subhead, first paragraph, first sentence of each intermediate paragraph and the last paragraph.
4. Give students the opportunity to apply what they have read in the assignment. One method is through further research of the topic on the Internet.
I agree with Olive Niles, who said many years ago that if every teacher in every high school used the directed reading assignment, there would be no reading problems in the United States. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Topic: Teacher Education
10-Second Review: If you want students to use certain practices in their teaching, you have to show them explicitly how.
Title: “A Critical Analysis of Research on Reading Teacher Education.” VJ Risk, et al. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 252-288. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: “…the review suggests that university teaching practices that benefit application of pedagogical knowledge provide explicit explanations and examples, demonstration of practices, and opportunities for guided practice of teaching strategies in practicum settings with pupils.”
Comment: In other words, preparing teachers of reading needs to include explicit demonstrations of pedagogical techniques. My suggestion: Teach the teachers the way you want the teachers to teach their students—along with demonstration lessons and guided practice using techniques with small numbers of students in a practicum setting. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Title: “A Critical Analysis of Research on Reading Teacher Education.” VJ Risk, et al. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 252-288. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: “…the review suggests that university teaching practices that benefit application of pedagogical knowledge provide explicit explanations and examples, demonstration of practices, and opportunities for guided practice of teaching strategies in practicum settings with pupils.”
Comment: In other words, preparing teachers of reading needs to include explicit demonstrations of pedagogical techniques. My suggestion: Teach the teachers the way you want the teachers to teach their students—along with demonstration lessons and guided practice using techniques with small numbers of students in a practicum setting. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Topic: Reading Groups
10-Second Review: All of the negative effects of ability or achievement grouping occurred when struggling readers were placed in mixed groups.
Title: Interactional Differentiation in the Mixed-Ability Group: A Situated View of Two Struggling Readers.” Deborah Poole. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 228-249. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: The problems with students being grouped by ability or achievement in learning to read: leads to wider achievement gap between lower- and higher-level groups; inferior instruction in the lower groups (skill-based and decoding emphasized and less emphasis on meaning and critical thinking); students in lower groups stigmatized; negative effects on self-esteem leading to loss of motivation; disproportionately consist of minority groups, perpetuating inequalities beyond the school.
What happens to students who are put in mixed-ability groups? The same thing.
Comment: FYI. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
Title: Interactional Differentiation in the Mixed-Ability Group: A Situated View of Two Struggling Readers.” Deborah Poole. Reading Research Quarterly (July/August/September 2008), 228-249. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: The problems with students being grouped by ability or achievement in learning to read: leads to wider achievement gap between lower- and higher-level groups; inferior instruction in the lower groups (skill-based and decoding emphasized and less emphasis on meaning and critical thinking); students in lower groups stigmatized; negative effects on self-esteem leading to loss of motivation; disproportionately consist of minority groups, perpetuating inequalities beyond the school.
What happens to students who are put in mixed-ability groups? The same thing.
Comment: FYI. RayS.
The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.
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