Reading – Page 38 – Pernille Ripp

aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, books, change, Literacy, Reading, student choice, Student Engagement

So You Teach a Whole Class Novel – A Small Idea to Help

January 31, 2016 Pernille Ripp

I spend too many hours thinking of my students love (or lack of love) of reading. Of how the things that we do together hopefully is enough to sustain that love for words. That this year is another part of their journey as readers, as humans who know that reading can unlock the powers of the universe. And so I think of what is ahead. Of whether they are truly “Wild readers” to quote Donalyn Miller. Whether they have the stamina they need to be successful in college to quote Penny Kittle. And whether the type of literacy instruction they will receive in the years to come will allow them to continue to love books. To still read something that they choose. To still see themselves as children who read for fun, not by force.

Today, as I sat next to a friend who teaches high school English, we discussed the concept of the whole class novel. Something I have opened up for discussion here. There are districts that mandate that the whole class novel is used for all students, no matter their comprehension ability, which is another blog post in itself, and yet, it reminds me that not everyone works in an environment that trusts its teachers to teach all students, no matter their ability.

So if you teach the whole class novel, whether by choice or force, there is a very little tweak that may make it accessible to all students. Because if we want the whole class novel to be a vessel for deeper literature conversation and yet we have students who cannot access the text, then we must find a way for them to be successful. The idea is simple, really. Create different pathways to access the text by allowing students to select which method they will use. Those pathways can be:

I choose to read it on my own, ready to come to discussion. This is the most common pathway of doing a whole class novel but it cannot be the only one. Think of how many students where this act would be impossible. Where they would rather defiantly not read then even try.
I choose to read the book with a partner and we discuss as we read. Sometimes when we struggle all we need is a trusted adviser to bring us through the hard parts. We see this happen in our classrooms all of the time; students reaching out for help, and then going to back to their task renewed. Why not let them do that formally?
I choose to have it read aloud with the teacher in a small group. Sometimes we need an adult voice to carry students through, other times you just need a community of readers to help you process the text, let alone the finer nuances behind the words. Having a teacher at the helm and making it a read aloud means that it has no longer become an exercise of decoding, but rather one of comprehension.
I choose to listen to the text. I know some frown upon the use of audio books in our literacy classrooms, but they can be the game changer for some of our most disillusioned non-reading students. If our goal is to use a whole class novel for students to think deeply about a text, then why not remove the barrier of the text itself? If a child cannot read a text then the instruction of how to read it should happen with a text that they can access, not something that is far beyond their current skill level.

That’s it really. Offering student choice in how they access the learning we must do, allows them to find success even within the most mandated curriculum. We must remember our task at hand; to have rich discussion, so let’s make sure that all of our students can be a part of that, not just the ones that have mastered the act of reading at a certain level.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

being a teacher, being me, books, Literacy, Reading

How We Created A Community of Readers

January 23, 2016January 23, 2016 Pernille Ripp

We are a community of readers. It snuck up on us as it usually does. Last week, as my students sat with their chosen reading adventures and I tried to figure out who to confer with, I noticed the silence. That beautiful silence that comes from a large group of kids totally immersed in the task they are doing. The concentration only broken by the quiet ding of the timer. And they came back up for air and I wished that I could give them more than the lousy ten minutes we start with every day.

I know the research and what is says about independent reading. That students, no matter the age, need time every single day to sink into a self-chosen book that will hold their attention and propel them toward better reading. That reading more will make them read more. But I also know that giving them time is not enough.

That all students will not just fall in love with reading simply by someone saying “Read.” That we must be intentional when it comes to building our community of readers in such a way that it does not feel contrived, but will grow on its own.

Many of us who love reading know this, but there are so many more that do not as Donalyn Miller so eloquently writes here. So what is it we need beyond the time? Because the time to read is really just the first step, what else is there to creating a community of readers?

There is a passionate teacher. We must love our books. We must love the act of reading. Students look to us for the passion they may lack and we must live it. We must be the reading role model that some students have never had. And not just the English teachers, but as many adults in a building as possible. Celebrate a culture of reading to show students how reading can enrich all of our lives.

There are high quality books. There is no magic number to how many books a library must have to be considered great, but there is a level of quality that needs to be present. Yes, weeding books can be painful but if students cannot see the books they want to read they will not dig through the piles to find them. Display books like they do in the book store, be mindful of the books that call out to students and change it up.

There must be books in many places. Every classroom should have a classroom library. It does not matter how well-stocked the school library is; students need immediate access to great books so that when their mind wanders and they abandon a book they can get another one right away. Partner with your school librarian; together we are stronger and spread the books out. Put rain gutters up with books for students to grab throughout the school, hold a school wide book drive to get more books in the hands of students, set up a Little Free Library. Make books a presence not an afterthought.

The books are accessible. Too often the systems we put in place, such as the way students check out books, stand in the way of reading. Find out what works for you and make sure it is easy for students. I gave up my checkout system several years ago and now function on trust, I have not regretted it.

There must be choice. And not just choice in what they read, but also choice in where they read and how they read. Audio books have made the biggest difference from some of our most adamant non-readers; they finally have a chance of having rich book conversations like their peers. Allowing students to lie on the floor or get comfortable while reading has helped as well. How many of us choose to read behind a desk when we are at home.

There should be picture books. Picture books are one of the biggest gateways to sustained reading progress in our classroom. Every child can read a picture book, even the ones that say they hate reading.

There should be trust. No more reading logs for all kids to prove that they are reading. No more parent signatures that probably are not truthful anyway.

Reading should be its own reward. No more trinkets, toys, or stickers. No more stars, points, or yo-yos. When a child finishes a book, hand them another book or even better; have them find one on their own.

There should be student talk. Students should have the opportunity to discuss the books they love so much, to hand favorites books to others, to explain why they abandoned a book, to discuss why they may not be reading.

There should be room for all readers. Our emphasis for celebration should be on all of our readers, not just the ones that read the most books or pages. We need to reclaim the term “slow reader” and help students realize that being slow also means that you are careful and that is thing to be proud of.

There should be uninterrupted time to read. Not continual interruptions by the teacher to ask questions or teach another lesson, not a continued quest to get as many post-it notes in our pages read. Let students read and then think. Let students read and then jot if they want. If they do not have anything to write, let them have a conversation instead.

There should be goal setting. True reflection where the students can see what they are strong in and how they need to grow. Where they have the time to ponder their own reading habits and figure out what else they need. And it does not have to be on paper or be silent; built in time to discuss with others should be a part of it as well, and that includes conferring with the teacher.

Creating a reading community; one that allows students to fall in love or stay in love with books should be a priority for us all. And it truly starts with us; we can give them the time, but we must give them so much more. What else do we need to do?

PS: To see our favorite books, and there are a lot, go here.

PPS: I get to present at WSRA in a few weeks on creating passionate reading environments as well as a few other conferences. To see where I will be, please go here.

being a teacher, books, Literacy, picture books, Reading

Picture Books in the Middle School

January 16, 2016 Pernille Ripp

I feel like a broken record lately. Always replying with the same answer as if I cannot think of anything else to say. Yet it is not because my brain is broken or because I do not know enough about teaching English. The truth is that when most people ask me how to teach something in reading or writing, my answer continues to be, “Have you tried a picture book?”

Picture books have become the foundation of the 7th grade English classroom that I am a part of. They are the ice breakers that provide us with the sense of belonging, the sense of community, the sense of wonder that should always surround books and literacy.

They are the life lines I give to students when their day is on the wrong track or they simply need a break.

They are the tool I use to teach close reading, to work through Notice and Note. They are our mentor texts for writing, for how to capture fickle audience and keep their attention while still going deep. They are the springboard into longer texts, the spark that gets us going.

They are the texts I reach for when I do intervention, allowing a child to not fear the text we will discuss so we can focus on the skills we need to work on. They are the texts that surround us when our brains are overwhelmed and we need to just take a moment to get into the groove of learning.

When a child speaks limited English, we reach for wordless books where they can practice inferring without being stumped by the language they are learning.

When a child does not understand what it means to analyze, we reach for familiar texts so we can get to the heart of the story.

Picture books disarm.

Picture books charm.

Picture books teach students that they can be successful readers with meaningful texts. That they can write serious pieces in short bursts. That there is no such thing as too old for a book. That the skills they need to develop can be found within the pages of something that looks like it is just for little kids but clearly is for all.

So when you enter our classroom you will see them beckoning to be read, to be shared, to be contemplated and to be used. You will feel the pull of the books as they call to you, begging you to be read. And so we do, and we grow, and we laugh, and we share these stories that mirror our own or bring us into a new world.

So why picture books? Because they have made the single biggest difference in the life of this teacher. Because my students no longer fear reading, nor can they hate it nearly as much. Because without them I would be constantly scrambling for a short text that we could read in our limited time together and still leave time for discussion.

Who would have thought that all of these things could be taught through the pages of a picture book?

To see which picture books we love, go here.

being a teacher, Literacy, picture books, Reading

And the Winners Are…Our Mock Caldecott Predictions 2016

January 8, 2016January 9, 2016 Pernille Ripp

It has been an incredible week diving into the world of the Caldecott with my students. Every day, we have taken time to discuss amazing picture books, vote for our favorites, and remember what reading is all about falling in love with incredible books. While I will do a more detailed post on how we did the unit later, I couldn’t wait to share our predictions as we eagerly await for the awards.

To see how I did the unit, follow this link for my very basic planning document with resources that were shared to me by the incredible Mock Caldecott group I was included in on Voxer.

I did not have a beginning list of picture books for the students to choose from, but instead pulled all of my 2015 picture books for them to browse through. I had also searched online for buss books and then either purchased those or requested them from my library. They therefore had about 200 books to start with and yes, they said it was hard to narrow it down.

My first hour class chose….

Honor (a tie between two books):

Boats for Papa – Art and Story by Jessixa Bagley

Marilyn’s Monster – story by Michelle Knudsen, Art by Matt Phelan

Honor:

Strictly No Elephants – Story by Lisa Manchev, Art by Taeeun Yoo

Medal:

My third hour class…

Honor:

Elwood Bigfoot: Wanted Birdie Friends – Story by Jill Esbaum, Art by Nate Wragg

Honor:

Waiting – Story and Art by Kevin Henkes

Medal:

The Night World – Story and Art by Mordicai Gerstein

My fifth hour class…

Honor:

If You Plant A Seed – Story and Art by Kadir Nelson

Honor:

To the Sea – Story and Art by Cale Atkinson – Sadly this one turns out to be ineligible. While my students were in charge of vetting the illustrators, this one slipped through the cracks.

Medal:

The Night World – Story and Art by Mordicai Gerstein

My sixth hour class…

Honor:

Growing Up Pedro – Story and Art by Matt Tavares

Honor:

If You Plant A Seed – Story and Art by Kadir Nelson

Medal:

Water is Water – Story by Miranda Paul, Art by Jason Chin

My seventh hour class…

Honor:

Beautiful Hands – Story by Kathryn Otoshi, Art by Bret Baumgarten

Honor:

Toys Meet Snow – Story by Emily Jenkins, Art by Paul O. Zelinsky

Medal:

The Night World – Story and Art by Mordicai Gerstein

And finally, my own predictions…and since it is my blog, I get to pick more than 2 honors.

Honor:

Lenny and Lucy – Story by Philip C. Stead, Art by Erin E. Stead

Honor:

Waiting – Story and Art by Kevin Henkes

Honor:

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement – Story by Carole Boston Weatherford, Art by Ekua Homes

Honor:

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear – Story by Lindsay Mattick, Art by Sophie Blackall

Honor:

Wolfie the Bunny – Story by Ame Dyckman, Art by Zachariah OHora

Medal:

Last Stop on Market Street – Story by Matt De La Pena, Art by Christian Robinson

being a student, being a teacher, Literacy, questions, Reading, Student Engagement, students choice

How Do We Best Do Literacy Interventions?

January 8, 2016 Pernille Ripp

Literacy intervention has been weighing heavily on my mind this year as I vow to do a better job for all of my students. I think most of us would agree that we are willing to move heaven and earth to help students become successful, yet there are times where it seems like every great idea we have is simply not enough.

And I keep wondering; what do we first focus on; engagement or strategies? I know I always tend to lean toward student engagement first and finding a way to combine it with strategies, but I still wonder is it okay to use a program that may teach students incredible strategies to bolster their reading skills, thus making reading more accessible, even though we hear students dislike the program? Do we focus first on re-connecting students with a like or love of reading and writing and then worry about the strategies? I know that ideally the programs that we use would be a combination of both, but is that even possible? Are there intervention programs out there that students actually like? Or is it on a case by case basis?

As you can see, I have more questions than answers. I have thoughts, sure, and I know where I tend to fall; student engagement above all, but what if this isn’t enough? What if a child will never be fully engaged until they have mastered better reading strategies that can only be taught through repetitive means?

Therefore I wonder; what would the ideal literacy intervention program look like? I have seen many variations, some amazing, some not so much. I have seen an incredible combination of ideas that have worked incredibly for some students, and not so much for others. And while I doubt that there is one right answer, there has to be an overall approach that gives us a better result for many students. I am hoping with this post that you will share your ideas. Lend your thoughts.

Where do we start? Do we worry about students loving reading or writing or do we worry more about giving them the tools to master the skills needed? Is there a right way to bolster students?

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

aha moment, being a teacher, books, Literacy, Reading

Why Audio Books in the Classroom?

January 7, 2016January 27, 2019 Pernille Ripp

“What should I read next?” he says, eagerly awaiting my answer.

His question takes me by surprise, after all, there is no possible way he has finished the book I downloaded for him two days ago. He has mastered the art of fake reading a few months ago.

“You’re done already? What did you think?” I ask, trying to feel out if he actually read it.

“It was so sad…at the end, when his dad came. I couldn’t believe it…” He keeps going, telling me parts of the story that makes me nod in recollection, and it dawns on me; he read it, I think. He read it, he loved it. He is proud. He is ready for another book.

“When did you find the time to read it?” I ask, still surprised.

“Last night…It got interesting so I listened to it all night. 3 hours, I think.” He says, “So what do I read next?”

This child who had not read a chapter book all year. Who has abandoned book upon book, casting aside any favorites that we could think of. Who has stuck to the same graphic novel over and over because nothing else mattered. This child, whose disengagement has made us worry late at night, whose ability to tell you exactly what you want to hear has befuddled us all. He now stands before me, beaming, waiting for the next book. He has become a child that reads.

And he is not alone. Several students this year are having incredible reading experiences, kids who have never liked reading, are begging for the next book, begging for time to listen. Yes, listen, because these students are devouring one audio-book after another. Comprehending the words without having to struggle through the decoding. Accessing stories that they have heard their friends talk about. No longer looking at the easier books while they long for something with more substance. Those children are becoming readers with the help of audio-books.

Some may say that does not count as reading, I certainly used to balk at it counting toward any reading goal, this year I am discovering otherwise. Sure, there are cognitive differences in the processes that happens when we read with our eyes versus our ears, however, the skills that we are able to utilize through the listening of an audio-book are monumental in building further reader success. And research has shown that the cognitive processes are surprisingly similar. So what has adding (and investing in audio-books) done for our students?

Provided equity in reading experience. Students who read significantly below their grade level are able to access the same texts as their peers. This matters when we create reading communities, because they no longer feel different when they book shop. Now, when they browse the books they can select any book they are interested in and we can get it for them either through Overdrive or Audible.

Supported critical thinking skills. Students can develop critical thinking skills without having to spend enormous brain power on decoding. Decoding is still taught and supported through other texts, however, they now have a text that we can practice deeper thinking with that actually has deeper meaning. Not just right text that doesn’t provide us with the complex relationships that make for such powerful stories.

Re-ignited a passion for reading. Often students who are developing readers start to hate reading. And I get it; when you are constantly in struggle mode, it can be so tiring, so having access via an audio-book lets students finally enjoy a story. They can be in the zone with the book because their brain is not occupied with the work of having to read, creating a deep immersion into the reading experience.

Provided new strategies for teaching reading. I can now pull out segments of text to use with a student knowing that they have the proper background knowledge, which is a key component when we build understanding. I do not have to reference the entire text, but instead can have them focus on the skill at hand. This therefore allows me to support their comprehension growth more efficiently.

Given us a gateway into reading with their eyes. Often times, my developing readers harbor enormous hesitancy when it comes to veering out of their known text. They are quick to dismiss, abandon and feign disinterest, all in the interest of saving face and saving them from yet another reading disappointment. However, students finding success within the audio-book world are building their courage, their stamina, and their desire to pick up print texts.

I could list more reasons; being exposed to amazing fluency, students feeling like they have relevant thoughts when it comes to discussion, building overall reading self-esteem, planting high interest books in the hands of students to see them become “the books to read,” even changing the reading dynamics within a classroom. Denise Johnson lists even more here.

In the end, I wonder whether it really matter whether having students listen to audio books is cognitively not exactly the same as when they read with their eyes? If our true goal of teaching reading is to make students fall in love with books, then audio-books are a must for our classrooms. And so is the notion that they count as real reading. No longer should we denounce or diminish the very thing that can make the biggest difference to some of our students.

That boy, who asked for another book, started listening to All American Boys yesterday. That boy who has faced discrimination, judgement, and who has tried to fit in by being an amazing kid every single day. He is now reading a book that may make a huge impact in his life. That may offer him tools if he ever were to face a similar situation. And he wouldn’t have been able to before. That book would have been so far out of his zone of proximal development that he would have been robbed of the experience for a long while yet. But not anymore, he is a reader now. And he is proudly telling everyone he meets about the books he has read.

PS: I cannot take responsibility for this idea of using audio-books, that belongs to my amazing colleague Reidun, who makes me a better teacher every day. I am thankful she had the idea and decided to share it.

I have been looking for research and articles to discuss audio books versus paper books. Here are a few articles.

Why “Reading” Audio Books Isn’t a Shortcut

Audio Books vs Book Books, Which Does the Brain Prefer?

Are Audiobooks Worse Than Real Books? Let’s Ask Science

Is Listening to Audio Books Really the Same As Reading?

More research and ideas from Sound Learning

New Research Shows Audiobooks have Powerful Impact on Literacy Development

As Far As Your Brain is Concerned, Audiobooks Are Not Cheating

Audiobooks: Legitimate “Reading” for Adolescents?

Time Magazine discusses pros and cons

PPS: If you are wondering which book he had listened to in one night, it was, of course, Orbiting Jupiter.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.