[etni] Re: Extensive reading

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I think the 5 pointers do read the books. (And I don't mind if they read it
before in Hebrew, or also saw the movie.)
For weak 4 point and 3 point classes - what about reading short books (maybe
the whole class will read 3 or 4 titles and pass them around) together in
class and doing assignments on them? It's not reading outside of class, but
it is reading.
sara g in israel
sarag@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bari Nirenberg" <nirenber@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <gailshb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 6:57 PM
Subject: [etni] Re: Extensive reading


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>
> >
> > Frankly it really has become a writing activity and NOT reading
> > for most kids. My own sons rarely did any reading. Often they
> > "borrowed" book tasks from friends in other schools. That is why
> > MY students did theirs in class, with a copy of the book in
> > question on the table. No other way to assure the task is done by
> > the kids.
> >
>
> I'm not sure what to say about this, other than the fact that it's true
and
> I still can't decide how much I care.  Yes, I would like my students to
> read.  But realistically, I know that kids who don't even like to read in
> their native language aren't going to read a book in a foreign language.
> And practically, I know how hard it is to read in a language that you're
not
> very proficient in.  I never read a Hebrew book until my Hebrew was at a
> very high level.  When I was at ulpan at Haifa University, we read the
book
> "Michael Sheli" by Amos Oz.  I read the first page in Hebrew.  It took me
> forever.  Then I went out and bought the translation to English.  I was
> anything but "unmotivated" -- I was simply frustrated.  And I'm someone
who
> enjoys reading.  I can't expect a kid who hates reading to pick up a book
in
> English and read it (I can require him to do so, but unless he does it in
> the same room with me, there's no way I can "make" him).  And with all of
> the other problems that we have in the classroom, I'm not sure this is the
> point I want to get stuck on and to be very very strict about.  I make
> believe that I think they've read the book and they do the assignment.
Some
> of them, especially the 5-pointers, DO read the books (I had a kid read
one
> of the Harry Potter books in English and do a wonderful assignment -- a
> conversation between Hagrid and one of the other characters.  The language
> used by Hagrid was so similar to the way that he speaks in the books that
it
> was amazing and it was also very obvious that the kid had read the book in
> English because there's no way he could have written like that after
reading
> in Hebrew).  Some of them try reading English for the first time and
> discover that it actually helps them to improve their vocabulary (and
their
> grades!) and I praise and encourage them.  And some of them show me books
> and then I have no idea what they do with them, but they write book
reports
> in class and I grade them.
>
> So call me a bad teacher or tell me I'm not conscientious or call me a
fool.
> I'd prefer to call myself pragmatic.
>
> Bari
>
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