[etni] Fw: Extensive Reading again

From: "Ask Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 07:49:35 +0200
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margie Cohen" <margiec@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Extensive Reading again


Hi fellow ETNI listers-  Monday a.m. 1/12/03

After a few days of reading what other people said, I must agree with Andrew
Wilson and batya.

With all of the back-and-forth about the NBA, extensive reading, book
reports and gmulim, I think we tend to forget that English is NOT the native
language of 99 1/2% of our students.

Thus, one of our goals (at least mine)  is to show them that English is NOT
always a drag, that it can be fun, that it DOESN'T have to be traumatic.

So, anything that  makes English learning harder or more stressful for them
is going to make them not only dislike/hate English in the long run,  but
they will also associate their dislike of English with the people who teach
it. (I have often  found myself saying to accusatory pupils who ask why
'have' isn't pronounced like 'bake' that I didn't  invent the language, I
just teach it.)

 No, English teaching is not a popularity contest and there are certain
things we need to demand,  that the kids will only understand our rationale
for teaching them after they have taken the Bagrut and have seen that they
needed certain skills. But we don't have to 'davka' make things harder for
them, either.

Reading a book on a slightly lower level than they are capable of  still
means they are reading, and it can be made clear to them that the NEXT book
will be one level higher. But making them read a book that is hard for them
NOW will take the enjoyment out of reading, which is counter to  the whole
idea of appreciating English instead of hating it. What about the names of
those Domains--are they just words on a  page?

The same goes for resubmitting book reports., unless the goals of  it are
clear to the kids too.

I think  that sometimes we tend to 'lose sight of the forest for the trees'
and get caught up in thinking that all students are trying to get credit
where they don't deserve it, to get out of working. Yes, there are some of
course, but most really only turn to websites with answers/book reports when
the school demands are too unfair or harsh and the kids are really at a
loss. They would prefer to know how to do it themselves; 99% of them know
they will need English later in life, whatever they choose to do.

Just watch kids go to the English Speakers in school and ask them for help
on correcting a composition, explaining a certain point, etc.
 They are green with envy: "I wish I knew English like ____________."

Well, have a good week.

Margie

P.S. Think of yourselves--when you finally have a few precious minutes all
to yourselves and just want to sit and read, which language is more
comfortable for you to read in? In my opinion, one of our goals is to make
the kids COMFORTABLE enough with English that they might read something NOT
in their native language because it is interesting--not to make them afraid
to even try.

Margie Cohen-Jackel

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[etni] Fw: Extensive Reading again

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