[etni] Fw: re: reading and book reports
----- Original Message ----- From: "yvonne ramon" <yvonneramon@xxxxxxxxx> 
Subject: Re: reading and book reports


Pnina and everyone else who has been involved in the
book reports discussion,

I have enjoyed reading about the various approaches to
this activity. I am just wondering how the Ministry
feels about not doing "book reports".

Reading sessions in class for yods are a wonderful
idea. So too is reading a class book (I did "The
Giver" a couple of years ago). However, I find we
don't have enough time (only 4 hours in yod) and there
is always the problem of kids turning up to class
without the book.

I am all for reading. I think it is one of the best
ways for students to improve their expression and
vocabulary. I only wish we weren't forced to give
grades on this work.


Pnina wrote:

Reading without book reports
For the past 5-6 years, my pupils have been reading
books and not doing book reports.
In Yod and Yod Aleph, they read in class - about
30-45 minutes a week. And I read a book also while they're reading. 
Those who don't read do not get full points in their
semester grade but those who do, get the points without writing it up. 
Pupils,especially 3 pointers, need help choosing a
book and I try and help them choose a book that suits their level and taste. 
In weak classes, I use a set of books. The kids get
a book to a table and I read out to them. They love it. They follow more or less, and we stop every so often to clarify points. Last year we read The Wave and watched the movie at the end. Why should 
they write a report and ruin the whole experience?
5 point Yod Bet  kids read at home and every couple
of weeks hand up an abbreviated summary of what they have read. 
Obviously there are those who can't be bothered and
they lose 10 points. They are aware of this and if they choose not to read then it's their choice. I remind them every so often, but I can't force it on them. 
In the past I have tried creative book tasks, oral
testing, regular book reports - whatever, just to make them read. But those who wanted to cheat, succeeded and I had no way of proving that they 
were cheating. And so they got 10 unmerited,
dishonest points.
The best part is when they don't want to stop
reading at the end of the reading session and we go on till the end of the lesson. Or when they tell me that they don't read in Hebrew but they're really enjoying the English book they have. 
I am lucky that I had and have coordinators who
allowed me to scrap book reports.
That's my 2 cents worth.



-----------------------------------------------
Read "The Etni Rag" - http://www.etni.org/etnirag/

Add yourself / Update your entry to "Who's Who on Etni"
http://www.boker.org.il/etni/whoswho.htm
-----------------------------------------------

Other related posts: