I am currently working on an analysis of middle grades language arts textbooks to get a frequency count of the different instructional practices recommended to teachers by adopted text series. I'm focusing on instructional practices that focus on supporting and assessing on-level students' reading comprehension. (Got to narrow it down, or the dissertation will never be done, after all!)
Anyway, as I am going through the textbooks, I am noticing things that make me shake my head the first time I see them and, by the third or fourth time I see it repeated within a text, I want to bang my head. But so far, this is my favorite: One text series' recommendation "to build motivation and engagement" in reluctant readers. As a researcher whose focus and passion is supporting adolescents' motivation to read, this statement caught my interest. How? Please tell me the secret!
*******Drum Roll******
Give them additional reading!
Seriously?
Yes! Before the student reads the text in the book, have them read a "thematically related text" and discuss it.
But we're talking reluctant readers here; how is giving them more (of the same) to read going to make them want to read? (Did I miss the research supporting this?)
Sorry, I'll try to tone down the snark. A little.
