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How I Trick My Middle Schoolers Into Enjoying Reading

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How I Trick My Middle Schoolers Into Enjoying Reading

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How I Trick My Middle Schoolers Into Enjoying Reading

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Getting to the Why: Motivating Students to Read

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Getting to the Why: Motivating Students to Read

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Why do we have to read this?

Does that lament sound familiar? It's a common question and one that teachers should be able to answer if they want students to be motivated to read.

Catherine Snow, in Learning to Read with Voices Reading: Both How and Why, asserts that after students have mastered the how of reading-the fundamental skills they use to read words and make meaning-the why becomes central to their reading success.

Yes, teachers must continue to find innovative ways to teach students how to read, especially those students who function below grade level or are missing essential skills and strategies to be successful readers, but in the middle grades, they also should promote the why of reading.

Students read for extrinsic and intrinsic reasons. Extrinsic motivation usually includes some kind of reward, such as a grade or a certificate. Intrinsic motivation usually centers on wanting to learn something about a topic they care about or are curious about. Middle grades teachers can help students find an intrinsic reward in school-related reading.

At the heart of reading engagement is the desire to gain new knowledge, follow the excitement of a narrative, or expand one's experiences. Engaged middle grades readers make time to read because that investment in time is rewarded by the experience of being immersed in the text.

Donna Alvermann, co-editor of Engaged Reading: Processes, Practices, and Policy Implications, suggests three common intrinsic motivations for reading.

1. Involvement. Most readers enjoy being fully engaged-"lost" in a good book. That feeling motivates them to keep reading. Middle grades teachers can help their students find that kind of enjoyment in reading by getting to know the students' interests.

2. Curiosity. Young adolescent learners are motivated to read about topics that pique their interests. Invite them to learn and experience more. Intrigue them and spark their natural curiosity. Introduce literature that presents topics in a new light.

3. Socialization. Middle grades learners want to talk with others about what they read. Incorporate meaningful opportunities for students to talk about books: pair or small group sharing, literature circles, Socratic Seminars, point-counterpoint challenges, debates, role playing, or simulations.

Finding the Motivators

Don't think of middle grades learners as motivated or unmotivated, but rather as motivated in different ways, by different stimuli. Here are some strategies for motivating students to read.

Build students' self-confidence. By instilling a sense of accomplishment in all students, teachers help them improve their self-perceptions and self-confidence. When learners believe they can achieve, they do achieve.

Some ideas for increasing students' self-efficacy and thus their motivation to read include:

1. Establish specific, short-term reading goals, such as "read one chapter every day." Goals should be challenging but attainable.

2. Introduce a variety of comprehension strategies like graphic organizers or two-column notes to help students better understand what they are reading.

3. Allow students to make choices and feel a sense of ownership for their reading. Use choice boards, flexible grading, even self-determined due dates for assignments.

4. Give frequent, focused feedback. Keep a watchful eye on students, so when they reach a milestone, you can praise and encourage.

Spark new learning. Appeal to middle grades students' interests and learning styles. Incorporate a variety of instructional practices that embrace multiple forms of literacy and multiple sources of information, and include student choice. Instructional practices do not need to revolve around skills and strategies when it comes to the why of reading; students' interests should be the starting point for reading instruction.

Build connections. Topics and reading materials that bridge students' personal lives with their school lives increase their motivation for reading. Make a connection. Look for literature that addresses topics that are relevant to the subject and to your students' reality.

Go beyond the print. Motivate students to read by encouraging them to make a connection to popular movies based on the literature. Explore ways to promote reading through iPods, iPads, and Kindles.

Incorporate a variety of texts. Young adolescents may consider the materials in most traditional school settings uninteresting and constrictive. Include a variety of appropriate, authentic young adolescent literature, including graphic novels, newspapers, and magazines.

Expand choices and options. Provide a platform for and encourage students to be agents of their own learning. Gather a variety of adolescent literature to accompany, support, enrich, and extend topics across all content areas. Include all literary genres and varying readability levels.

When students have a choice of what to read, they will make additional and deeper connections to the topic of study. In addition, each student will have a slightly different experience based on the literature selected. Lively discussions, writings, and re-enactments will increase motivation, engagement, and achievement.

Excite students about narrative texts. Like most readers, middle grades students will choose books that relate to topics of interest and that are popular. Have a varied selection of high-quality adolescent narratives that link to the content.

For example, if you are studying immigration, gather several narratives about the immigration experience, introduce each book in great detail, and allow students to select the book that most interests them. If their interest is piqued and they can self-select their narrative, students feel empowered, become excited to read, and look forward to sharing their reading experiences with others. Students' learning soars to new heights!

Excite students about expository texts. When middle grades students believe they will learn something fascinating, they are motivated to read factual texts. When they have choice and their personal interests are met through their factual text choices, they are more motivated to read.

Build a classroom library that includes a wide range of nonfiction that naturally links to science, math, social studies, and the arts, and include varying readability levels. Encourage cover-to-cover reading, independent supplemental research, or read-alouds.

Promote conversations. Middle grades learners love to talk, so establishing literature-rich learning environments that capitalize on activities and provide time for talk supports students' strengths, interests, and desires. Structuring the academic day to incorporate meaningful, purposeful opportunities for students to talk about books enhances their engagement.

Answering the Why

Middle grades students who are motivated and engaged in their reading increase their comprehension and improve their reading skills. This is a direct path to higher overall achievement and success inside and outside school. The few simple strategies outlined here can help engage students in their reading-and maybe you won't hear, "Why do we have to read this?"
Previously published in Middle Ground magazine, April 2012

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Getting to the Why: Motivating Students to Read - AMLE

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Why do we have to read this? Does that lament sound familiar? It's a common question and one that teachers should be able to answer if they want students to be motivated to read. Catherine Snow, in Learning to Read with Voices Reading: Both How and Why, asserts that after students have mastered the how ofRead More...

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Motivating & Engaging Adolescents to Read 

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Motivating & Engaging Adolescents to Read 

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Necessities of Critical Reading: Skilled Decoding and

Language Comprehension

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Necessities of Critical Reading: Skilled Decoding and

Language Comprehension

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Applying Different Interventions to Teach Writing to Students with Disabilities: A Review Study

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Applying Different Interventions to Teach Writing to Students with Disabilities: A Review Study

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Teaching Middle and High School Students to Read

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Teaching Middle and High School Students to Read

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Communication Skills for Children with Severe Learning Disabilities

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Communication Skills for Children with Severe Learning Disabilities

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Communication and Language Guidelines for Teachers of Students with Moderate General Learning Disabilities

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Communication and Language Guidelines for Teachers of Students with Moderate General Learning Disabilities

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The Power of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Learning

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The Power of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Learning

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Speech, Language and Communication Needs

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Speech, Language and Communication Needs

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Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities

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Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities

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Tips for fully engaging students with disabilities

The effectiveness of communication with faculty and peers can directly affect the success of students. There is a great deal of stigma associated with disabilities that affect human interaction, and often a misconception that intelligence is somehow correlated with clarity of speech and other communication abilities.

Some students might hear and understand everything that is happening in your classroom, but their contribution is limited because they cannot fully participate through speech. For example, some students who have cerebral palsy or certain types of brain injuries may experience difficulties in making their ideas clear through speech to other than close friends and family members. They may choose not to use their own voices if they expect they will not be understood. Some use computer-based communication to share their thoughts through a synthesized voice.

The origins of communication-related difficulties are often speech, language, or hearing impairments, but other conditions impact communication abilities as well. A student with a significant phobia or anxiety disorder may take an extended amount of time to begin speaking. This student might have difficulty answering a question posed in a small group situation. Some students who have chronic medical conditions such as asthma may simply need extra time to express themselves verbally. Side effects of medication can impact spontaneity in speaking.

Even students without diagnosed disabilities may be reluctant to participate verbally in class. Many accommodation strategies that promote effective communication with students who have disabilities can be integrated into how you design your courses as an application of the proactive approach called universal design (UD).

This publication provides tips for faculty to ensure that students with communication challenges can fully participate in course activities.

UD Strategies

All forms of communication in class may present minor or major barriers to students with a range of disabilities. Described below are general strategies that may minimize the effect of a communication-related disability.

Add a statement to your syllabus inviting students who have disabilities to discuss their needs and accommodation strategies with you. Read the statement aloud on the first day and repeat the statement within the first two weeks of class.

If you plan to lecture or otherwise use primarily auditory delivery, use visual support, such as a computer-based projection system. Provide printed handouts with key content.

Select course materials and media early so that if captioning or alternate formats are required, they can be procured in a timely manner, perhaps with the assistance of disability support services on your campus.

Offer multiple methods for evaluating student achievement (e.g., written assignments, projects, demonstrations, in-class participation).

For more UD strategies, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education at www.washington.edu/doit/programs/center-universal-design-education/overview. In particular, read the publication Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction.

Accommodation Strategies

Described below are accommodations that may benefit specific students. Be sure to ask a student who has identified himself as having a specific disability to share with you what strategies have worked and what accommodations will be useful to him in your class. Use the disability support services available on campus to help with accommodations.

Sign Language and Oral Interpreters

One of the most visible accommodations for a student with a communication-related disability is the presence of an interpreter at the front of the classroom. A professional interpreter translates spoken language into sign language. If a student cannot speak, the interpreter will also voice what the student signs. If the student does not know sign language, an oral interpreter may enhance his/her lip reading skills. Oral interpreters are professionals who understand which words are visible on the lips and can make spoken language more accessible to a lip reading deaf student. Oral interpreters also finger spell or point to help the student follow conversations. Interpreters often work in pairs so that they can take turns to prevent physical and mental fatigue.

Interpreters are not allowed to add or change anything they interpret and sometimes must ask the instructor for clarification or repetition. Using unfamiliar jargon may cause an interpreter to ask for information that the student (who is more familiar with the content) might not have asked. Be aware of the difference between the interpreter asking and the student asking for information. Pacing of presented materials can be challenging to interpreters when passages are read aloud, the speaker talks very quickly, or many technical terms are used. Take time before the presentation to discuss technical vocabulary and other issues with the interpreters.

Captioning Media

When showing films or videos, it is best to use a captioned version that displays subtitles with all information presented orally. If you are not able to get a captioned version of the media, it might be necessary to provide a transcript or to use a sign language interpreter during the presentation. Captioning has the advantage of presenting both video and text together. Students who are learning English as a second language also benefit from seeing the English subtitles while hearing the audio. Students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have difficulty processing spoken language might need extra time to process this information because they cannot watch the video or film and also read the text or follow the interpretation at the same time. Making the video presentation available for re-viewing (perhaps on the Internet) can benefit these and other students.

Real-Time Captioning

Court reporting techniques have been adapted to classroom use so that people who rely on text to communicate have instant access to the spoken word. A professional captioner sits with equipment to enter what is spoken and presents it on a computer monitor for the student. Sometimes these services include note taking; the student is given an electronic version of the presentation or group discussion. These systems are particularly useful for students who do not effectively follow content aurally but for whom reading printed English is a strength.

Amplification, Headphones, and Assistive Listening Devices

In large lecture halls, using a microphone for amplification might assist students who need louder sound but do not use personal listening devices. If a student is using any type of headphone or hearing aid that is receiving sound from the microphone none of the room noise, including comments, will be accessible. People who have difficulty processing sounds, because of hearing loss or learning disabilities, may benefit from using headphones which directly process sound to the ears and block out environmental noise.

People who already have hearing aids may benefit from assistive listening devices such as FM systems, Infrared transmissions, and loops. These devices are designed to bring sound directly to the hearing aid from a transmitted location. When assistive listening devices are used, it is important that the person with the microphone repeat or rephrase questions posed and comments made by people who are not using the microphone.

Note Takers

For some students, listening requires all of their energy. Intense concentration is needed to follow the sign language interpreter, to lip read the instructor, or to process what is being heard. These students may often be unable to take notes and still maintain attention to spoken information. It is important for these students to have access to notes for review. Providing accommodations such as a sign language interpreter or FM system will not replace the need for notes in the same class. Student note takers are often recruited and trained to provide the student who has a disability with notes. Sometimes instructors will provide copies of their lecture notes.

Visual Aids, Reinforcements, and Warning Systems

The use of visual information is a benefit to students with auditory processing difficulties. Visual examples, icons, diagrams, charts, and illustrations can reinforce information delivered verbally. Since, in most classes, a great deal of information is presented verbally, it is helpful for instructors to make references, images, or other information available outside the class that reinforces what was taught verbally. This can be done with printed materials or on a web page.

For students who cannot hear, it is also important that any auditory warning signals for fire, smoke, or other purposes are available in a visual form (e.g., using a strobe light). This is especially important for students working in isolated locations, labs, study rooms, audio, video, or computer work areas.

Written Assignments, Written Exams, Alternative Lab Work

Sometimes an accommodation adjusts how homework is to be done, but not what is to be done. For example, instead of an oral presentation, a student might be allowed to videotape their presentation or use an interpreter or submit a written assignment; an exam that is normally given orally could be arranged in writing; work that is normally done with headphones or in a lab situation might be done in writing or with interpreter support. Make sure that assignments assess student knowledge and skills relative to course content, not the ability to hear or speak.

Email and Written Communication

Classroom comments and student questions can be done by email or handwritten notes if verbal communication in class is difficult, especially when due to anxiety or voice production. The use of email allows students more time to compose their thoughts.

Communication Assistance, Peer Support, and Extended Time

A third party might be useful for providing communication support. This person might be someone trained to interpret a speech pattern, read a communication board, or help a person make words more clear. Sometimes a student may benefit from having a peer or fellow student provide this support, but this should occur only with prior agreement and coordination between both students, taking care not to put a student on the spot or breech confidentiality.

Extended time is often needed for communicating orally or in writing with or without the aid of communication devices. Even using an interpreter may require more time due to a lag between the reception of the original language and the translation to the output language.

Seating, Pacing, and Alternative Arrangements

Most students who have a hearing impairment will want to sit close enough to lip read the instructors and see interpreters or captions, typically near the front of the room. In situations with circles or non-traditional seating arrangements, the student may have to sit across from the instructor and have the interpreter or real-time captioner sit in the middle. Students with other learning needs may prefer to sit near a door, away from windows that bring in outside noise, or near the instructor. A student using an assistant may need extra seating for the second person and a student using technical aids may need to sit near power outlets or close to a specific piece of equipment.

Consider the pacing of your sessions. If possible, allow for quiet pauses and slower-paced answers to questions presented in class. Sometimes slowing the pace slightly can facilitate the participation of a student with a communication disability. Alternatively, consider providing smaller groups, seminars, and one-to-one opportunities so that the benefits of interaction are not lost for the student who cannot participate in large classes.

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the University of Washington.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the University of Washington is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of Washington. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

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Acknowledgment

This publication was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #P333A050064. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2002, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.

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Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities

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Tips for fully engaging students with disabilities The effectiveness of communication with faculty and peers can directly affect the success of students. There is a great deal of stigma associated with disabilities that affect human interaction, and often a misconception that intelligence is somehow correlated with clarity of speech and other communication abilities.

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If you reflect back on your classroom experiences as a college student, you can probably recall multiple lectures that seemed to go on for hours. How much of that material do you remember today? Odds are not very much. Now think all the way back to elementary school. You probably remember different classroom materials that helped you learn how to read, write, and do math. Do you still remember how to do those things? More than likely since you are reading this!

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Whether Franklin realized it or not, he described what is referred to as multi-sensory learning. Multi-Sensory learning is just that - learning while using multiple senses.

Most learning is just visual (sight) and auditory (hearing). We read what is in our textbooks and we listen to our teachers. For some people, that is enough because that is how they learn best - by seeing and hearing. But for some, visual and auditory learning is not enough.

In order to fully understand something, people must experience it. Some learners need the experience more than others because that is how their brain functions. There are enormous benefits to learning that is kinesthetic or tactile (touch). By incorporating multiple senses, students are able to learn the material in more than one way. There is a better chance that the students will not only understand the material, but retain it for the future. This is an example of multi-sensory learning.

Here is a wonderful visual explanation of multi-sensory learning, retrieved from Kathy Magrino and created by Edgar Dale:

Let's try a case study. Austin is a second-grade student who is struggling with subtraction. He has seen his teacher demonstrate problems on the board (visual) and he has heard the explanation of how to perform the operation (auditory). Austin understands how to do subtraction when his teacher is helping him. But when Austin is working independently, he frequently forgets how to do it. What else can his teacher do to help him?

Austin may simply need a different type of instruction. He may not be the best audio/visual learner. By using a multi-sensory approach, his teacher can draw upon Austin's other senses to help him remember how to subtract.

Austin's teacher could use a kinesthetic approach and use TouchMath techniques to demonstrate how "12 - 8 = 4." (TouchMath incorporates touch points on each number so students count and trace numbers while learning them.) Austin's teacher could also use manipulatives. Anything from pencils to pieces of fruit would work. He could even use Austin and his classmates, "removing" eight of them by having them leave the group. These are all examples of multi-sensory learning.

Multi-Sensory learning has been proven especially effective in students with learning differences. First developed in the 1930's, the Orton-Gillingham approach to learning was developed specifically to help children with learning disabilities excel in reading, writing, and spelling. Over the years, educators have recognized that the same multi-sensory approach is just as effective with individuals who do not have learning differences. In fact, North Coast Education Services' Richards Learning Systems program was based on Orton-Gillingham and our Real Life Ma+h program incorporates some concepts from TouchMath.

So, how can you incorporate more multi-sensory learning in your classroom? On the surface, it probably sounds like a lot of work - more planning, more lessons, more assessments. But truthfully, making your classroom multi-sensory is easier than you think.

In the second part of this series, we will explore ways to bring multi-sensory learning into your classroom and incorporate it into your teaching technique.
Can you think of any ways you incorporate multi-sensory learning in your classroom now? Share them in our comments!
Call us today for more information - (440) 914-0200!
"Orton-Gillingham." Institute for Multi-Sensory Education. Institute for Multi-sensory Education, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2015. <http://www.orton-gillingham.com/about-us/orton-gillingham/>. Photo Copyright [toddler language.jpg]. Retrieved May 4, 2015 from http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com. Photo Copyright: [rjconeoflearning.jpg]. Retrieved May 4, 2015 from http://thewriteway.com/2010/10/learn-more-about-how-we-learn/

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If you reflect back on your classroom experiences as a college student, you can probably recall multiple lectures that seemed to go on for hours. How much of that material do you remember today? Odds are not very much. Now think all the way back to elementary school.

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What are Multisensory Teaching Techniques?

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What are Multisensory Teaching Techniques?

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Learning Center for children who learn differently, their teachers and parents in Dubai, Middle East

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What are Multisensory Instruction Techniques for Teachers and Parents?

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Have you heard of multisensory instruction? Learn why they are frequently used for teaching children with learning differences.

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How to Work Literacy Instruction Into All Content Areas 

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How to Work Literacy Instruction Into All Content Areas 

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How to Work Literacy Instruction Into All Content Areas

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Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach to literacy practices across content areas, there are small, but effective shifts teachers can make to get students practicing the domain-specific skills they need.

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Teaching Content-Area Literacy and Disciplinary Literacy

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Teaching Content-Area Literacy and Disciplinary Literacy

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A multimodal text conveys meaning th​​rough a combination of two or more modes, for example, a poster conveys meaning through a combination of written language, still image, and spatial design. Each mode has its own specific task and function (Kress, 2010, p.

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25 Examples of Multimodal Learning to Use in Your Classroom Today

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25 Examples of Multimodal Learning to Use in Your Classroom Today

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25 Examples of Multimodal Learning to Use in Your Classroom Today

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You can add multimodal learning in small ways throughout your week. We’ve rounded up 25 examples of multimodal learning to use in your classroom today.