teri's n c t e webinar

When Kids Won’t ReadWhat can teachers do?

with

Teri S. Lesesne

Reluctant readers

Who are they?

What do they want?

How can we motivate them?

Who is the reluctant reader?

There is no one template

The Reluctant Reader: WHO?

Gender Differences

For each of the following, indicate if the book is for BOYS by clicking YES (this is a book boys would read) or NO (no self-respecting boy will read this) in the polling area.

Able versus Struggling

• For ABLE readers, point them in the right direction

• For STRUGGLING readers, offer some help (audio, hi/lo)

What do RRs want?

• Titles that grab

• Covers that catch their eyes

• Authors they can trust

• Opening paragraphs that hook

• Plots that compel the reading

Poll #2

• For each of the following pairs, select the book that is best designed to reach RRs. A for the book on the LEFT and B for the book on the right.

RR Choice?

A B

RR Choice?

A B

RR choice?

A B

RR choice?

A B

RR choice?

A B

Struggling Readers

• Audiobooks

• HI/LO suggestions

Audio

Books with dialect

Books set in the past or in a different country/state/world

Books with stylistic “problems”

Audio

Books with dialect

Books set in the past or in a different country/state/world

Books with stylistic “problems”

Audio

Books with dialect

Books set in the past or in a different country/state/world

Books with stylistic “problems”

Other audiobook winners

Other audiobook winners

HI / LO

readability

What do these books have in common?

How about these?

Can you guess these levels?

A word or two about lexiles

• What are they?

• How can they help?

• What should we do?

Lexile ranges for grade levels

• Elementary– 200-700

• Intermediate– 700-900

• Middle– 900-1000

• High– 1000-1200

Let's look at some recent books and see…

Which is the higher lexile?A (left) or B (right)

Katherines 5.6/ 890

Higher power of lucky 5.9/ 1010

Which has the higher level?A B

Cass 3.6 /520

Harry Potter 6.9/980

Higher lexile?A B

American Born Chinese 3.3 n/a

Criss cross 5.5/ 820

Higher reading level?A B

Rules 3.9/ 780

Rules of Survival 4.3/660

Why?

• Application of science to art

• Measuring a creative product

• Randomness of passages

• Elimination of the human element

So..how can we use these?

• Guidelines

• Must add:– Reviews– Personal reading– Examination of other’s collections– Online resources

Finding Books

• Quick Picks and other ALA lists

• Review journals: ask your librarian

• Read widely and talk about it to students

www.ala.org/yalsa/

Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library

Association

www.professornana.livejournal.com

My blog

Book reviews

• NCTE Journals—Language Arts, Voices from the Middle, English Journal

Join ALAN!

NCTE

Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (ALAN)

http://www.alan-ya.org/

Pathways for Advancing Adolescent Literacy

• http://www.ncte.org/profdev/online/adlit

In conclusion

• Questions

• Contact me– tsl@consolidated.net

• Power Point– Embedded at my blog

• Participants receive url link to recording of session; additional people can buy the link in the NCTE store