patrick jones getting started school library journal november 2001 “ why we are kids best...
TRANSCRIPT
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Getting started
School Library Journal November 2001
“Why We Are Kids Best Assets”
One in your face: “I hate to read” – what does it mean, why did he say it, and what you can do about it
One fact: “Reading ability is positively correlated with the extent to which students read recreationally.” -National Center for Education Statistics.
One story from JDC One book from your life
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Connecting Young Adults and Connecting Young Adults and LibrariesLibraries
Patrick JonesPatrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.comhttp://www.connectingya.comGetting startedGetting started
WHO? Audience Customers / students Presenter
WHAT: ObjectivesWHEN? WHERE?
HOW? Lecture Handouts Active Learning Power Point: Reading: books on
slides
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Small group exercise #1 Have you now or
have you ever been a reluctant reader?
What is your reading autobiography?
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Why They Aren’t Reading
By the time many students reach high school, they equate reading with ridicule, failure or exclusively school-related tasks.
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Cover - catchy, action-oriented, attractive, appealing, good "blurb"
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Print style - sufficiently large
for enjoyable reading
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Format - appropriate and appealing balance of text and white space
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Artwork/illustrations - enticing, realistic, demonstrated diversity
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Clear writing without long convoluted sentences of sophisticated vocabulary
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers
Acceptable literary quality and effectiveness of presentation
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction High interest
"hook" in first 10 pages
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Well-defined
characters and not too many of them
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Sufficient plot to
sustain interest
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When you write, do you think about the potential book's appeal to non-
readers?
R.L. Stine: Almost all of my books are designed for reluctant readers. When I wrote and edited educational magazines, I learned how to write for different reading levels. I try to keep my scary books at a 4th-grade reading and vocabulary level. In addition-- short books, fast-paced, lots of surprises and twists, cliff-hanger chapter endings to force them to go on to the next chapter, and plot-driven books with little description to slow down the action.
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Plot lines
developed through dialog and action rather than descriptive text
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Familiar themes
with emotional appeal for teenagers
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Young adults like fiction that:
1. Show YAs being independent from adults. 2. Reassure YAs they are "normal". 3. Present role models. 4. Demonstrate problem solving in action. 5. Allow to feel like winners/overcoming
odds. 6. Display relationships of all sorts. 7. Capture intensity and uncertainty of
their life. 8. Help develop of socially responsible
behavior 9. Explore lives of other teenagers. .
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Believable
treatment (that does not preclude speculative fiction however)
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Single point of
view / not too many characters
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Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Touches of
humor when appropriate
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WHAT will reluctant readers
read? (Twenty four carets)
Books – genre teen fiction.
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WHAT will reluctant readers
read? (Twenty four carets)
Books – series
fiction .
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WHAT will reluctant readers
read? (Twenty four carets)
Books – nonfiction (general).
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WHAT will reluctant readers
read? (Twenty four carets)
Books – nonfiction biography.
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WHAT will reluctant readers
read? (Twenty four carets)
Books - collected comics.
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
1. A library card:
2. Booklists: 3. Booktalking :
4. Build relationships:
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
5. Celebrate Teen Read Week: 6. Contests: 7. Displays:
8. Follow-up:
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
9. Freedom and choice:
10. Get input:11. Get out of
the library:12. Get over
yourself:
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
13. Get them in the building :
14. Go the shelves:
15. High visibility merchandising:
16. Honesty:
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
17. Keep current :18. Listen: 19. Non-judgmental
attitude:20. Reader's advisory:
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25 things to do to reach reluctant readers
tomorrow
21.Samples: 22.Wave goodbye
to just fiction 23.Weed the
collection: 24.Zowie! Get
graphic
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Talking points from authors
Jon Scieszka From what I've heard from my GUYS READ fans, they see most all reading as some kind of school assignment. They feel like they are going to have to answer 10 questions or write an essay for anything they read. I've heard from a lot of teens who say they are not readers. But it turns out that they read magazines about cars, music, wrestling, fishing, computers, style. They read information books. They read graphic novels. They read and write online. They just don't read the relatively narrow collection of literary fiction that is defined as "Real Reading" in schools.
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A core collection for reluctant readers: a tool box Young Adult Library Services Association
(YALSA) website. www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists Includes a variety of booklists, including
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Best Books for Young Adults and others.
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For More Information
Connecting with Reluctant Teen
ReadersPatrick Jones, Maureen L.
Hartman, and Patricia Taylor
Neal-Schuman, coming in summer 2006
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Final thoughts
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:34:26 -0700 (PDT) From: "Amanda Subject: Hi ‘‘ I loved your book’’’ To: [email protected] My name is Amanda!!! I am 15 years old and I have just finished
reading your book "Things Change". It has been the most inspiring thing that I have read in my life!!! See normally I do not enjoy reading but, this book just captured me and sucked me in!!! I have never finished a whole book, but this one I read it in two days flat!!! I have never read a book that related so well to teens today. You were so real when you wrote this book........’’’ I was shocked to find that this was your first book dedicated to teens!!! I only wish that you write more!!! The girl Johanna was so strong it only made feel good about my self!!! I could relate to every single thing in the book....... and it can only show to others that real things can happen to real people!!!’’’’ And you told it like it was in the book..... I just wrote to tell you that you are now my favorite author!!! And I HOPE that you write many more teen books because I can guarantee you I will the first to get one!!!
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HardcoverISBN: 0-8027-8901-3Price: $16.95224 pagesApril 2004
PaperbackISBN: 0-8027-7746-5ISBN 13: 978-0-8027-7746-1Price: $7.95224 pagesApril 2006
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nailednailed Hardcover
ISBN: 0-8027-8077-6ISBN 13: 978-0-8027-8077-5
Price: $16.95224 pages
Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4April 2006
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Chasing Chasing Tail Tail
LightsLights Hardcover
ISBN: 0-8027-9628-1ISBN 13: 978-0-
8027-9628-8Price: $16.95
304 pagesAugust 2007
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Connecting Young Adults and LibrariesConnecting Young Adults and LibrariesPatrick JonesPatrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.chttp://www.connectingya.comom
Consulting, training, and coaching for providing powerful youth services including library card campaigns and web projects