rebeca delgado - commonplace entry #2 - pdf
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Talking, Typing, Teaching: Helping Students Overcome Challenging Texts
Rebeca B. Delgado | Commonplace Entry #2
I recently had this conversation with my best friend from high
school:"
It made me sad to think that his English teacher did not give the students the confidence and tools to engage in the reading. "
My friend’s plight with Paradise Lost made me wonder what his teacher could have done to make the story accessible."
Looking over Beach and Wiggins, I found that:
talking about the text,
creating interesting forms of writing responses,
& clearly explaining how you want the students to understand the literature
are all valuable ways in assis<ng students with challenging texts.
TALKING
Beach (2012) explains that one of the most integral roles that an English teacher plays is that of a discussion starter. GeHng students to talk about the text helps them to externalize their thoughts or ques<ons and demonstrate understanding.
Dialogic discussions, as men<oned by Beach (2012), contribute to ensuring that students do not fall into limi<ng I-‐R-‐E discussions that offer only closed ques<ons (ques<ons with only one answer) that the teacher facilitates. However, having students talk to one another about the text and ensuring them that literary analysis supports many understandings and interpreta<ons will encourage students to look at the text with new perspec<ves. According to Wiggins & McTighe (2005), it is important that teachers explain to students that the study of literature is not finite and that “learning is an unending quest for findings”.
TYPING Another fear that many students share from junior high to university is the dreaded essay.
But what if teachers considered other methods of wri<ng responses?
TYPING Beach (2012) explains that students can become engaged with newfound wri<ng ac<vi<es through reading and crea<ng comic books. One such work that is op<mal for study in a high school seHng is Art Spiegelman’s MAUS (1986).
Students may also construct narra<ves in response to texts by wri<ng their own drama scripts (Beach, 2012). These works could expand upon the text or simply be a crea<ve wri<ng ac<vity on their own. This wri<ng can help students view the core elements of the story in new light as they work to adapt the plot into another format.
TEACHING
As previously men<oned, being clear about what students are supposed to understand from a text is helpful in dismantling dense works.
Beach (2012) discusses the importance of evalua<ng students’ work through forma<ve assessments that give students consistent feedback about their progress and results. Another form is the “feed-‐up” forma<ve assessment that asks students to “con<nually clarify their purposes and expecta<ons for what they want to accomplish” (Beach, p. 237).
TEACHING Another important element to consider as an English teacher is the likelihood of students’ encountering hurdles in the reading. Wiggins (2012) explains that this “awareness of predictable misunderstandings” will help teachers becer prepare lessons that cater to the “rough spots” so that students are effec<vely guided through them.
A way to achieve clarity in explaining expecta<ons for reading and wri<ng to students is to use rubrics (Wiggins, 2012). Rubrics provide a visual breakdown of the exact criteria that the teacher expects the student to meet. As Wiggins (2012) writes, rubrics help to explain that understanding is “a macer of degree on a con<nuum” and answers key assessment ques<ons that students may have.
In reconsidering my friend’s story ader comple<ng the readings from the past three weeks, I have found that there are many tools and ac<vi<es that his teacher could have u<lized to becer prepare the class for Paradise Lost.
By teaching with clear goals, geHng students to talk about the text & write in crea<ve formats, teachers can becer help their students overcome dense and in<mida<ng texts with confidence and clarity.
REFERENCES
• Beach, R., Thein, A. H., & Webb, A. (2012). Teaching to exceed the English language arts Common Core State Standards: A literacy prac<ces approach for 6-‐12 classrooms. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
• Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (expanded 2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Merrill Educa<on/ASCD.