Aug
10
Jul
25
A common despair among students in my online education courses is that the amount of reading is TOO MUCH!
Dr. Bill Klemm, professor Neuroscience at Texas A&M University Texas A&M University addresses this stressor in his article, “8 Tips To Remember What You Read”
Dr. Klemm explains, “Despite television, cell phones, and Web “twitter,” traditional reading is still an important skill. Whether it is school textbooks, tech manuals at work, or regular books, people still read, though not as much as they used to. One reason that many people don’t read much is that they don’t read well. For them, it is slow, hard work and they don’t remember as much as they should. Students, for example,may have to read something several times before they understand and remember what they read.”
Dr. Klemm advises middle-school teachers (see http://peer.tamu.edu) and these educators report that “many students are 2–3 years behind grade level in reading proficiency.” All forms of media— television, cell phones, and the Internet, lack of family example and reading emphasis, and ineffective reading programs have been blamed for the decline in reading. Dr. Klemm predicts that the decline of reading fluency will “apparently get worse if we don’t emphasize and improve reading instruction.”
Dr. Klemm summarizes 8 practical ideas to help with both reading speed and comprehension. Click this link to read them.
http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/05/14/8-tips-to-remember-what-you-read/
~~~
May
23
Tonight, Sourcebooks and http://www.overdrive.com/will host a Facebook chat with Michael Malone
Tonight, Thursday, May 23 at 8pm ET.
The New York Times bestselling author will answer posted questions from readers during the chat.
This is also a good time to archive Malone’s chat to use for informational reading lessons. There is also a letter from author Michael Malone that is a great source example for students.
Read More at this link: OverDrive and Sourcebooks to Launch Ambitious Ebook Data Experiment
The Big Library Read is an international program promoting reading among millions of patrons from more than 7,500 participating libraries. Readers are being asked to read Michael Malone’s Four Corners of the Sky. Ebooks count too and several libraries are offering the ebook without charge to their library patrons.
The book chosen for the collective reading experience is Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone. Four Corners of the Sky is a novel of love, secrets and the mysterious bonds of families for 26-year old Annie who attempts to reconnect with the con-artist father who abandoned her to his sister nearly twenty years ago, along with a single-engine airplane:
“Four Corners of the Sky is master storyteller Michael Malone’s novel of love, secrets, and the mysterious bonds of families. Malone brings characters to life as only he can, exploring the questions that defy easy answers: Is love a choice or a calling? Why do the ties of family bind so tightly? And is forgiveness a gift to others…or a gift we give ourselves?” (from OverDrive’s website)
The Big Library Read expires on June 1, so be sure to check out a copy today!
#BigLibraryRead
Apr
11
Bookmark tomorrow, April 12th for D.E.A.R. Day — Drop Everything And Read Day–an event designed to remind folks of all ages to make reading a priority activity in their lives.
Grab a book and a big chair or a Kindle and a comfy cushion and get ready to read!
April 12th is the birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary, whose characters Ramona and older sister Beezus are childhood favorites across the generation. On this day, families are encouraged to take at least 30 minutes to put aside all distractions and enjoy books together. What will you be reading?
Feb
4
If novels have become the crock-pot cooking of reading, then another helping please!
New Research Claims Your Brain Can Remember a Blog Post Better Than a Novel – From GalleyCat
“It might be easier for your brain to remember this post than it is to recall details from a perfectly composed novel. In a new paper in the Memory & Cognition Journal, researchers discovered that “mind-ready” and casual formats like blog posts, Facebook status updates or Twitter writings might be easier for your brain to remember. These are powerful lessons for writers to learn about connecting with readers.”
Nov
14
Today is National Young Reader’s day. What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Velveteen Rabbit? The Giving Tree? The Little Engine That Could? Or Winnie the Pooh. (I purchased my latest copy at the New York Public Library during Book Expo America last year)
There are so many it’s difficult to choose.
What is yours?
Sep
20
A Festival to Celebrate Books!!!! The 12th Annual West Texas Book Festival~~
September 18-22, 2012. Listen to this Podcast to learn more!
Sep
15
“We all know we should eat right and we should exercise, but reading is treated as if it’s this wonderful adjunct…We’re still thinking in terms of enticing kids to read with a sports book or a book about war. We’re suggesting that they’re missing something if they don’t read but, actually, we’re condemning kids to a lesser life. If you had a sick patient, you would not try to entice them to take their medicine. You would tell them, ‘Take this or you’re going to die.’ We need to tell kids flat out: reading is not optional.” ~Walter Dean Myers, novelist and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
~~~
Jan
20
BFF is an acronym for “Best Friend Forever.” These websites and tips are so good that they will become your technology BFFs!
How are you doing on your resolution to read more this year? The Goodreads website will help.
Goodreads‘ mission is to improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world. Toward that goal,
Goodreads is the largest free social network for readers in the world. There are more than 2,900,000 members who have added more than 78,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they’ve read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more.
With a desire to make reading fun again, Goodreads wants to tap into the excitement when you run into a friend who tells you about this “great new book I’m reading.” And suddenly you’re excited to read it too. It’s that kind of excitement that Goodreads is all about. I learned about Goodreads from my daughter who has a page with hundreds of books. She has joined book clubs, made friends with librarians, avid readers, and a couple of internet newbies.
Most book recommendation websites work by listing random people’s reviews. On Goodreads, when a person adds a book to the site, all their friends can see what they thought of it. Members (membership is free) also create trivia about books, lists of the best books, post their own writing and form groups and book clubs. Goodreads was launched in December 2006. It is not usually blocked or filtered by school filters.
It is fun to communicate with my daughter on another level, as reader-to-reader. As fellow learners.
Possible Classroom Integration Ideas:
1. Create a Goodreads page with your book list, books you like, books for students to read over the holidays, summer, or for extra credit. Thre is a password feature where only users who you have given your password may be added to your Friends list or access your page.
2. Invite parents to become Goodreads members and add them as friends for whole family involvement.
3. Goodreads has an option to note the page you are on with a book you are currently reading. Use this feature for students to chart their progress to you on books they are reading, or assigned to read. (Graph results for an Across-the-Curriculum Math adaption)
4. Assign students to compose reviews of books and leave on their Goodreads page.
5. ?
Check back here and let me know of other ways you integrate this resource in your classroom!
Happy Reading!
Jan
19
Reading is Fundamental {R.I.F.} is a charitable foundation that promotes reading. Founded in 1966, Reading Is Fundamental provides 4.5 million children with 16 million books each year and focuses on motivating young readers in underserved communities. As the largest American literacy organization, RIF operates in all U.S. states and territories through a network of over 400,000 volunteers. Learn more. Donate »
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