Literacy

[tired and weary]

I need some ideas on how to get secondary students excited about reading and writing...!!!!????!!!!

[STeacher]

Why not introduce texts to the class that they can relate to?

[Unregistered]

What grade? What reading level? What topics? There are so many questions before you can begin.

In regard to required texts pull the juciy stuff...When I teach the "Odyssey" to my 9th graders I tell do a "Coming Attractions" board and list words and pictures. The words describe Odysseus, say things like "There's no place like home." , etc. and the pictures include maps, pictures of Greek Gods, supermodels (to represent the beautiful women of the novel), etc. I have that up for about 4 days before we actually begin the story. I will add to it if I find anything good. (I actually just found a good newpaper story about a young boy whose house party got out of control, I think this relates well to the situation Telemachus is dealing with.)

When I do "Oedipus" I read a "script" from a soap opera first telling them what we are about to read has nothing on this. Or tease them with a brief summary of the work.

With all texts I do daily journals that somehow realate to the story (to get them excited about writing in the journal I give them a single subject notebook that they decorate the front of the first week of school. Their first writing has to explain how the front of the notebook represents them - these stay in my classroom and I check them every other week adding notes and comments). For example; when reading "The Necklace" (how do we underline or italicize on this thing! :) I have a journal question about how important are looks, why don't people heed the advice "honesty is the best policy" and so on.

Students need to feel connected. I always see it as my job to help them see the connections between what they have to read and their life, no matter how different they seem. I try to make connections FIRST, so that they will want to read the material and then make the decision themselves as to if it really connects or not.

When students enjoy what they've read, I've found the writing part is simple. Also, remember, as young adults they are not used to truly being asked their opinion. When I teach thesis I make it clear I really want their opinion about a character, plot, setting, whatever, and NOT what they think I want to hear. I remind them, any opinion, as long as they can prove it!