| | | | | Dear Readers,
I recently heard YA and children's author Matt de la Peña describe books as vehicles to conversations. It struck me as a wonderful way to think about the potential that books hold for engaging and connecting with students. How do we get students talking, sharing, and connecting with what they are reading? Intentional, scaffolded discussions within our instruction is a great starting place. Speak soon,
Carrie Simkin, PhD
Director, AdLit |
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New AdLit Blog: Reading Ways with Dr. Joshua Lawrence |
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| I am pleased to introduce Dr. Joshua Lawrence, who will be writing regularly for AdLit.org. Josh is a professor at the University of Oslo. His research interests relate to adolescent literacy development, second-language acquisition, hybrid learning, and improving instruction through coaching and leadership. Josh and colleagues will share insights from their ongoing support of state, regional, and district literacy initiatives. Check out his first blog post! |
 "It takes time to think deeply about research and connect the findings to our own experiences as teachers and learners." |
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In the Classroom:
Integrating Discussions |
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| Is your classroom filled with student discussions? If not, why not? An important aspect of active learning is discussion, but sometimes the pressure to have concrete evidence (e.g., a filled-out organizer, written assignment, etc.) of students' comprehension can breed a reluctance to use students' discussions as evidence of their growing understanding. Yet, we have moderate evidence that sharing and listening to others' reactions and questions about what they are reading increases students' understanding of text.
Successful comprehension or "thinking" instruction frequently provides opportunities for students to discuss with partners, small groups, and their instructors. We need to pose thought provoking questions, keep the conversation focused, guide it through lulls, and help students to learn and abide by classroom norms and rules (e.g., turn-taking, respecting others’ opinions, staying on point). When students do engage in high-quality text-based discussions, they tend to come away with a much clearer and more deeper understanding of what they have read.
Consider how many opportunities students have to discuss their ideas with one another in your class. If it turns out you are asking most of the questions, then you are doing most of the thinking, not your students. To learn more about the small tweaks you can make to your instruction to engage students in high-quality discussions of text meaning and interpretation, click here. |
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For the Love of Reading |
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As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we are pleased to highlight new selections by American Indian authors. Visit AdLit's Diverse Books Project to learn more about our selected authors and books. Please contact us if you'd like to make a book recommendation for a future newsletter.   |
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| Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young To avoid spending time with his father and his new girlfriend, eleven-year-old Nathan goes to stay with his grandma, Nali, on the Navajo reservation where Nathan meets a Holy Being from the Navajo Creation Story, a Water Monster in need of his help. Brian Young’s powerful debut novel tells of a seemingly ordinary Navajo boy who comes to realize he’s a hero at heart.
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| Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley Biracial eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in either in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. But when Daunis’s best friend, Lily, is murdered, she agrees to go undercover in her community and help the FBI while secretly pursuing her own investigation. Watch the Book Trailer!  |
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Help Support Our Work at AdLit |
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 | | A special thanks to the National Education Association for their support of AdLit.org. Their generous grant affirms the NEA's commitment to literacy, equity, and achievement for all of our students. |
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