The adolescent reader
Three factors are particularly important when planning lessons to help improve reading skills. To help an adolescent become a better reader, these factors must be forefront in all planning. The thoughts I have about these topics developed as I completed my NLGL coursework.
Relevance
Relevance means that the reading has a purpose for the reader. For some adolescents, there is relevance in enjoying a piece of literature. The struggling reader may need more than enjoyment to approach a book. As such, using nonfiction texts and finding out what interests students becomes more important. I spend much of my time during library time trying to help students find books. Sometimes the length is a deterrent, so I will have to convince them why the longer book is better. Using books that they can then share with their classmates and others using digital tools also makes the learning more relevant. Any time adolescents can include social aspects into their learning, they see the learning as more relevant.
Differentiation
Meeting each student as his learning level is important for any skill, but it is crucial for reading development. I believe for any ELA assignment that I should be working within the students Zone of Proximal Development. Students should be stretching themselves to learn but not to the point of frustration. Students need a challenge to learn a new skill or strategy without being frustrated. This is true for learning comprehension strategies, writing, and learning to use digital tools. I have found that using small groups for instruction in the secondary classroom does help improve student learning, but there are also times for whole class instruction as well. I also implement lesson planning that incorporates as many modes of learning as possible during a unit of study so that each student has a point in the unit working in his comfort zone as well as times when he may be stretched. In my current school, we also have several web based programs that allow teachers to assign reading practice at a student's instructional or independent reading level. Using these programs allows me to differentiate learning and provide practice reading in situations similar to their standardized tests we take throughout the year.
Engagement
Engagement is often the product of providing adolescents with relevance and differentiation. They need to be proposed a challenge and given choice in order to fully engage in their learning. They also need the social aspect of learning to discuss what they are learning and solve problems together. It is for this reason that partner work and group work can be particularly effective with this age group. As a teacher, my educational philosophy is Progressive Humanistic, so I want students to work together to understand the world and become life long learners. As a result, projects like the global learning website and multigenre research projects typically engage adolescents. I also believe that students are more engaged when there is the expectation that they will learn and share their knowledge with others. This is why I am planning to implement a reading and writing workshop approach into my eighth grade ELA classroom next year.