As I trekked to Boston yesterday to join Joyce Valenza for some pre-conference presenting fun (try to say that 5 times fast), I decided to download Clay Shirky’s new book, Cognitive Surplus, to my iPod kindle app.
As the train departed from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, I eagerly began reading. About 10 pages into the text, I inadvertently realized that I had recently watched a video of Clay Shirky where he recounted the main points and stories of the text. Upon that realization, the cognitive connection that I made was palpable. Suddenly, the book became a delight to read. Since I had already considered many of the text’s main concepts and ideas in my head, reading seemed effortless. I was making highlights and notes like a crazy woman, and about 15 possible blog posts popped into my head. Before I knew it, I was outside of Boston and I had almost finished the entire book!
What does this mean for kids?
This experience speaks volumes to the power of advance organizers for our students. Sometimes we don’t expose students to the main points of a text because we don’t want to bore them or we want to keep the content “a surprise.” I consider this to be a critical instructional error. Giving students time to consider content through a widely accessible medium (usually video) before reading complex text can enhance and enrich the reading experience. When students feel control and competence over their reading, they are more likely to engage in the activity for pleasure and enjoyment. (This is the ultimate goal, right? Lifelong readers?)
So, this September, give your students a context for reading. Use videos, retellings, and summaries BEFORE assigning text. Make reading effortless by telling them what the text is about. Students’ confidence will soar, their comprehension will increase, and motivation will be enhanced.
Hey, it worked for me!
Photo Credit: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/3096344_2e0e8312e8.jpg
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