Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Really Reading
I found this article very interesting to read since I was raised reading AR books. When I was younger I don't think that I ever hated AR, but it was definitely a thorn in my side. The main difference I saw between myself and the kids in the article was that I still enjoyed reading. I can remember taking the AR test on Alice and Wonderland and scoring poorly. I was devastated. It lowered my points and suggested reading level. Since having the highest reading level in the class was something that we all strived for, I was very frustrated. However, I knew the reason that I didn't pass. I had read the book very quickly, skimming most of the material so that I could take the test and move on. For me, AR got to the point where it wasn't about reading books anymore, it was about beating my peers. I believe that as future educators we need to find a more engaging way to promote reading among students.
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Ah! I agree with you! While the idea of AR reading and testing is logical and beneficial in some ways, it can be a set back as well. Students look at it beyond reading for enjoyment and read to beat their peers and move through books quickly. I remember I was frustrated with that concept as well. When I scored poorly, I was then left to read books that I knew I was too advanced for. Another thing was that some of the books I wanted to read were not on the AR list. I think that even though there isn't a set AR reading test for some books, teachers shouldn't simply dismiss the idea and rather accommodate the student with a made up test so they can enjoy what they want to read rather than being turned away and forced to read something else that they may not necessarily want to read.
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