Motivation/Engagement

If the student feels lack of motivation and engaged in reading, then you should use the Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down activity.

For this activity, students will be providing their opinion about books they've read by:

• • First, tell students that their opinions and reactions about the books they read are important and that you will be providing them with an opportunity to share their views with others in the class.

  • Then, duplicate and distribute the Thumbs Up (Good) and Thumbs Down (Not So Good) reproducibles. Have students cut out the picture of the hand that best represents their view of a book they had recently read.

  • Next, ask students to write the title of the book, the name of the author, a one-sentence summary and the reason for their rating on the hand. Tell students that all of their reasons will be considered valid as long as they can justify their opinions.

  • Then, display the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down sheets in your room at the students' eye level. Encourage students frequently to read their class members' opinions about books. From time to time, highlight a particularly good book that students have enjoyed.

  • Finally, provide additional copies of the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down pictures for students to use on an ongoing basis in a readily accessible area of your classroom.

If the student lacks engagement in picking poetry or books, then you should use the Just Ask! strategy.

For this strategy, students will be encouraged to select poems to read by:

• Gather a wide variety of poetry books and anthologies. Select and introduce a few poems two students from the various sources. Initially, choose short poems that are likely to appeal to students who are reluctant readers.

• Repeat the above process over several days, tagging the pages and encouraging students to read poems you have shared and to select additional poems that are of interest. Read some of the student-selected poems to the class.

• After a variety of poems and/or books have been shared, invite students to find a poem that they really enjoy. Be ready for selections of humorous verse, slap-stick humor, or simple verses. Students can then be invited to copy the poem on a sheet of paper, or you can use the Just Ask! Reproducible in the Chapter 1 resources on the website.

• Once the poems are written on a sheet of paper, have students carry their paper with them throughout the day. You should also select a poem and write it on paper.

• At appropriate times (e.g., getting in line, just before dismissal), invite students to share their poems with each other. Some ideas for asking and sharing are listed below.

• Would you like to hear my poem?

• Just ask if you’d like me to share my poem.

• Would you please share your poem with me?

• Let’s read each other‘s poems. You go first.

• I have a poem about _______________ that I’d like to share with you.

• I’ve got a funny poem to read to you. Okay?

• Encourage students to select new poems to share from time to time. Poems can be selected that relate to other topics being studied (e.g., The weather, holidays, wishes/dreams). Poems share previously can be placed on a bulletin board titled Poems We Have Shared.

• A class book of poems can also be made for your classroom library.