Re: Target: making a case for books on tape

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@DYNAMITE.COM.AU>]

Dear Shelly,
I have no experience with AR, although I know what it is, and from what I
have read and learned from this listserv I have grave reservations about its
effectiveness if used 'wrongly'.  However,  I do have a lot of experience
with remedial reading and early intervention strategies.

It has been my experience, based on 25 years in the classroom before
becoming a teacher librarian, that if this boy is keen to read and respond
using the tapes, and he is experiencing success by doing so, then he should
be given all the support he wants.  His interest in reading is being
maintained and he is obviously willing to continue participating, which
would not happen if he kept getting 2/10, and his 'progress' was stunted.
He may also be a student who learns best by hearing, although it would be
great if he has access to the book while he is reading, so he can get a
broader set of cues.

I do not know the sorts of questions that are asked in the tests, but
perhaps his parents or someone could sit down and discuss the book with him
both before and after he reads it.

Before he reads, ask him to use the title and the pictures to predict what
the story might be about. With little kids, I do this on a page by page
basis, introducing words in the text that they may not be familiar with.
This cues his mind in to what he can expect, so that while he is reading. if
there are inconsistencies between his prediction, the text and his reading,
he is more likely to pick them up and seek to find which is correct.

After he has read, get him to retell the story in sequence and detail and
then ask more probing questions such as 'how do you know ...." "why did
so-and-so ....."; "show me the part in the book that explains this"; "if you
had to write the sequel/ next chapter, what would you write ...."

That way he is required to look beyond the literal meaning of the story and
get a deeper understanding of the text and this sort of empowerment often
leads to kids wanting to read for themselves (rather like kids who soon find
their minds are quicker than calculators and soon discard them for easy
maths tasks).

Another suggestion is that you do some running records with the child to
identify the reading strategies he DOES have and then work to build up those
he doesn't.  Perhaps then you could suggest that one in five books should be
attempted without the tape, gradually reducing the ratio as he becomes more
competent and confident.

I hope this helps,
Cheers
Barbara

Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
----- Original Message -----
From: Saylesville School <saylesville@NETWURX.NET>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999 1:15 AM
Subject: Target: making a case for books on tape


> Has anyone else run into this problem?
>
> We have a pretty extensive collection of books on tape that supports our
> Accelerated Reader program.  6-8th grade students are required to get a
> certain number of points to receive an A, B,C,etc (it is only part of
their
> reading grade).  Our Language Arts teacher is having a problem with a 6th
> grade student's parents who insist that their son's use of  books on tape.
> They feel it is cheating because he isn't sounding out the words on his
own.
> According to the LA teacher this kid really needs to see and hear the
words
> as he reads.  (He got a 10/10 on the AR book he had on tape compared to a
> 2/10 for a book he read on his own).
>
> Anyways, these parents are talking about bringing this to the school board
> and having the books on tape removed.  (They are a little overzealous
about
> this issue.  This boy is borderline LD, and we think the issue involves
more
> than books on tape, but that's another story). Although we don't think the
> board would act on this,  I am looking for any information that would back
> up our use of books on tape with students who need the help.
>
> Any info. or personal experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Shelly Taylor, Library Media Specialist
> Saylesville School
> N3501 Hwy. P
> Rubicon, WI  53078
> saylesville@netwurx.net
>
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