The up side to this "dummying down" problem is that these
books are perfect for High School ESL, resource, applied
and transitional students who are not reading on grade
level. The format, length, and reading level is certainly
far less intimidating for these students than most of the
other books in my library. Since I began selectively
purchasing some of these materials, teachers working with
students below grade level have been coming to the library
to do research. To me, that is a PLUS!!
Lanell Rabner
Librarian
Springville High School
Springville, Utah
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 06:09:58 -0400
Josephine Dervan <rderva@INFIONLINE.NET> wrote:
> Toni and all-
>
> This trend of "dummying down" book content is not the
>exclusive problem of high school books. We see it in the
>upper elementary grades as well. Each year I attend the
>Follett Book Look where primarily non-fiction books are
>displayed for librarians to get an idea of what's new. I
>am always shocked at the new non-fiction books that we
>find aimed at upper elementary kids. Some have lots of
>pictures, a small format and facts written in larger
>print. Few top 100 pages but they usually have tables of
>contents, indexes and glossaries.
>
> When we do purchase such books, our teachers complain
>and often require harder books for their average
>students.
>
> When we complain to the Follett vendors and others we
>meet, they tell us that this is all the publishers are
>putting out. To refuse to buy them would be defeating the
>purpose of having books available for student research.
>
> Jo
> ******************************************************
> Josephine G. Dervan. Library Media Specialist
> Strathmore Elementary School
> Aberdeen, NJ 07747
> rderva at infionline.net
>
> He who has a garden and a library, wants for nothing-
>Cicero
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Toni Koontz"
><akoontz@CDEDUCATION.ORG>
> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 3:30 PM
> Subject: Re: [LM_NET] Does YA NonFiction Cheat Our
>Students?
>
>
>>I work at a college prep high school and I, too, have
>>noticed that more publishers are bringing out these very
>>colorful, but low on text books. While all the graphs,
>>etc. may be useful, my students need more in-depth
>>discussion. I have had salesmen come in with samples and
>>try to tell me that other high schools are really excited
>>about them -but I really question that.
>>
>> It is a concern that a lot of publishers label books as
>>being for high
>> school and the reading level and graphics would be
>>better suited for
>> middle or elementary.
>>
>> I have to tell all salesmen to only bring college level
>>or adult level
>> books or they shouldn't even bother coming.
>> Toni Koontz
>> Librarian
>> St.Charles Preparatory School
>> Columbus,Ohio
>> akoontz@cdeducation.org
>> Carpe Diem
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "debwaugh.lm_net@frontiernet.net"
>><debwaugh.lm_net@FRONTIERNET.NET>
>> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 3:01 PM
>> Subject: Does YA NonFiction Cheat Our Students?
>>
>>
>>> Hi, All--
>>>
>>> I received my usual boxes of books for preview this
>>>week, and I continue
>>> to wonder about the value of the large majority of
>>>titles.
>>>
>>> Just as a "for instance" I'm looking at one called
>>>Keeping Peace in the
>>> World. 48 pages long and it costs $21.95 from this
>>>particular vendor. On
>>> the plus side, a book like this is filled with colorful
>>>pictures and
>>> informative charts, graphs and sidebars of additional
>>>info. So there is a
>>> better chance of the book appealing to the "multimedia
>>>generation." But
>>> the reading level and amount of text seem very low to
>>>me.
>>>
>>> I have received a few books that are at a higher level,
>>>such as the
>>> Scientific American Critical Anthologies series, but 90%
>>>of the books in
>>> the preview boxes could probably be easily read by a 4th
>>>grader.
>>>
>>> Has this move to graphics versus text bothered anyone
>>>else or do you
>>> think it's just the way of the future?
>>>
>>> Deb Waugh
>>> Librarian
>>> Graham High School
>>> 210 Valleydale Street
>>> Bluefield, Virginia
>>> debwaugh.lm_net@frontiernet.net
>>>
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Lanell Rabner
Springville High School
Librarian
1205 East 900 South
Springville, Utah 84663 USA
801.489.2870
lanell.rabner@nebo.edu
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