1. Brainstorm ideas for motivating children in their classrooms using literature. Drama can be an effective means of promoting literature to children. The teacher, together with the children, may create costumes and other props to add fun to the reading process. As an example, the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe may be dramatized in the class. The teacher may assign each character among the children or the children themselves may choose their own characters. 2. Reading salons were fashionable in Victorian England.
Consider our current rationale for literature circles: Promote a love for literature and positive attitudes toward reading. Reflect a constructivist, child-centered model of literacy. The contemporary literature circles are doing well in promoting literature among its members. Through such circles, the members are encouraged to read more literary works and analyze these works more intensively. Moreover, such circles also facilitate discussions and enable students to think critically about what they read.
When different students read the text, they would have different interpretations. This gives way to interaction among the students, allowing them to express their thoughts and their views about the text. The students are also able to exercise choice and therefore responsibility as they express their views on story, character, and other elements of literature. 3. Discuss various grouping strategies you have used in your classrooms, focusing on cooperative group. Other kinds of grouping will be addressed: ability groups, recreational reading groups, and whole group.
Discuss the value of grouping; outline the advantages and disadvantages and indicate what factors would determine which grouping pattern to use. Provide suggestions for effectively training groups for productive behavior. In one of the class groupings, peer tutoring has worked well. The advantage of this is that the students are able to group together according to their interests and their own preferences. This way, they no longer have to warm up or adjust to their classmates. They can easily proceed with the reading and lesson proper.
One disadvantage, however, is that students who tend to be loners may be left out in peer groupings. Ability groups and recreational reading groups are also helpful grouping patterns as the students have similar skills. In all of these groupings, they are able to put their hands on actual reading and understanding of the text. Moreover, they also help each other become accustomed to reading and understanding the text. They also decide together, which contributes to a better sense of shared decision making.
