How To Motivate Reluctant Learners

Robyn R. Jackson explains how to engage even the most resistant students by identifying and shaping the key investments you want them to make in your classroom.

Representing views on many facets of reluctant readers, the chapters in this book provide suggestions for working with students who function at a frustration level and those who have an aversion to reading. Specific topics discussed in the book's nine chapters are: (1) building language experiences for reluctant readers, (2) home remedies, (3) using popular music as a motivation device, (4) recent adolescent literature as an alternative to serial books, (5) starter shelves in content area classrooms, (6) using student publishers to promote book sharing, (7) motivating children to read through improved self-concept, (8) the camera as a tool for teaching reading, and (9) services that can be provided by the reading laboratory or resource room. (FL)

In this latest addition to the Mastering the Principles of Great Teaching series, Robyn R. Jackson explains how to engage even the most resistant students by identifying and shaping the key investments you want them to make in your classroom.

Distinguished educators Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick present this collection of stories by educators around the world who have successfully implemented the habits in their day-to-day teaching in K-12 classrooms. The collective wisdom and experience of these thoughtful practitioners provide readers with insight into the transdisciplinary nature of the 16 Habits of Mind—intelligent behaviors that lead to success in school and the larger world—as well as model lessons and suggestions for weaving the habits into daily instruction in language arts, music, physical education, social studies, math, foreign language, and other content areas. Readers will come to understand that, far from an "add-on" to the curriculum, the habits are an essential element for helping students at all grade levels successfully deal with the challenges they face in school and beyond. As in all their books on the Habits of Mind, Costa and Kallick have a broad and worthwhile goal in mind. As they say in the concluding chapter of this volume, "If we want a future that is much more thoughtful, vastly more cooperative, greatly more compassionate, and a whole lot more loving, then we have to invent it. That future is in our homes, schools, and classrooms today. The Habits of Mind are the tools we all can use to invent our desired vision of the future."

Learn why students disengage and how to motivate them to achieve success with a five-step framework. Research-based strategies and fun activities show how to instill a lasting love of learning in students of any age. Classroom tips and troubleshooting advice for common motivation problems prepare readers for the real-world ups and downs of motivating students.

The state-of-the-art guide to research-based student assessment How do teachers know that students know? Donna Tileston′s innovative guide to building brain-compatible assessments can help every teacher identify and enhance student understanding. Topics covered: Building and aligning standards-based assessment Test anxiety and the brain Teacher-made tests State and national assessments Tests for multiple intelligences Performance tasks Teacher observations and student self-assessment Building and using rubrics Building aligned assessments Assessing the assessments Vocabulary pre-test, post-test, and summary Bibliography and index

"A must-read for all middle and high school teachers interested in motivating and engaging their students to enhance their reading development and help them enjoy it at the same time." —Lesley M. Morrow, Professor of Literacy Rutgers University "This rich compendium of information offers a solid plan of action for teachers who want to ensure that their students are highly motivated literacy learners." —Linda B. Gambrell, Distinguished Professor of Education Clemson University Inspire learners′ passion for reading! Every day, secondary school teachers face the challenge of engaging students in essential reading tasks. This accessible text links key instructional practices with current research on reading motivation, engagement, and classroom context to help reluctant learners become active readers. Featuring contributions from content teachers working in collaboration with reading researcher John T. Guthrie, Engaging Adolescents in Reading offers examples that vividly illustrate how motivation looks from the teacher′s vantage point and how students can experience deep reading engagement. The writers discuss teaching frameworks, student activities, and textbooks, and demonstrate how to use classroom-tested motivational approaches. This insightful book shows educators how to: Infuse reading assignments with significance and meaning Present choices that encourage students to take charge of their learning Tap into adolescents′ social natures through group activities Build proficiency and confidence in struggling readers With examples from the content areas, these strategies help teachers increase adolescents′ engagement with texts and boost their reading enjoyment.

Turn any student into a bookworm with a few easy and practical strategies Donalyn Miller says she has yet to meet a child she can’t turn into a reader. No matter how far behind Miller's students might be when they reach her 6th grade classroom, they end up reading an average of 40 to 50 books a year. Miller's unconventional approach dispenses with drills and worksheets that make reading a chore. Instead, she helps students navigate the world of literature and gives them time to read books they pick out themselves. Her love of books and teaching is both infectious and inspiring. In the book, you’ll find: Hands-on strategies for managing and improving your own school library Tactics for helping students walk on their own two feet and continue the reading habit after they’ve finished with your class Data from student surveys and end-of-year feedback that proves how well the Miller Method works The Book Whisperer includes a dynamite list of recommended "kid lit" that helps parents and teachers find the books that students really like to read.