NOW, I remember what I hated about the dictionary as a kid

     If I had to label my middle school academic development, I'd say it was fairly ordinary. I did my homework, not necessarily to the best of my abilities, but decently enough so as not to owe my parents too many explanations. I was interested in reading, mostly comics, and an occasional fantasy novel, but most of my energy was spent on sports and friends. I certainly did not possess then the type of hunger I  hold now for reading.
     This meant, among other things, that when I didn't know a word while reading about the last thing I was going to do was turn to that dusty tome, the dictionary, for help. I mean, I figured it was a big enough deal that I had cracked open a book to start -two books was asking too much.
     As an adult, I understand that my hesitation with looking to the dictionary was mainly because it took time to stop reading one book to turn to another only to go back to book one and pick up my thinking all over again. Or, so I thought. I was reminded this evening of another reason I avoided the dictionary.
     It was because the dictionary was often of no more help to me than if I had skipped over it.  It turns out that when you're 11 or 12, you  reallydon't know all that many words. And, you certainly don't know a word like abiotic (which is completely normal, but which is also going to be on the sixth grade science quiz at the end of the week). Therefore, you turn in absolute desperation to the dictionary for help.
     Hmmm...abiotic...that begins with A. So, that's gonna be in the front of the book. That'll save some time. This should be easy...Oh and it begins AB. That's even easier. Your 11-year-old elation dies upon actually finding the definitions of abiotic, because you don't expect to get this for an explanation: Not associated with or derived from living organisms. Abiotic factors in an environmentinclude such items as sunlight, temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation. Oh yeah, that's a BIIIIIIIIG help. Derived? Factors? Precipitation? Sorry, but I speak English not Scientist. 
     So where am I going with all of this? Great question. Let's see....ummm....err...oh yes. Dictionary.com has recently launched a new online tool which I had great expectations for -still do, though it may take some time. The site has launched a flashcard tool for studying at home. Even though it is in the beta stage, I gave it a whirl. I immediately set up a simple deck of social studies terms and found my enthusiasm sinking quicker than a stock portfolio in 2008. 
     When I typed the word delta, which is a social studies landform sixth graders with be quizzed on, I received a list of about 12 possible definitions. The first was in reference to the Greek letter. Makes sense. Not what I wanted, so I scanned further and got this: a nearly flat plain of alluvial deposit between diverging branches of the mouth of a river, often, though not necessarily, triangular: the Nile delta. Arrrrrgh! Seriously, alluvial? This might have been fine IF there had been a way to edit the definition. Mouth of a river, branches, and triangular all work, along with the example of the Nile delta, but, Dictionary.com doesn't allow for this.Unfriendly definitions aside, I decided to slap a deck together and see how the flashcards work.
     The site does more than just show a word and then expect you to guess what's on the other side. It begins by showing you the all the words and definitions you have chosen for study. When you feel ready, you move to studying. This involves selecting any one, or all, of three methods: a matching game, hearing the word and finding the definition,or  seeing the definition and writing the correct vocabulary word.
     When matching, a group of definition cards from your deck are displayed and only one vocabulary word. You click on the correct definition and you can move on. If not, you're show the correct card to study for a few seconds. When listening, you only hear a vocabulary word and then have to select the correct definition from a few of the definition cards. (Sometimes the choices are "All of the cards" and "None of the cards", which is a good way to reduce guessing. When asked to fill in the blank, you are given one definition and must type in the correct vocabulary word. 
      I do appreciate the variety of  approaches used. I also see the benefits that come from the score keeping the site does. When you've correctly nailed down a word and its definition it is considered mastered and doesn't come up again in your deck. This is sensible. Words you don't know, obviously come up with greater frequency. At the end of a cycle of practice, which depends on the size of the deck, you see your performance as an overall percentage. You also see how well you did with each individual word.
     Despite all the good the flashcards create, I keep coming back to the biggest detractor -no ability to either edit the definitions or chose from more age-appropriate ones. Don't  get me wrong. This site holds great promise for high school and college students, but not younger students. I do hope this changes and a more youth-friendly catalog of definitions are added. (Or, the chance to edit.) For now, there is no more than the same old, dense dictionary terminology I remember as a kid. Pass me the newest issue of Batman will you?

Future Telemarketers?

Audio enhancements seem to be a trend of late in schools and the reading field. My classroom is located in the audio enhancement section of the building, and I have witnessed the effectiveness that enhanced audio can bring to a lesson. So, it should come as no surprise that devices like Whisper Phone and Toobaloo are –ehem- making noise in the reading world these days.
                These devices are really low-tech but deliver what they promise. (They’re also wonderfully cheap, and can be cloned using PVC.) Made from simple plastics, each item is used by students when reading aloud. These audio tools help in several ways.

• students are able to sub-vocalize their reading, yet hear it themselves as if they were speaking fairly loudly
• classroom “noise” during activities like rereading a rough draft are nearly eliminated
• student focus is improved as typical background sounds lose out to the reader’s voice
• finally, and best, the chance for student understanding rises significantly as their reading is ported accurately into their ear canals. 

                I had the opportunity to test these tools this week and found myself smiling at how simple and effective they are. The Toobaloo claims to amplify a sub-vocalized voice as much as 10 times. Having no way to measure this, I’ll buy it. The Toobaloo was indeed the more effective of the two tools for enhancing my voice. The drawback is that it has to be held, like one would hold a phone. The Whisper Phone is hands free, which was great when I needed to hold a book open to read. It was, however, not as loud as the Toobaloo. This often led to me reading a little louder than I might have wished. It also seemed to have a seashell effect. It allowed a steady tone similar to when we put a seashell to our ears to occur. It wasn’t terrible, but something I did notice. Still, it’s hard to not want to have the hands-free set for longer reading.       
                I’m going to work on purchasing a few of these in the coming months to pilot them with my students during certain activities. Unable to decide which device is the best, I’m simply going to buy both. So, if you walk by the room and see kids wearing these then the answer to your likely question is “No, I am not training our youth of today to become tomorrow’s telemarketers!”

If you decide to purchase one of these for home use, I would highly recommend that you have your child place the device up to his/her right ear. Sounds entering the right ear canal access the left side of the brain, which is where much of a child’s understanding of language is developed. This does beg a question, for me at least: If a child is using these devices to review the steps of a math problem, should they wear it over the left ear? Anyone?

My Absolute Favorite Book Evaluator...for the Moment

     Well, it's official. Scholastic Books has finally broken through with a quality application. The Book Wizard is an extremely friendly and, I'm finding, reliable tool for determining some of the vitals about books. For too many years I felt frustrated by the density and improper categorization of the Scholastic website. It was always a fine place to buy books and then not much more useful beyond that. Finally, it's changed.
     Want to know the reading and interest level of Gary Paulsen's book Lawn Boy? Plug in the title and up pops a succinct window of information. (Lawn Boy comes out with an interest level of grades 3-5 and a reading level of 4.5.) Or, maybe you're curious about all of Gary Paulsen's written works. Place his name in the Book Wizard window and presto! All 100 of his works arise. By scanning the page anyone can see that he writes within a fair range of reading levels from grades 3-8. Yes, other sites do this in a similar manner, but what they don't have are some of the additional, useful, bells and whistles that follow:
     Along with interest and reading levels, each book is categorized by genre and topic. This is a very relevant item which many other book sites either do not offer or do not do particularly well. Again, examining Lawn Boy we learn that it falls under the genre of realistic fiction as well as comedy and humor. The latter description is a pleasant bonus many sites won't bother to give. The topics associated with Lawn Boy are jobs, careers, work resourcefulness, and sports. Now, that is a feature I can truly appreciate when I do not have a familiarity with a book.
     Scholastic Books also adds a if-you-like-this-book-then-you'll-enjoy-this-book search window common to movies and music sites. Amazon rose to power with its ability to cross-compare books and make decent suggestions of other titles that could interest its customers. Now Scholastic has done the same also allowing its users to adjust the grade level difficulty at the same time. Was Lawn Boy fun but too easy? Push that meter up a grade or two and new suggestions arise. Nice!
     So, if you're not quite clear about the nature, difficulty, or how well a book might match with your child, run it through the Book Wizard and enjoy the magic. This site can easily be used by your child independently, which is another great approach to satisfying the customer.
     This is without a doubt my favorite tool for checking out the appropriateness of books for particular students by age and interest...until the next best thing comes along.

Hello Parents

     A new school year awaits us, and it promises to be an exciting few weeks for everyone at Gideon Welles School. I'm looking forward to meeting you and your child next week. 

     My colleagues and I have been diligently working to implement many new ideas and books within our curriculum. The Language Arts department is particularly excited about introducing  a slew of contemporary books to your child as part of our theme-based approach to instruction. The books span a range of genres and reading levels, which is critical to providing all our students the opportunity to connect with the written word and engage in the classroom community. It is also a tried and true method for promoting a love of reading.

     What follows is an image that will take you to our books after you've clicked it. Enjoy and hopefully I'll see you next week. 

What Glastonbury Teachers are Reading the Summer of 2010

     Most of the Language Arts and Reading Teachers in Glastonbury are reading Donalyn Miller’s work The Book Whisperer. The book is intended for educators, and while not entirely accessible to those outside of the educational field, its message is laced well enough throughout the work as to be understood by anyone. Miller’s contention is that children become excellent readers by reading, reading a lot. This comes across, in print at least, as too plain of a claim to possibly be accurate, but it is the bare bones of her argument.
Miller explains that reading in her classroom occurs daily for as many hours as she can squeeze in. Students are surrounded literally by thousands of books and have the goal of reading 40 books before the school year is complete. They are given freedom to make book selections within specified genres, and Miller works to see that the student study each genre to learn about which ones speak to them best. Miller holds herself to similar standards during the process. She reads with the children, takes their recommendations, and shares her development as a reader.
     It was difficult to not nod in agreement regarding much of what she holds true about inspiring students to become phenomenal readers. Choice is very important. She points out that many adults can point to several books they had to read in school and disliked immensely. A teacher that reads with his or her students unequivocally demonstrates the importance of the act. It’s not do as a say, it’s do as I do.

Here are some other key points, without the details, which she makes:

· reading should be uninterrupted for longer durations of time

· adult and peers recommendations are critical to finding books that speak to us

· classroom libraries are important and should be as large as possible

· quitting a book is okay as it reflects adult practices

· whole class novels are well-meaning but often counterproductive

· time taken from reading is to be careful considered for its comparative value

· students rarely read at home despite appearances

     I love to read. I read every single day for at least an hour. I find myself making connections between books, the news, movies, and personal experiences often and easily because of my continual reading. There’s no doubt in my mind that heavy readers succeed far more than fail in school or out of school. Miller’s book was therefore pretty much up my alley.
     I do hold a few reservations about her book. A few. I did not feel Miller did enough to explain the instructional activities that occur in her classroom over the course of a school year. She touched on a great deal without providing specific examples. Explanations about writing instruction and practice seemed to be lacking too. I also didn’t see much in the way of how she might work with her lowest students. Again, she merely touched on this.
     Despite these small qualms, Miller’s book is testament to what it means to be a reader. Reading goes well beyond standardized tests and letter grades. And, by the way, Miller points out repeatedly that her students “ace the standardized test” given to all Texas 6th grade students. Read and be rewarded.