Your name

Where & what you teach

What you hope to learn from this workshop

How do you foster critical thinking skills related to reading in your classroom?

What are your successes with teaching reading skills?

What are your biggest frustrations with teaching reading skills?

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them

think”~ Socrates

Dialectical Journals Purpose:

Force the student to interact with the text Goes beyond basic summarization of the text Students pull out specific quotes and passages

from the reading Look for stylistic and literary devices used

They are having a conversation with the text!

BUT, THEY ARE OUTDATED!

Examples

Do They Work?

LP/ HG

LP/ LG HP/ LG

HP/ HG

MAP data from spring 2015- fall 2015

What’s in a Post? Summary

4-5 Sentences Forces students to be more concise in their

writing

Text Responses two significant quotes or passages Responses are students’ original thoughts,

reactions, feelings, questions about the text, as well as discussing writer’s craft and structure

Can be tailored to specific concepts being taught in class

Concluding Thoughts Predictions Opinions Must be thoughtful

Enhancements Minimum of two

Enhance thoughts, feelings, reactions

NOT illustrations

GIFs, memes, videos, original drawings, songs, or photos & clip art

Makes the posts visually appealing to the reader

Quick check-in for teacher (Is he getting it?)

Writing Style Informal/ Casual

Allows them to express themselves honestly, genuinely

Writing mechanics still matter!

Use of text features like titling posts, sub headings, captions

AdvantagesStudent

More active independent reading practice at home

Building confidence in reading & writing

Student choice

Personalize look

Teacher

Quick formative check-ins

Flip the class

More writing practice

Start using higher level Bloom’s such as analyzing, evaluating and creating

In what ways can this be used in your classroom?

What would you add to adapt it to your curriculum?

How can you adapt this to your grade level?

Activity

Plan a blogging assignment for your class