| Hi Doris: I read this article as well and found it to be really interesting and inspiring in a sense. You asked: Do you think the potential to change reluctant learners depend on how well the teacher can engage them in the learning process? Why? Why Not? -- I think so. I think the more children see reading and writing in a positive sense the better chance they will have at changing their attitudes. If we make literacy instruction more positive and less critical students wonn't become too discouraged. If students are allowed to select books that they are interested in to read they may actually see that reading is fun. I think we need to show them that reading is fun. And just giving them a book to read silently all of the time isn't the way to do it. It's no fun if they can't engage themselves in the material. Sometimes we have to do that for them through read alouds and guided reading. I have quite a few reluctant readers in my classroom, but when I choose books to read to them that they find interesting and that can grab their attention, then they are more attentive during instruction and participate more. How can we help students function socially in the classroom? -- I allow my students to work collaboratively alot in my classroom. They write group stories, work on assignments together, as well as read together. I find that they learn alot from one another. In the coming weeks, I am going to have each of my groups to present a lesson to the class. I'm not quite sure what all this will entail yet, but they like working together. I even give them the opportunity to resolve conflicts that arise within the group before I step in. I'm always surprised at how well they do when they work collaboratively. Tina |