A major theme recurrent in all my education classes has been: how do we get adolescents to read? I think anyone reading this already knows that getting students to read is like pulling teeth. They don't read, and they don't want to read. So what do we do?
Linda Gambrell talks about how we are now a "cybernation." In her article "Technology and the Engaged Literacy Learner," she offers a suggestion on how we can try to get studnets to read more. Consider this fact:
73% of the students who reported using the internet said they spent more time reading books as a result of internet use.
Hmmm... so a direct correlation between internet use and reading? I think we might be able to use this information...
Gambrell's reasoning lies in 3 factors she talks about in her article.
1. access to reading materials
2. opportunity for self-selection
3. social interations about text
Basically, if students have internet access, they can view excerpts from books or poems. I can google any poem I want to read right now! I can even see what someone thought of that poem. Then, I can go write about what I think about that poem. If I want to read something, I can go to Amazon.com or some other website that suggests books that I would like to read. The options are endless!
So as there may be many answers to the question, here is one. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment on the blog.
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