motivation

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Fourth Grade Teachers Chatboard

motivation

by Mr. G

Aug 30, 2011

new to teaching 4th grade. title 1 school. 75% english language learners. what do you do when multiple kids say they dont care about learning to read? how can you get someone motivated to learn and to love to read? i have multiple kids that read at a 1st or 2nd grade level

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Sara On 8/30/11, Mr. G wrote: > new to teaching 4th grade. title 1 school. 75% english language learners. what do you do when multiple kids say they dont care about learning to read? how can you get someone motivated to learn and to love to read? i have multiple kids that read at a 1st or 2nd grade level

Children put their caring away when t...See MoreOn 8/30/11, Mr. G wrote: > new to teaching 4th grade. title 1 school. 75% english language learners. what do you do when multiple kids say they dont care about learning to read? how can you get someone motivated to learn and to love to read? i have multiple kids that read at a 1st or 2nd grade level

Children put their caring away when they grow discouraged - these are discouraged children you have. Children naturally care but they learn to try not to when they've known failure.

Find fun, easy to understand books and read aloud to them. There's a wealth of research to show that everyone should be read aloud to - even older kids. (are you a good expressive aloud reader? Practice your aloud reading skills)

Find culturally relevant books to read aloud - what's their language? Spanish? Punch in Spanish folk tales, Mexican folktales, Chinese folktales). And tell them that in every folktale - before you read it - that there's a message - what's the message?

Do a 'Mystery Word' of the day ( or week because it's a lot of work) Write the word on the board - explain what it means and then have it hidden around the room on small pieces of paper - they have to stay in their seats and try to spot the 'mystery word' all over the room. I vary the sizes of my papers that I write it on from very large (easy to see) to very small and sticking out from behind the classroom clock...)

They're reading when they do that. I'll move on to 'Mystery Phrase' and teach an idiomatic phrase like "You're kidding!" and 'Can you believe that?!" Mystery Sentence and Mystery Title when we're about to start a book. (get the sticky stuff that lets you put paper anywhere)

If you can make reading palatable, help them to feel successful at it, they will dread reading less. And nothing wrong with using Spanish language words - there are cognates! Rodeo for one. Pardon for another.

Flood them with language and success. Read aloud every day. Do road signs - and make road signs for the room - they love it. "No Passing". Act out what the signs mean. Do street signs - their streets. Put them up all over the room. Make up a street name for your classroom and put it up over the door.

Make big fake checks - teach them to read a check and to write a check. Teach them some charities' names and let them donate their checks to the charities' in boxes in the front of the room. Actually write a letter to the charities - let the kids write it and read it - and you'll get one back.

I'd even penpal with your kids or get an elderly relative of yours to penpal with them. "Hey, we got a letter from Aunt Agnes and she's wishing Chino a Happy Birthday!" Make birthday cards in English and their own languages. Send them to everybody, each other, the Principal, the other teachers.

All of that is reading in short, fun, successful bursts.

Aug 31, 2011

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Leah You might be interested in the following article:

Also, click on Teacher articles at the bottom of it for "Rewards in the Classroom.

Sep 7, 2011

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