First Minutes in Class - Great Vocabulary - Reading Activity

Many teachers struggle with those first minutes in a period when business is conducted like attendance.  Kim McCready, author of this article, has used the same type of opening activity for years but kids became bored and did the minimum required.  McCready searched for other opening activities which you will read about in this article.  What about you?  Have you done something similiar?  Different but with great success?  Share your ideas below in Comments.

When Bell-Ringers Go Bad:  My Quest to Deepen Start-of-Class Activities.  Kim McCready.  1.15.14.  Education Week Teacher
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/01/14/ctq_mccready.html?cmp=ENL-EU-MOSTPOP

The Power of Gestures

We've known for some time gestures are important for new ELLs to learn new words.  Earlier I posted an article relating how gestures help students learn Math.  This article is written for parents and was published in the Los Angeles Times by science writer Amina Khan.
As you read this article, think "teacher" instead of parent. You as a Title I teacher can do the same thing, especially for very young readers.  So many of us speak with our hands anyway - now is the time to think just how are hands are helping students read.  Excellent and worth your time.

Want your kids to learn more words?  Use your hands, study says.  Amina Khan. 6.24.13.  Los Angeles Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-words-children-learn-nonverbal-cues-quality-language-20130624,0,6140562.story

Tell us your stories about gesturing which teaching vocabulary.  Share and we will all learn.

Scavenger readers? We have them.

Whatever comprehension skill we as teachers work on with our students, you can bet on the fact that some students are "scavenger" readers.  This article explains scavenger reading and helps teachers realize that sometimes their own strategies lead to this undesirable reading behavior.  What the article does teach us is that we can help students digest the information they are "reading."  The author explains 3 simple ideas:  1.  Keep it real; 2.  Question your questions; and 3.  Model.

Are we creating readers of scavengers?  Fred Ende. 5.9.13 Smart Blog on Education - Ideas that Work. http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/05/09/are-we-creating-readers-or-scavengers/

Make sure you read the many comments following the article and let's hear some of your own. Post them below.

How to Cultivate a Love of Reading in Students

Amidst all the multimedia options and Common Core's stress on close reading and increased non-fiction, how do we instill a love of reading?   Popular blogger, Elen Aguilar offers 10 ways that teachers, parents, and administrators can help.   She means old fashioned "paper" books.
Some of her strategies are approprate for Title I classes, others not since they need investment from other stakeholders.  I particularly like strategies 8, 9, and 10. 

What strategies do you use to encourage students to read for recreation?

Ten Ways to Cultimate a Love of Reading in Students. Elena Aguilar. 2.13.13. edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/cultivating-love-reading-students-elena-aguilar