Reading Aloud to Adolescents from Blakely Lord on Vimeo.
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Showing posts with label action learning project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action learning project. Show all posts
June 16, 2011
Action Learning Project Proposal
Inquiry Question/Issue/Problem
How do adolescents respond when an adult reads fiction aloud to them? Do older teens (15-17) react to "read alouds" differently than younger teens/tweens (12-14)? Does hearing an adult read aloud generate a desire for peer-to-peer "read alouds"? Are adolescents willing to listen to fiction they might not be willing to read?
Relevance of this Inquiry to Young Adult Literature
As we have discussed, YA literature spans a wide variety of genres and styles. Increasingly, YA lit is not confined to stories about teens dealing with "teen issues." This inquiry will examine whether adolescents enjoy listening to non-YA fiction and whether hearing non-YA stories read aloud encourages adolescents to expand their literary interests.
How this Inquiry is supported by our Waves of Change Theoretical Framework
Many of the theories of literacy we explored focus on constructing the meaning of texts collaboratively. Reading aloud supports collaborative text analysis and meaning making by enabling every reader to - literally - hear the text in the same voice. This ensures a common starting point for understanding the text, even if listeners, upon further reflection, ultimately read the text differently.
Reading aloud simultaneously shifts the emphasis away from the mechanics of reading to the content of the literature and also, paradoxically, helps the listener better understand good reading practices by modeling how language can be read effectively (where to pause; which words to emphasize; etc.).
Project Design
I will read short stories to several groups of adolescents from Here I Am, a collection of Jewish short stories from around the world and from and The Best American Non-Required Reading series. Since the adolescents are all Jewish teens and tweens who are attending a Jewish summer camp, they have a basic connection with stories written by and/or about Jewish people. However, participants are unlikely to be familiar with these particular stories. In addition, because the stories are international (often translated from another language), literary (character-focused rather than plot-driven and/or unconventionally structured), and written using sophisticated syntax and diction, they may present a greater challenge than more traditional YA literature.
The reading will take place at bedtime, with a group of 8-12 participants. Before reading, I will lead a brief discussion about the role of reading and writing in Jewish culture. After reading, I will ask participants for reactions to the story. I will also make it clear that books are available if anyone wants read more stories.
I will collect feedback in several ways. First, I will record at least some of the reading session, and review the video later to see/hear participant response during the reading. Second, I will listen to participant reactions during and after the reading. Third, I will observe how many participants ask to borrow the stories. Finally, I will ask the counselors for feedback about the activity, whether their campers enjoyed hearing the stories, and whether the adolescents talked about the experience afterward.
Project Multimedia Report
I plan to create a video documenting the process of implementing my project and explaining my findings. I will discuss with the camp director whether it is okay to record camper images and/or how I can use such recordings. Even if I cannot use video of campers, I can use written transcriptions (ie, quotes) of their reactions. I can also provide video of counselors discussing the activity, and the sound of my own voice as I read to the campers.
How do adolescents respond when an adult reads fiction aloud to them? Do older teens (15-17) react to "read alouds" differently than younger teens/tweens (12-14)? Does hearing an adult read aloud generate a desire for peer-to-peer "read alouds"? Are adolescents willing to listen to fiction they might not be willing to read?
Relevance of this Inquiry to Young Adult Literature
As we have discussed, YA literature spans a wide variety of genres and styles. Increasingly, YA lit is not confined to stories about teens dealing with "teen issues." This inquiry will examine whether adolescents enjoy listening to non-YA fiction and whether hearing non-YA stories read aloud encourages adolescents to expand their literary interests.
How this Inquiry is supported by our Waves of Change Theoretical Framework
Many of the theories of literacy we explored focus on constructing the meaning of texts collaboratively. Reading aloud supports collaborative text analysis and meaning making by enabling every reader to - literally - hear the text in the same voice. This ensures a common starting point for understanding the text, even if listeners, upon further reflection, ultimately read the text differently.
Reading aloud simultaneously shifts the emphasis away from the mechanics of reading to the content of the literature and also, paradoxically, helps the listener better understand good reading practices by modeling how language can be read effectively (where to pause; which words to emphasize; etc.).
Project Design
I will read short stories to several groups of adolescents from Here I Am, a collection of Jewish short stories from around the world and from and The Best American Non-Required Reading series. Since the adolescents are all Jewish teens and tweens who are attending a Jewish summer camp, they have a basic connection with stories written by and/or about Jewish people. However, participants are unlikely to be familiar with these particular stories. In addition, because the stories are international (often translated from another language), literary (character-focused rather than plot-driven and/or unconventionally structured), and written using sophisticated syntax and diction, they may present a greater challenge than more traditional YA literature.
The reading will take place at bedtime, with a group of 8-12 participants. Before reading, I will lead a brief discussion about the role of reading and writing in Jewish culture. After reading, I will ask participants for reactions to the story. I will also make it clear that books are available if anyone wants read more stories.
I will collect feedback in several ways. First, I will record at least some of the reading session, and review the video later to see/hear participant response during the reading. Second, I will listen to participant reactions during and after the reading. Third, I will observe how many participants ask to borrow the stories. Finally, I will ask the counselors for feedback about the activity, whether their campers enjoyed hearing the stories, and whether the adolescents talked about the experience afterward.
Project Multimedia Report
I plan to create a video documenting the process of implementing my project and explaining my findings. I will discuss with the camp director whether it is okay to record camper images and/or how I can use such recordings. Even if I cannot use video of campers, I can use written transcriptions (ie, quotes) of their reactions. I can also provide video of counselors discussing the activity, and the sound of my own voice as I read to the campers.
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