Reading can be a very complex activity. The reader’s first responsibility is to understand the text as it is written. Once we have worked to understand a text the way its construction asks us to, we have other things to do: play with the text, see what other meanings may be hidden or suppressed, and decide whether to embrace, adapt, or resist the authorial vision we think is being offered. Wilhelm argues that it’s very important that reading comprehension happen in this order. Out of author respect we should first ask ourselves: What does this text mean to the audience for which it was written? Then we can go deeper and ask: How do we feel about that? And What do I want to do about this as a result?
There are different types of reenactment strategies to help students find the text’s literal and implied meaning.
1. Telling tales: One person tells a story and the listeners pose questions, playing stranger in the role, trying to piece together the details.
2. Mime: Students are asked to act out a scene silently as it is read aloud.
3. Guided Imagery: Ask students to close their eyes and listen as a passage is read aloud. The teacher asks guiding questions like: What are you seeing now? Where are you now? What else do you see and feel?
4. Scene Writing: Students write a script for a scene to be performed
5. Dance/Movement Reenactments: Students dance to show a specific scene in the text they read.
6. A Day in the Life/Magic Schoolbus: This is based off the children’s show the Magic Schoolbus where students can pretend they become microscopic and analyze things at this perspective.
7. “What if?” Scenerios:: Where students ask What if? Questions and then reenact them.
8. Alternative Ending: Students can enact different endings and discuss their meanings.
9. Tunnel of Time: Students characters that go forward or back in time to see how the past or future might impact the story.
10. Scrooge Looking Down: Looks closely at what in the character’s past could explain the current status.
I do an activity similar to Guided Imagery in my classroom where I have students go back to a memory they have that is very vivid. I have them close their eyes and imagine that they are there. They are lead through different guiding questions to recreate that moment. Periodically they open their eyes and write what they saw, heard, smelled…. Then we use these writings to make a poem that highlights their memory. The kids love this activity because it gives them time to think. The lights are off and they have an opportunity to consider what’s important to them. These reenactments can be very powerful.
As a closing to this chapter, Milhelm quotes a letter one of his previous students wrote him, “I don’t want to be taught what to think but how to think, and I liked how you tried to do that in really active, fun ways that made the things we read really come alive.”
Salina- All of the activities that you mentioned would really help the comprehension of students after reading. I see this activity as one you would tell students you are going to be doing prior to reading the text. Students will begin envisioning what they are going to need to do to reenact the story. My childrens' teachers have done the writing activity that you wrote about, closing their eyes and describing a place. It really steps up their writing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Judy. I just finished reading a great chapter in my text, Reading Essentials by Regie Routman, and all these activities would aid in a student's comprehension of the text. I also think the engagement level of the students would be great because the activities are not the boring comprehension activities we use too often...it new and refreshing.
ReplyDeleteThese are really great suggestion that you lay out. I wonder how this would play with high school students. I always want to do role playing but my students are just not having it. I guess I should press a little harder. - Omar
ReplyDeleteI really like all of the techniques that the author describes. I think that we can help students engage in learning in different ways so that they can become better readers and enjoy reading as well.
ReplyDeleteI love all of the techniques that were introduced in this chapter. I think students would really enjoy them and be engaged with one of these activities versus a list of questions that needed to be answered.
ReplyDeleteI loved the quote you chose to end your blog. I think the author has offered interesting and engaging ideas for students to have fun with. I know I'm taking notes and making a list of the things I would like to tryout in my own classroom.
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