Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
William Anderson
Committee Member
Edward J. Ruyack
Keywords
attitudes toward reading, English as a second language, intermediate grades, parent involvement, reading aloud, reading attitudes, reading encouragement, reading habits, reading instruction, reading motivation, reading role models, recreational reading, self-selected reading, student motivation, sustained silent reading, writing activities
Abstract
This practicum was designed to address the problem of the need for improving the intermediate grade level ESL students' attitudes towards recreational reading. The students were not choosing to read during the periods of time provided for individual activity choices within the ESL classroom, and they were not choosing recreational reading as an activity at howe when they had extra time available. The goal of the practicum was to improve the intermediate grade level ESL students' attitudes towards recreational reading so that they would share their enthusiasm and interests in pleasure reading, as well as devote more time to recreational reading.
The writer met with parents of ESL students to discuss ways they could encourage recreational reading and school success; scheduled time for recreational reading in the classroom; developed students’ interest in newspapers; encouraged students to write, edit, and read their own news of current events using a microphone; had students write their own books; and prepared a grant so that in reactional reading materials would be available to the students.
The results of the practicum were very successful. The students chose recreational reading when given an option of self-selected reading or other activities. They were able to discuss what they had read and found it less difficult to read for pleasure.