California State Assignment Template

Pre-reading is extremely important when is comes to teaching a text of any kind.  When giving students a way to look at a text (a lens), it allows for students to actively engage with what they are reading.  Students are able to then understand what it is they are looking for in the text whether it is a theme or concept or stylistic choices of the author.
The other thing with doing a pre-reading is as teachers, we can help students make links to their personal lives.  In creating those connects, students tend to respond to a text in a more thoughtful manner and understand why the text is being read.  Currently in the classroom I am teaching in, we are reading I Am Malala.  This is a book about a girl who was shot by the Taliban for going to school and protesting in that manner.  When prepping the students for the reading of the book, I had to give a context to the students of what the book was about and why it was written.  The students watched a video of Malala and her family talking about their experience on “The Ellen Show.”  As we have just started reading the text, I have had to think about how to discuss the reading with the students and what it is exactly I want the students to take from each chapter.
Having students discuss what experiences they have that relate to the text is always helpful.  I Am Malala was chosen in light of current events in the Middle East.  We are trying to help students understand that what is going on affects many people in many ways.

Also, in liking at the way the book is written is important.  When looking at I Am Malala, I like the way the chapters are kept relatively short.  This allows for breaks and reflection of the text more often for the students.  There is no pressure to keep reading when there is a difficult section of the text.  Students can take a “brain-break” from the difficulty of the text. 

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