Making Reading an Active Process

As we continue to read You Gotta be the Book in class each chapter presents new information about reading in the English classroom. Wilhelm has a way of telling from experience while informing about the best ways to engage students that he has found in all of his years. A whole section of the third chapter is devoted to "Turning Reading into an Active Process". Wilhelm talks about how some students are reluctant readers because they see it as more of a "decoding process". Wilhelm would rather have students find meaning in the reading. But he has made it apparent that this distaste for reading stems from the "traditional questions and discussion patterns". It is here that I think Wilhelm makes a great point students who aren't engaged in the reading won't ever find interest if they are given assignment without variety or assignments that do not peak interest.

Wilhelm discovered that the use of different dramatic and artistic activities helped his students experience and learn from the text. Students should be able to express their creativity in English class as to keep them better engaged in the reading, Wilhelm offers various assignments pertaining to reading and the application of dramatic means for assignments. One of the assignment I would use in my own classroom is his "Correspondence" assignment which has students write and respond to diaries, post cards, letters and advertisements in the role of a character. This assignment really seems beneficial for students. Having students write creatively about a book might peak more of an interest. An assignment like this would allow a lot of creative freedom because students could really work to make the letters or post cards fit the time period and the setting of the book.

By allowing students to be creative it helps with the understanding of key points of the book. I know that with project I would always go overboard. My finish product would be over the top and close to perfect because i was given that opportunity to be as creative as I wanted all while demonstrating my understanding. Reluctant readers given different options could develop a tolerance for reading or even enjoyment given the necessary resources.