[LIT] lit Digest, Vol 16, Issue 9: Message Two

[Patriciagurnak at aol.com]

To Mary Dovey,
 
We've used materials from Glencoe and are considering adopting their new  
series for our grades 6-8. We really like their division into Reading and  
Writing Workshops (based on 6+1 Traits) . . . and you do get authentic text  . . . 
not modified or "simplified."  There's quite a range of reading  materials, and 
the teacher can choose a variety of ways to work with the  text:  theme, 
genre, reading strategy, etc.  Also, all publishers  are providing enormous 
technological resources.  Next year, they'll  provide a complimentary English series 
called Writer's Choice--which provides  lots of writing and grammar 
materials.   Indiana adopts every six  years; it takes almost that time to decide which 
resources can actually be the  most useful!!  Most companies divide their 
reading series 1-6 and  redundantly 6-8, so finding any series 4-8 would be 
difficult or impossible, as  far as I know.
 
I have used DAYBOOK . . . and I LOVE it!!   This is a very  interactive 
workbook which allows the students to comment on the page with  thoughts, 
understanding (or misunderstanding!), and questions.  However,  from what I've seen of 
the new series, several companies are coming out with  something similar.  
Students obviously can't write in textbooks . . . but  here, with teacher 
encouragement of course, students can show their personal  reactions to what's on the 
printed page.  Authors and selections are  carefully chosen; the brief 
reading and responding sections, I think, appeal to  the non-readers in middle 
school . . . yet the valuable lesson of mentally  reacting to the text is paramount.
 
Patti Gurnak
St. Thomas More School
Munster, IN  46321
pgurnak at exchange.stm-school.com