Natasha Thomas - PME 811 Journey: Reflection as a Way of Life

  At the beginning of the course, I decided to embark on a self-reflective and inquiry-based journey, with a view of trying to answer the question:  How can I modify my (physical and remote) instruction to increase my students' motivation and interest to study fiction and non-fiction texts - even beyond the walls of the classroom?  Up to this point, my blogging journey has led me to the following culminating reflections/next steps to practical application in my professional context:  It's important to be transparent about my own experience with reading , as a young child and adult.  Being more creative when facilitating/promoting reading (e.g. book clubs, read aloud etc.) is a crucial part of making the experience relevant and interesting for students. Modifying my own teaching and instructional approach to reading - move towards embracing one that is student-centered.  Time to start unpacking the historical and philosophical influences which determine th...

  Historically, reading has been associated with holding a physical text, consisting of a number of pages riddled with words and phrases in a compact binding - and while there are people (like me) who absolutely love the feeling of holding a text while reading, and flipping through the pages, this is not always the case for our students.  I can't tell you the number of times that I have seen students' faces shift dramatically when a new class novel is distributed, and either the large size of the novel, smallness of the font, or lack of pictures/images has led them to mentally 'check-out' before even reading the first page. However, with the advancement of technology, there is now a wealth of tools and mediums that can be used to change the interface of reading, making it a more enjoyable and less daunting experience for student readers.  Providing students with the opportunity to use Kindles, eReaders, tablets, computer devices, audiobooks and so many other technologic...