Research & Connect

Wilhelm really knows what he's doing... Well, he probably didn't feel that way in the beginning. We all start somewhere. As I continued to read his book, many things popped out at me. Here's a big one:

His "Think-Aloud Protocols" really interested me. Having students talk about what they were reading helps students to express themselves and what they take from their own reading. He discovered that you had to prompt the students to stop and talk at certain parts of the reading in order to get better responses.

These were the dimensions he named as he worked with students and connecting them with literature:

1. Entering the story world
2. Showing interest in the story
3. Relating to the characters
4. Seeing the story world
5. Elaborating on the story world
6. Connecting literature to life
7. Considering significance
8. Recognizing literary conventions
9. Recognizing reading as a transaction
10. Evaluating an author, and the self as reader

It is very intriguing to me that he named these specific steps and categorized them into evocative, connective, and reflective- the process of students' thinking. These 10 steps can be used to make assignments (I'm definitely stealing some ideas). They had commentary as they began the first two steps, engaging them in the story. I feel that this is a fair way to evaluate reading... Their own thoughts and feelings about what they decide is important to them. I do not feel as if the stages were rushed either, but they had space to choose their own pace. This whole project is basically a prompted journal, and he received very intellectual responses- ending with an evaluation of their own self

More importantly, I feel that I learned more about how to connect with students... As he studied his students he became more aware of how to work with them. They began to exceed his expectations and connect with him. When you take the time to study your students as you teach them, you are able to discover who they are as a person and not just a face in your classroom. I know I cannot take the time to do such an extensive process with all of my students, but I can definitely use some of the ideas. Here is a LINK of other ideas to connect with your students: my favorite is the "first five minutes"!