[NIFL-FAMILY:1161] Re: Low Level High Interest Novels

From: Betsy Cornwell (Betsy_Cornwell@sad17.k12.me.us)
Date: Thu Jun 06 2002 - 14:37:55 EDT


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From: "Betsy Cornwell" <Betsy_Cornwell@sad17.k12.me.us>
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Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1161] Re: Low Level High Interest Novels
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In Maine we are blessed to have a program called "New Books New Readers."
A visiting scholar will come once a month for four months to conduct a
book discussion.  It's much like a book discussion group you might find in
your local library except that the participants are all adults who are
working to improve their reading skills and their teachers.  We have read
several novels that were written for teens.  Some of our favorites:
	Make Lemonade (already mentioned)
	The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars
	The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
	What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman (deals with domestic violence from a
young child's point of view)
	I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson  (deals with sexual
abuse)

Then, of course, there's A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck

I have been surprised to find that the book discussions we have with our
adult learners are in many ways richer and more enlightening than class
discussions in undergrad and graduate courses.  I think it's partly due to
the fact that we have a much richer variety of life experience in the New
Books New Readers crowd.  I have also been surprised to see that GED
reading scores seem to improve even with students who are receiving little
or no reading instruction beyond what they do for the discussion group.

Betsy Cornwell, coordinator
West Paris Family Learning Project
Agnes Gray School
170 Main St.
West Paris  ME  04289
(207) 674-2332
betsy_cornwell@sad17.k12.me.us



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