Generative Reading has been criticized as being teacher centered, thereby negatively affecting the learning potential of the struggling adolescent reader. I believe however, that it is a useful strategy, once it is employed in a manner that is not demeaning to the student. What do you think?
Generative Reading is a strategy that allows students to move from being passive recipients in the classroom, that is, just reactors to discussions generated by the teacher.
- It allows students to become ‘generators’ or initiators of discussions in the classroom.
-In order for this strategy to be effective however, it requires ‘taking turns’ since the teacher must model for students how to become initiators of discussions on a topic or written piece
While one may argue that this strategy is very teacher centred, so that there is the risk of it impeding students’ cognitive, affective, and expressive processes, I believe that once executed properly, it can be very beneficial to facilitating students’ development as independent and critical thinkers. Indeed, taking turns has its place in the classroom, especially with struggling readers who need Echo Reading, Choral Reading and Read Alouds to develop fluency in reading.
Although it is possible to argue that this activity is very teacher centered, in many classrooms at my institution this approach is necessary as the teachers is always the one reading in the classroom. The offer for readers is offered but no student takes the bait because of shyness or reading problems. It is only when the teacher takes charge and allows them to generate discussion will they develop the self-efficacy to read . Practice here does not make perfect but rather permanent in them becoming readers and writers.
ReplyDelete