With regards to preparing students to become better multiple-choice test-takers, I have observed the following over the years:
- Students often plateau early in the year
- No matter how many practice exams I hurl at the kids, I don't witness any real improvement in scores
Here's the reason why ... skill-n-drill exercises do not teach students to become better readers.
And that's the kicker - good test takers are good readers ... and good writers are good readers.
So, in today's video lesson, I gamify the process of how to become a better reader.
Many of you are familiar with Nancy Dean's "Voice Lessons."
What I have done is ask a slew of questions in the flavor of Nancy Dean for the following texts:
From Benjamin Franklin to Author Lee
"My Dog Ranger" by George H.W. Bush
Henry Rollins Plea for Punctuality
Confused Metamorphosis Reader to Franz Kafka
Ayn Rand to Cat Fancy
H.G. Wells to the Mayor of Cambridge
Carl Sagan to Chuck Berry
Bertha Brewster to the Men of the U.K.
Breakfast: A Recipe by Zelda Fitzgerald
Jack London "My Kind"
Steven Spielberg "To Barry"
Naval Officer to a Creditor
Hunter S. Thompson to Eleanor McGarr
After conducting this exercise over a number of classes, most of my students witnessed marked improvement in their practice M.C. scores.
In the video's description, you can download all of the game slides (game play plus all the "Voice Lessons" questions).
It's a ton of fun, but more importantly, the lesson really works.
Happy teaching and happy writing!
0 comments