Here's the LINK to everything you need to try out the ideas presented in this episode: BLOG on Kids' Own Wisdom, dated 7.29.19
Even though many so-called “poor readers” can sound out words when they see them in print, they often do not comprehend most of what they’re sounding out. Comprehension, it turns out, is a whole other ‘ball game,’ and it requires at least 2 other layers of enrichment besides the ‘decoding’ skill: LAYER #1: a Continually expanding vocabulary, which needs to be exercised in their daily lives and interactions, and, equally important … LAYER #2: factual and experience-based knowledge of the subjects they’re reading about. In a word: RELEVANCE. In 7 words: IN WHAT WAYS DOES THIS MATTER TO ME? In 8 words: How does this show up in my life?
What does this have to do with students’ social, emotional and life skills learning? Well, most of us agree that for general well being and success, kids need to grow in openness to others’ perspectives (a close ‘cousin’ of empathy). They also need to increase their capacity and willingness to be personally accountable and take responsibility. They need to notice and be able to read social clues. They need to be aware of and appropriately express their own feelings. They need to engage in mutually respectful relationships, and on and on … and on …
Those are mighty big concepts and simply discussing them, or reading stories about them, or having a lesson or 2 or 3 that illustrate those concepts in action has not been shown to create deep or long lasting impacts on children’s behaviors … BUT … there is a way to enliven RELEVANCE, which creates ENGAGEMENT, which hasbeen shown to INCREASE retention and carry over influence, (often referred to as transfer of learning). I’m talking about carefully and respectfully designed peer group discussions, which are structured around wide ranging, not-so-predictable, but topic-related questions. Questions to which students in the group will not necessarily have the same answers, but questions to which most of students will have answers that the other students will be interested in, which works to everyone’s advantage. How?
When kids collaboratively answer and discuss questions, based on their own knowledge, understanding and life experiences, they gain the benefit of self-expression, of course, That process of self-expression also establishes ownership of what they know, which they and everyone in the peer group discussion observes and shares, for present and future reference, in the classroom and on the playground… with more and more independence and self-sufficiency.
