My ninth grade class meets at the end of the day. They are tired, smelly, and reluctant readers. We want them to enjoy reading to know more. The texts we must use are difficult. We need something to attract their attention and provide them opportunities to succeed at their reading level.
My ninth grade students live in a suburb in the south.
Many come from trailer parks, government housing, or older homes in the area. Our school serves many who qualify for free and reduced breakfast and lunch. The students do not ask for much. We have to watch to be aware of needs---like worn out shoes. They are teens living in 2014, and they want to be up-to-speed with whatever is "cool" this week. Their reading skills are sadly lacking and there is very little motivation or support from home to work to improve this. We must teach our standards using the texts, but we also realize that students need to be allowed to develop a love of reading and a lifetime habit of staying current through reading. These students do not do well with library books---too much commitment; their parents may move in the middle of the night. Library books get left behind. I have used ACTION magazine in the past and it entices students to read for themselves and is on a level that they CAN read.
My Project
With ACTION magazines coming in every two weeks students will anticipate having their OWN copy to read, to write in, and to learn from. There is usually a drama to read aloud as a class. We work with vocabulary and literary elements. They feel that this is more for "them" because they can read it independently. The non-fiction articles are springboards for discussion and writing. We are still meeting standards with these entries, but because it is "new" every couple of weeks, students tend to have a more positive response to the colorful, attractive magazines.
My students' families cannot afford the $8.50 subscription cost, so donations will be needed to make this happen!
School funding is not available to cover this expense "extra." I feel that the current events and reading materials are crucial to the development of my young teens into people who read for pleasure and read to learn.
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