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sarbonn
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan
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 Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:45 pm Post subject: Looking for a novel for elementary students |
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| The kids I'm teaching are about 13-14, and we're reading Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. They're about done with the book, so I need the next book to assign to them. Keep in mind, my knowledge is really college students, so I'm still new to a lot of the material in this age period. Any advice on a decent book that would fit into this curriculum at this time? |
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linky123
Joined: 12 Feb 2009
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Chamchiman
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Location: Digging the Grave
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| Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: Looking for a novel for elementary students |
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| sarbonn wrote: |
| The kids I'm teaching are about 13-14..... |
It's impossible to recommend a book without having firsthand knowledge of their level. A good rule of thumb is that if there are more than two/three/four words on each page that they don't understand, it's probably too hard for them (and likely won't be a lot of fun). I've done a fair number of novels with elementary school students, and I've found this rule of thumb a good one to follow.
Some books you might want to check out (from most difficult):
1. Newberry winners (including "A Single Shard" and other books by Linda Sue Park)
2. Roald Dahl
3. Guided readers such as the Stepping Stones series (from which my kids have really, REALLY enjoyed the Classic titles) |
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SeoulFinn
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Location: 1h from Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Not sure if this helps, but I still have the very 1st English book I had to read in the elementary school. I think 13 at that time (7th grade).
Anyway, the book was The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend. The book was easy to read, not too thick and quite funny... as far as I remember. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:12 am Post subject: |
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I belong to a few reading teacher's discussion groups and have created lists of all the best recommended books in our discussions. Go HERE and look under many of the lists. Took me hours/days to compile but really handy to get an idea of the best children's books or other books out there.
Lots I could suggest if I knew the level/grade. One book I loved and used with my students was Freak the Mighty - also for non fiction - Hana's Suitcase.
Cheers,
DD
http://eflclassroom.com |
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Chuvok
Joined: 25 Jan 2009
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:17 am Post subject: |
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Harry Potter. The first book.
No doubt most of them will have read it in Korean, or seen the movie.
Download a Korean translation and give it to them side by side with the English text. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:19 am Post subject: |
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| Chuvok wrote: |
Harry Potter. The first book.
Download a Korean translation and give it to them side by side with the English text. |
this post is so wrong it isn't even funny |
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Chuvok
Joined: 25 Jan 2009
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:25 am Post subject: |
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| VanIslander wrote: |
this post is so wrong it isn't even funny |
Explain yourself!
 |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:49 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
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Chuvok wrote:
Harry Potter. The first book.
Download a Korean translation and give it to them side by side with the English text.
this post is so wrong it isn't even funny |
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If it isn't obvious, it won't ever be obvious....
Latent structure rules obvious structure -- that's the reason teaching English is an art and not a fart.
DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com |
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Chuvok
Joined: 25 Jan 2009
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:27 am Post subject: |
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| ddeubel wrote: |
If it isn't obvious, it won't ever be obvious....
Latent structure rules obvious structure -- that's the reason teaching English is an art and not a fart.
DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com |
Whatever, hater, go promote your crap website somewhere else.
Students love Harry Potter, especially 13-14 year olds. Great language, lots of new vocabulary, interesting story.
Elementary is too low to understand it unassisted. So give them a translation where they can look up passages they didn't understand. |
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sarbonn
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:31 am Post subject: Re: Looking for a novel for elementary students |
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| Chamchiman wrote: |
| sarbonn wrote: |
| The kids I'm teaching are about 13-14..... |
It's impossible to recommend a book without having firsthand knowledge of their level. A good rule of thumb is that if there are more than two/three/four words on each page that they don't understand, it's probably too hard for them (and likely won't be a lot of fun). I've done a fair number of novels with elementary school students, and I've found this rule of thumb a good one to follow.
Some books you might want to check out (from most difficult):
1. Newberry winners (including "A Single Shard" and other books by Linda Sue Park)
2. Roald Dahl
3. Guided readers such as the Stepping Stones series (from which my kids have really, REALLY enjoyed the Classic titles) |
I was looking at A Single Shard earlier today, and it's on the top of my list right now, even though I was apprehensive about it because it's a Korean-based story, and I thought it would be more interesting to Korean students to have a subject matter that has American cultural references. That's what was so cool about the Hollis Woods book we were reading. But the more I think about it, perhaps A Single Shard might not be a bad one to choose.
I'm avoiding Harry Potter only because I personally can't stand Harry Potter. It's a personal choice thing, and I understand lots of other people like it. I'd probably jump off a cliff if I had to teach it myself. |
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