By teaching social-emotional skills in conjunction with high-interest novels, high-risk students can see the application of these essential skills in their characters’ lives, which is much less threatening than applying the skills to themselves first.
Many high-risk students lack needed social-emotional skills to navigate traditional schools and their lives. When teaching these skills (locus of control, Kohlberg’s levels of emotional development), they can seem to exist in a vacuum. By pairing this curriculum with high-interest books, students begin to see the relevancy of social-emotional skills in their lives, and it also connects students to a piece of literature, which for many is the first book they have ever read.
This past year alone we have seen students take home Monument 14, and come back to school Monday requesting the sequel. Students have sat in a group and read American Born Chinese continuing through lunch because they are so engaged in the story. And students have requested to borrow additional books to read at home.
By adding sets of these highly engaging books, students will have the opportunity to participate in literature circles, and by adding single titles, students will be able to find a book of interest and possibly the first book they have ever honestly read.
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By teaching social-emotional skills in conjunction with high-interest novels, high-risk students can see the application of these essential skills in their characters’ lives, which is much less threatening than applying the skills to themselves first.
Many high-risk students lack needed social-emotional skills to navigate traditional schools and their lives. When teaching these skills (locus of control, Kohlberg’s levels of emotional development), they can seem to exist in a vacuum. By pairing this curriculum with high-interest books, students begin to see the relevancy of social-emotional skills in their lives, and it also connects students to a piece of literature, which for many is the first book they have ever read.
This past year alone we have seen students take home Monument 14, and come back to school Monday requesting the sequel. Students have sat in a group and read American Born Chinese continuing through lunch because they are so engaged in the story. And students have requested to borrow additional books to read at home.
By adding sets of these highly engaging books, students will have the opportunity to participate in literature circles, and by adding single titles, students will be able to find a book of interest and possibly the first book they have ever honestly read.
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