Young children respond well to literature.

by Barbara S.

You choose a book that has a lesson you would like to impart. First, show the cover, and ask, "What does this remind you of?" The child will respond with many different things. This is a text to self connection that will begin to allow your audience to find interest in the book. (You might also get text to text, or text to world answers.) As you read (while showing the pictures), you can stop at different points and ask, "Do you wonder anything?" "What do you wonder?" Accept all answers. Prediction can be very helpful. For instance: A boy is being bullied. You ask, "What do you think will happen next?" Answers might range from a fight to a talk to running away. Now you are ready to read on to see what happens in the book. After you finish, you can have a discussion about the results of various types of behavior, consequences, lovingkindness, etc. AND NOW THAT I HAVE TYPED ALL OF THIS, I REALIZE YOUR DAUGHTER IS IN 8th GRADE. OK, LET ME THINK.

Change the book to a short story on the appropriate grade level with an appropriate topic. This should be done in a small group. The whole class would probably choose to act like they are what they are: 8th graders. (Feel sorry for them.)

There is reading comprehension synthesis called CROP-QV. I should give credit to whoever created this, but I don't know who it was.
C= connection - This reminds me of ...
R= reaction- This makes me feel ...
O= opinion- I think...
P= prediction- I think...will happen next
Q= question-I wonder...
V= visualization- I can imagine what...looked/sounded/felt/tasted like
With the right short story, discussion should take you where you want to go. A very direct approach about character will probably be shrugged off by 8th graders. It's not "cool" you know. And that's probably a very old fashioned word. Jeffrey DeCelles, what word do I need?

Good luck.
Barbara S.