Laurie on Embedded Readings

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19 thoughts on “Laurie on Embedded Readings”

  1. Hi Laurie,
    Thanks so much for posting this, Laurie. May I paste it into a post for Latin Best Practices?
    Also, thanks for giving us Latin teachers props for using ER. Because Latin textbook authors and scholars have been simplifying the original Latin classics for over a century, Latin teachers are finding that multiple versions already exist. Bob Patrick has made ER central to his AP strategy–that is, using 3 tiers to help kids read, comprehend and enjoy texts which they have no business reading after only 3 years. Thanks to the work of Bob and other diligent colleagues, we now have the entire AP syllabus in 3+ tiers in one place–for free (forget textbooks!). Getting teachers to use them is the real challenge, and the support you provide in this post is exactly what we all need, both to move forward in our work, and to encourage colleagues to do the same.
    I presented ER to my WL department last year, and they were really excited, so I hope to follow up with them this year.

  2. Alisa Shapiro-Rosenberg

    I use these powerful literacy concepts even with my young learners. I recently did the classic Halloween pattern story, “In a Dark, Dark Wood” with my 2nd thru 4th graders. We read it onscreen, plus I had a book version, then we looked at the pattern: In a dark, dark ____, there was a dark, dark ___.
    We made a 2-column chart and elicited ideas for places to substitute instead of the original woods, house, room, closet, box. in the second column, possible objects that would be found at the end of our story. Finally we voted on and ordered the details largest to smallest, chose an object, and each class did an original story with a few images to spice it up. Now they are reading each other’s versions. Though they are all exactly the same length, there are tons of versions for input.
    3rd grade class: On a dark, dark star, there’s was a dark, dark volcano. And on that dark, dark volcano, there was a dark, dark ship. And on that dark, dark ship there was a dark, dark Barbie House. And in that dark, dark Barbie House, there was a dark, dark bathroom. And in that dark dark bathroom, there was…A BRAIN! Mwahahahaha!

    1. Súper, Alisa.
      If anyone want the Spanish version, google “Oscuro, muy oscuro” by Ruth Brown. And in connection to Claire’s comment below, this seems to be translated by a native speaker for native readers, thus qualifying as an authentic resource.

  3. This is so helpful. I’ve been doing this for years, but without a formal definition and rationale to share with administrators and colleagues.
    Recently, I went to a training about using “authentic text” and I died a little inside. The way the presenter described using authentic (think grade-level) texts just sounded so logical… I was stunned into silence. But of course, such texts are incomprehensible for most of my students. I was wondering how to combat the “increase the rigor” “use authentic text” crap and instead focus on BUILDING UP TO authentic texts. And then I read Laurie’s post. And a light bulb came on.
    Maybe I can copy and paste one or two sentences from the “authentic text” and break it down into the most simple sentences in an embedded text that builds up to those couple of lines from an “authentic text.” It’s “authentic text,” but it’s comprehensible first and foremost.
    It’s long been a tool in my bag of tricks, but I never had a clear breakdown/argument for it until Laurie’s explanation. I wonder if there is any research or anything “scholarly” to strengthen this further…?
    Maybe embedded texts are the answer to the “authentic text” Nazis who constantly troll my comprehensible input bridges.

    1. Probably what I’m about to say has been covered here and elsewhere in detail, but here’s what Laurie, Terry T Waltz and Martina Bex have finally convinced me about authentic texts: if they’re truly i+1, they’re comprehensible input. If not, the teacher must have a reason to use them. Terry talks in her book about how showing Chinese students a poster on which there are only five characters they understand doesn’t help students create the grammar and vocabulary base in their minds because they can’t see the connections. But if you have a group about to go to China and they must be able to find specific words in signs or on menus…well, then they need to practice with those. I might use headlines from the Russian press to show brand-new students what they can do with the language. It’s an empowering tactic that takes only 30 seconds. (A better one would be to show them that they can read two paragraphs in Russian after only 20 minutes of beginning Russian.)
      I emphasize the fact that authentic texts can be anything, from films and songs to ads, from directional signs and infographics to textbook covers. And I love giving advanced students authentic (print) texts and asking them to boil down the information to a level easy enough for beginners, thereby creating embedded readings. It teaches them a great deal about the language while helping them learn to summarize.

  4. I have found that many teachers who truly believe in the value of only using authentic texts are very open to and supportive of the use of embedded reading. (It’s a relief for them as well!)
    I’d love to know if there is research out there. Contee Seeley and I did a good bit of research prior to the first publication of Embedded Reading in Blaine’s book. (Edition 5, I think…), but we had little luck. Then again, I am no research expert!!
    I would love to see what is already out there! I do know that the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming…..and if I were going to be teaching longer I would look into classroom research on this topic.
    with love,
    Laurie

      1. I have a terrible mind for research. Admittedly, I did not take many courses in research as I was planning to be a kindergarten teacher!!!!!
        I think that it would be interesting to see how using embedded reading with one group, and not with another would play out. (but it would be so hard not to use it!)
        with love,
        Laurie

    1. Er is so new (at least in teachers’ and scholars’ conscious awareness–though Latin and Greek teachers have been using them for quite a while), that I doubt there’s any research on it.
      That said, ER could be connected with the need for extensive reading which is not too far above students’ level, and the need for this kind of reading to offer variety. Having a large selection of adapted (that is, embedded) authentic sources would be the best way to encourage students to eventually engage with those texts. Here’s an article that Stolz linked on his recent post:
      http://www.robwaring.org/er/what_and_why/er_is_vital.htm
      This may be a bit of a stretch, but I really think that ER is the missing link when it comes to teaching CI in a context which demands “authentic” texts be used.

  5. Not sure why but I really struggle with doing er’s I find it clunky and the kids seem a bit bored by reading the same things over and over. I think I am doing something wrong but haven’t been able to discover what…
    I took the “legend of the scarecrow” story and condensed it to 6 powerpoint slides.slides – with pics from the video
    I then created 4 more powerpoints. In each powerpoint I added new sentences. I used a different color every time I added something.
    I think it helps students understand, but they don’t seem to really enjoy it and tend to lose interest.
    I have NOT done the activities that you (Laurie) describe in one of your powerpoints – that may be the key?
    Thanks so much for the focus on ER’s – I hear stories about how powerful they are in building literacy and proficiency and I REALLY want to figure it out!
    Skip

  6. Eric,
    I think that great activities HAVE to go with Embedded Reading unless the students are inherently self-motivated or read-aholics in their L1. (you know, like me, the kind that read cereal boxes and toothpaste tubes because the print is there….)
    The readings themselves will do the trick. However, only if they are read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    To lower the affective filter enough to have students read them AND be willing to do the visualization necessary for real reading to occur, they have to be at least somewhat willing to read!!!!
    Particularly now, when so many students are being fed reading as a staple of the Common Core diet, what we do with the readings is key.
    with love,
    Laurie

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