Chapter Fourteen: Finding the Right Book

This chapter provides us with tons of information on helping students find good books. I particularly like when Beers mentions "book-talking", which is providing hypothetical questions about the plot, or even reading the first chapter or two aloud for the students to hear. This is what Dr. Pytash did, and what made me become obsessed with The Hunger Games (as well as put many of the other novels on my Amazon wish list!). Also, I don't care how old you are, being read to is still interesting and important, that is, if the person reading does not just drone on in a monotone voice and show no excitement. When Beers mentioned reading aloud to students, it made me think of a teacher at Firestone who read 'Dr. Heidegger's Experiment' to her class. She was moving around the room and basically performing for the students. They would laugh when she was being silly, and they would even pay attention and appear engaged. I don't think you should read everything out loud to your students, but every once in awhile give them a break and let them just listen.