Action Strategies for Deepening Comprehension: Role Plays, Text-Structure, Tableaux, Talking Statues, and Other Enactment Techniques That Engage Students With Text
By Jeffery D. Wilhelm Ph.D.
After reading only the introduction to this book, I am excited. The strategies used by the teachers in this book remind me so much of my classroom. It has been two years since I last taught in a classroom and I forgot how much I loved it. I am very glad that I chose to read this book, because the information in it will be useful for my career in the future. I can also see myself using it with the youth group I work with, and in teaching my own children.
The introduction discusses the issue of motivating readers by using enactment strategies. While teaching gifted students at the middle school level, I found myself using many of these strategies. While in my undergrad, I tried to use every creative technique that I heard of to motivate my at-risk students. Gifted kids don't seem to fit the mold of at-risk students, but research (and my own experience) shows that indeed they are.
Enactments help students, especially those at-risk, to "imagine to learn". Here are the benefits of using enactments strategies:
-make reading a transformative experience
-can be used flexibly
-assist students before, during and after reading
-harness the power of the social nature of learning
-invite students to think and imagine
-are motivating
-help students achieve a state of "flow"
The best part of enactments is that they are active and fun, therefore, students don't even realize they are learning. According to the classroom instruction of Keene & Zimmerman, literacy means not just reading at the surface level, but true comprehension and the ability to determine importance. Therefore, Wilhelm's book on enactments is written to help teachers guide students to comprehension. It is a very hands on approach to learning. James Gee, in his Discourse theory, also agrees that literacy can not be learned explicitly, but only acquired from apprentice situations. Wilhelm strives to give students real life situations to work with in his classroom through his various enactment strategies.
By Jeffery D. Wilhelm Ph.D.
After reading only the introduction to this book, I am excited. The strategies used by the teachers in this book remind me so much of my classroom. It has been two years since I last taught in a classroom and I forgot how much I loved it. I am very glad that I chose to read this book, because the information in it will be useful for my career in the future. I can also see myself using it with the youth group I work with, and in teaching my own children.
The introduction discusses the issue of motivating readers by using enactment strategies. While teaching gifted students at the middle school level, I found myself using many of these strategies. While in my undergrad, I tried to use every creative technique that I heard of to motivate my at-risk students. Gifted kids don't seem to fit the mold of at-risk students, but research (and my own experience) shows that indeed they are.
Enactments help students, especially those at-risk, to "imagine to learn". Here are the benefits of using enactments strategies:
-make reading a transformative experience
-can be used flexibly
-assist students before, during and after reading
-harness the power of the social nature of learning
-invite students to think and imagine
-are motivating
-help students achieve a state of "flow"
The best part of enactments is that they are active and fun, therefore, students don't even realize they are learning. According to the classroom instruction of Keene & Zimmerman, literacy means not just reading at the surface level, but true comprehension and the ability to determine importance. Therefore, Wilhelm's book on enactments is written to help teachers guide students to comprehension. It is a very hands on approach to learning. James Gee, in his Discourse theory, also agrees that literacy can not be learned explicitly, but only acquired from apprentice situations. Wilhelm strives to give students real life situations to work with in his classroom through his various enactment strategies.
Engagement is an issue that many teachers struggle with. I hope gives useful strategies for all types of learners.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like enactments in their very nature of hands out learning will in itself keep all students engaged.
ReplyDeleteJordan- I just wanted to clarify what exactly is enactment. Is it taking an issue, a reading, a text and acting it out? I am going to be teaching fifth grade next year and am also planning on starting a drama club. Any pointers would be nice...But I was thinking before actually starting any plays I would have them act out various emotions, circumstances etc. Would this be a part of what you are reading?
ReplyDeleteOnce a student is engaged the window for learning opens up and they progress. I agree with Salina engagement is a struggle many teachers face. I think this book will be very helpful in learning strategies.
ReplyDeleteJudy- The basic definition of enactment is "creating situations in which we "imagine to learn." According to the book, "...enactments enliven and engage students, and get them interacting with texts in profoundly different ways than when students sit at desks and answer questions about a book." They are used for "...motivating and assisting students, particularly at-risk and reluctant students, to become more engaged and competent readers and learners."
ReplyDeleteThese activities are not really acting, because it doesn't take a skill, but simply roleplaying to help with better understanding of another topic. I taught drama and teaching drama means to teach students the content of acting. These two are quite different.