Kindling a Passion for Literature: Reading Reflection #7

Kindling a Passion for Literature is an article written by an English teacher named Gigi Whiteside and discusses the many benefits from e-readers. Whiteside explains how she had a child that was labeled as a “non-reader” who would use a laptop that would read books out loud to her. She thought about implementing something like this in her classroom but noticed that the majority of students did not want to be seen reading from a laptop and wanted a more subtle approach. That is when the idea of “Kindles for Kids” came about, where a device with text-to-speech capabilities would be given to students that were struggling with reading.

The funding went through and that is when the author saw a real transformation in her students. She explained about her class that: “rather than the usual ‘do we have to read today?’ my students began to ask ‘do we get to read today?’” (Whiteside, 32). Many students expressed that the main reason why they were never interested in reading was because a book with so many pages tended to intimidate them. The kindles also provided a safe haven for the students who were too embarrassed to check out lower level books and that did not have the resources to get a library card.

The author brings up the issue about allowing students to take the reading devices home. She let them do it after a while when the students begged to take the readers home to finish their books. I think it is great that they have the enthusiasm to want to finish reading at home and if the school and teacher have a useful honesty system then I do not see an issue with students taking devices home. I also think that the parents should be notified when devices are being taken home just so that they are aware of what their children are doing and if they are using it properly or not.

Looking at the TPE standards for teachers and students I could see how the article addressed on standard in particular. I Looked at the NETS for students and noticed that the idea of using a reading device to further students interest in reading could easily fall under standard number six: technology operations and concepts. Students would be able to understand and use a different type of technology system, troubleshoot systems and operations, and transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies. I personally think that they learn more than just what they are reading but it also gives them an opportunity to dive into books that they might never have picked up on their own.

Whiteside, Gigi. (2012). Kindling a Passion for Literature. (39) 7. 32-33. Retrieved from: http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201205#pg34