"Homework provides students with opportunities to practice, review, and apply knowledge...homework is an effective means of extending student learning beyond the school day" (Hill, 2006, pg. 77). Based on this quote, I structured my homework assignment around student summer reading requirements in our district.
The homework structure that I have put in place is called a letter essay. It is always my hope that 8th grade students read a minimal of 10-12 books in an average school year. The letter essay is intended to replace book reports where students are just providing summaries and instead make them write a letter to me providing their thoughts and analysis of the book they read. Because students will read at least ten or so books in a school year, they do not need to write me a letter essay for every book, but rather read for enjoyment. About every three to four weeks students can decide to write about a book they have read. The purpose for this homework assignment is for students to discover something new about their book, discover themselves as a reader, and make discoveries about the author. In other words, I want students to learn something from writing the letter essay- mostly showing evidence that they are thinking critically about, and analyzing a book. In her book, The Reading Zone, Nancie Atwell explains that "every measure that looks at pleasure reading and its effects on student performance on standardized tests of reading tells us that the major predictor of academic success is the amount of time that a student spends reading" (Atwell, 2007, pg. 107). This assignment allows for choice reading, in addition to long term practice in critical thinking and writing since they will be writing me letter essays all year long.
In Classroom Instruction that works with English Language Learners, Hill and Flynn suggest that the purpose of homework should be identified and articulated (Hill, 2006). Because of this, I am sending home a letter to parents about what the letter essay is, how it works, and how it will be graded. Hill and Flynn also suggest that feedback should be provided and varied. I have made a rubric for students and parents to know up front how letter essays are graded. To accommodate and differentiate for my different levels of learners, I have a graphic organizer (letter essay planner) as well as some sentence frames for ideas in writing (letter essay ideas) for viewing. I also have made an example letter essay to model for students. If you like to see any of these examples please contact me at smiklos@regis.edu
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