Well, DEAR time has evolved into something not initially intended. There was a time when DEAR time was dear and precious to those of us who actually used it to read the books we chose to read. You are still allowed to read what you please so long as it is on or above your reading ability level. What you DO with that selection has changed, though.

Here’s what is required. To be completely honest this is what I like to call READING ACOUNTABILITY.

SO . . .

Reading Accountability – Building Progressive Text Comprehension Skills

  • Reading Accountability Stage 1 – Paragraph by paragraph
  •   
    Reading Accountability Stage 2 – Sections/Chapters

     

  At each section break in your reading and at the end of every chapter, you must write a summation entry on one of the following topics:
Reading Accountability Stage 1 – Paragraph by Paragraph
  1. For every paragraph you read, write a sentence to summarize it. If you know how to recognize a main idea sentence, then I guess you could just copy it down for each paragraph. If you don’t then, you will learn to recognize them as you go through the motions of this accountable way of reading and writing. In the case of dialogue, you may read portions of the conversation, and sum it up as the conversation progresses.
  2. At the end of each SECTION BREAK and CHAPTER, write
    1. an evaluation based on the topic   OR
    2. a prediction based on the events   OR
    3. an opinion of the author’s style basedo n his/her use of literary techniques

 

Reading Accountability Stage 2 – Sections/Chapters

At bi-weekly and then monthly checks, I will assess whether or not each student has mastered main idea sentence writing or identification. When I see that this has been mastered and consistently adhered to, I will move the student on to only writing Section/Chapter  summations.

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When good behavior permits, students are permitted to journal after truly sustained silent reading.

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