THE POWER OF READING PART I EMBEDDED READINGS

THE POWER OF READING PART I: EMBEDDED READINGS Robert Patrick, Ph. D Parkview High School Metro Atlanta

IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT In the Brain: Comprehension and interpretation � Indirect � Unconscious � Engaging � Varying Listening and Reading—Teacher Responsibility � Speak understandable Latin � Offer understandable and enjoyable readings. � Speak and offer readings in a variety of ways � Aim for every day: to get “lost” in the “flow”

WHAT’S THE FOCUS? Shelter vocabulary Don’t shelter grammar Establish the meaning of new words SLOW Circling: repeat, repeat Safety nets—words, word walls, signals and gestures. Lower stress: what’s your laugh meter? Keep it readable.

WHAT IS A READABLE PASSAGE Student knows 90+ percent of the words on the page. The higher percentage makes it more readable. A drop below 90 percent becomes immediately unreadable. Our old notion of 80 percent, for most students, creates ultimate failure.

EMBEDDED READINGS Allow us to put any kind of reading in front of students so that it is READABLE. Allow us to be realistic about how much time Allow us to consider how engaging a reading is Allow us some creativity Allow us to slow down and “see” the readings. � Familiar vocabulary � Obstacles (unknown vocab; confusing syntax) � Think of synonyms and periphrastic expressions.

CREATING ER’S FROM THET OP DOWN: THE STEPS Select a “final” text. Underline unknown words. Identify the bare bones. Tier 1—the bare bones reading Tier 2—bare bones upgraded with synonyms. Tier 3—new words with synonyms in parentheses. Tier 4—the original text Final text—always an eye to the readers 4 Tiers is not a magical formula Work the whole process and adjust

AN EXAMPLE: CATULLUS 101 Latin 3 class Pre-reading class discussion around Roman death and burial practices Pre-reading class discussion comparing and contrasting Roman and our own understandings and practices around death and burial. More than 1 section? Work with the most fragile in mind.

CATULLUS 101: FINAL TEXT Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias, ut te postremo donarem munere mortis et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem. quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum. heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi, nunc tamen interea haec, prisco quae more parentum tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias, accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu, atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale. 51 unique words. 90% = 46 words

CATULLUS 101: UNDERLINE UNKNOWNS Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias, ut te postremo donarem munere mortis et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem. quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum. heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi, nunc tamen interea haec, prisco quae more parentum tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias, accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu, atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale. 14 unknown words; 73% known vocabulary

CATULLUS 101: TIER 1 Per multas gentes et per multos oceanos advenio, frater. Advenio ut ego te donarem honore mortis. Fortuna mihi te ipsum abstulit. Heu, miser frater: tu mihi captus est. Nunc tamen interea haec—quae in more parentum tradita sunt. Accipe, frater, tristitā meā fraternā. Vale. 31 unique words; 1 unknown; 99% known. Readable.

CATULLUS 101: TIER 2 Per multas per gentes et per multos oceanos portatus advenio ad has miseras inferias, frater, ut te donarem munere postremo mortis et ego alloquerer cinerem. quandoquidem fortuna mihi te ipsum abstulit. heu miser frater mihi capte, nunc tamen interea haec quae in more antiquo parentum tradita sunt, Accipe, frater, tristitā meā fraternā. atque in perpetuum, frater, vale. 46 unique words; 4 unknown; 92 % known vocab.

CATULLUS 101: TIER 3 Multas per gentes et multa per aequora (oceanos) vectus (portatus) advenio ad has inferias miseras, frater, ut te donarem munere postremo mortis et nequiquam alloquerer cinerem mutam. quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete (te) ipsum abstulit. heu miser frater indigne (male) adempte (capte) mihi, nunc tamen interea haec, quae more prisco (antiquo) parentum tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias, accipe manantia (fluentia) multum fraterno fletu (lacrimā), atque in perpetuum, frater, vale. 49 unique words; 2 unknown words; 96% known vocab

CATULLUS 101: TIER 4 --FINAL TEXT Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias, ut te postremo donarem munere mortis et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem. quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum. heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi, nunc tamen interea haec, prisco quae more parentum tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias, accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu, atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale. 51 unique words; 1 unkown; 99+ % known vocab.

LET’S PRACTICE: A FABLE Go to: www. aclreadingplus 2015. wordpress. com Text—access by group number Audience—Latin 2 Collaborate Tier 1 = anyone in the room can read it Tier 2 = elaboration with synonyms Tier 3 = elaboration with new vocab and synonyms in parentheses) Tier 4 = the original text Share examples Q and A