Doris Powers's Story
Creativity is the Key to Hook Reluctant Readers

As a teacher who works with high school students that struggle with reading, there have been times in my classroom when I have felt disappointed with a lesson.  However, lucky for me, I have found many valuable and successful strategies, by utilizing ReadWriteThink.org.  One lesson I particularly like is “Book Report Alternative: Hooking a Reader with a Book Cover” by Cassandra Love, where she provides a creative alternative to the book report.  Students are given the opportunity to exhibit their ability to comprehend, interpret, and appreciate text.  I believe that we need to hook reluctant readers with the joys of reading by implementing creative strategies based on their interests. This lesson includes a very good list of questions that guide analysis, and I also made an interactive Venn Diagram so my students could move the qualities of the characters into the circles that are different and the qualities that are similar.  This is just one of the many creative ReadWriteThink lessons I have implemented.

I will continue to use this site and recommend it to others, as I have enjoyed being inspired by many of the strategies I have found with ReadWriteThink.org!