| Body | This activity allows learners to consider what genre of reading materials they feel motivated and excited to read, and then brainstorm possible sources or authors for specific texts. It was designed for learners of all levels.
Learning outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Identify a central idea they are interested in reading about
- Create a mind map starting with that central idea
- Find one source material to read
- Reflect on their experiences finding and reading materials
Mode(s): Interpretive, Presentational
Materials: Finding Reading Materials Video, What Do I Want to Read? worksheet, optional: devices with access to the internet for searching, if needed, and for accessing the worksheet
Procedure:
- Ask learners to think about what makes them excited to read in the target language. Write their answers on the board or a digital document for all to see. Point out any themes or recurring ideas.
- If any learners do not have things that make them excited about reading, reassure them that this is okay. Tell these learners, and the rest of the group, that this activity is meant to help them discover an interest, author, or reading material that will help them feel excited about reading.
- Next, give learners the What Do I Want to Read? worksheet (in print or digital form). Explain that the worksheet is a mind map, which is a visual map or representation of how different ideas relate to each other. For this activity, learners will start at the center of the map and work outwards from there, adding information related to their central idea. Learners can fill in the mind map as is, add to it, or adjust how it is organized in any way that makes sense to them. The blank map is merely a guide for how they might organize their thoughts.
- Ask learners to spend a few minutes thinking generally about what they might want to read, using the prompt “I am excited to read about …”. This could be a topic, a genre of reading material, an author, a digital space or site, etc. Have learners write their answers in the large, center circle on the worksheet.
- Then, give them time to fill in some of the outer circles on the worksheet. Ask them to consider the following questions as they work to create their mind map:
- Why am I excited about reading this topic, author, or genre?
- Who writes the kind of material I want to read?
- Where can I find this material?
- What do I want to learn from reading it?
- Learners can use their answers to the above questions to fill in the circles around their central idea. Remind learners that they can organize their ideas (and answers to the questions in step 5) any way they want to in their map.
- Now, ask learners to look over their maps and use the information they wrote down to decide on one thing to read on their own (either inside or outside of the class or meeting time). This can be as specific as a particular story or book, or as general as a genre of writing (e.g., newspaper article, social media post, etc.). Have them write their decision in one of the outermost circles on the map.
- If learners have access to devices with search functions, they can search the internet for a specific source to read, writing down the website, name of the article or book, etc. They can also search for their chosen reading material in a school library or public library.
- Learners read their chosen material.
- In the next group meeting, once learners have read their chosen material, have them revisit their mind maps. Encourage them to add any reflections about their reading experience, things they learned from the reading, and/or materials they want to read next to the map.
- Then, as a whole group, ask learners to rate how excited they feel now about finding materials to read on a fist to five scale, with fist being not at all excited and five being incredibly excited. Point out any patterns in their answers, and reassure all learners that there is no right answer to this question.
- Finally, ask learners to share about their mapping and reading experiences.
- How do they feel now about finding material they want to read?
- Did mapping out what they wanted to read help them find materials? Why or why not?
- Would they choose different types of materials to read in the future? Why or why not?
- How likely are they to keep reading similar or new materials on their own? Why?
Modifications (scaffolding) - If learners who are new to creating mind maps, provide them with an example map already filled in. If learners are practiced in making mind maps, they may not need the scaffolding afforded by the worksheet.
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