Chapter 8

Scales...wow. I wasn't even aware that these were an effective way to grade students understanding let alone help them create meaning. As far as I was concerned these were strategies only used on annoying surveys. However, Kylene Beers explains and shows their use very well and has proven in this chapter that they can be used and be effective. I especially like the Semantic Differential Scale which is used most often to track character development. This scale not only shows how a character can change but how the readers opinion and view of the character can change. This strategy also allows students to debate over the text which often leads to new ideas and better understanding. When a point of view has to be proven and especially when you feel strongly about your opinion, you do research in order to prove your opinion. In this case research means you read the text and reread it sometimes, making notes isn't out of the question and often these things are done voluntarily. The more this is done and the more the reader has to recall information the more likely it is to "stick" in their head and because they have done it mostly voluntarily the student shouldn't even notice the amount of work they did.

Also in this chapter there is a summary on a strategy called Somebody Wanted But So. I thought this was a truly brilliant strategy and wish my teachers had utilized it in my high school years. This strategy helps the reader to closely analyze characters and the text itself. It also seems like a great conversation starter. I personally can not wait to try this strategy in a real classroom! Finally I feel this will be a chapter I often refer back to in my teaching career.