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Before we get started, you will need your copy of the Self-Assessment Survey of 25 Good
Reader Strategies and your copy of Mister Pip.
We have already talked about the first Before Reading Strategy: I set a purpose for reading.
Now we’re going to think about the others, 2-6. They are:
#2 I preview (get an overview) of what I’m about to read.
#2 I activate my background knowledge. #4 I recognize when my background knowledge
about a subject is inadequate and may interfere with my comprehension.
#5 I know how to, and do build up, my background knowledge at appropriate times.
#6 I confidently and eagerly approach reading tasks.
Let’s consider # 2: I preview, get an overview, of what I am about to read.
Previewing is one of the hardest proficient reading strategies to sell students. Previewing
is a very simple reading strategy that good readers use, but it is very powerful. It takes
only a few minutes, but it has an enormous pay-off in increased comprehension, interest,
and motivation to read. In other words, you get a lot of *** for the buck when you preview.
The reason it works so powerfully is because it works with the brain. The brain likes to
order incoming information. When you preview, you are setting up an outline into which your
brain will file information as you begin to read. Trying to figure all that out while
you are reading disrupts your comprehension and makes it more difficult do the deep processing
that powerful readers enjoy. Movie producers know about this motivation factor. You have
probably attended many movies because the trailers, the previews, hooked you. You can
be a self-motivator by taking a few minutes to preview before you read.
What do readers do when they preview? It turns out book publishers and authors know the power
of previewing to hook readers and provide text features to help the process. Those features
include cover art, claims about awards to the author and/or book, excerpts from reviews
in praise of the book, a brief plot summary, author’s notes, information about the authors,
epigraphs, and forewards.
Let’s preview Mister Pip together. We’re going to look at some of these text features
and I’ll think out loud about what I’m thinking as I preview. First let’s look
at the front cover of the book. The scene at the top of the book makes me think of an
island girl sitting on the porch of a beach house reading. Her face is in shadow, the
picture is black and white which lends an element of mystery. In contrast is the colorful
bamboo at the bottom of the page again suggesting an island setting. At the top of the cover
I see the book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. I know that is a very prestigious
British literary award. At the bottom I see the book won the Commonwealth Best Book Award,
another very prestigious British literary award given to writers in the countries of
the British Commonwealth. If I did not know what these awards were for, I could look them
up very quickly on the Internet by Googling these 3 search words:
Booker Prize Commonwealth Writers’ Prize: Best Book Award
Commonwealth of Nations
http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/about http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/culturediversity/writersprize/prize%20overview/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations
So all of this information that I’ve processed tells me the setting of the book is probably
one of the islands of the Commonwealth of Nations, and the author, Lloyd Jones, is probably
from one of those nations. It also tells me the book is well written, of high literary
quality.
Now, let’s consider the title, Mr. Pip. The name is unusual and suggests a strong
central character of the book. But the picture at the top is of an island girl. So I wonder
at the relationship of the two.
Now let’s look at the back cover of the book. The top half offers a brief summary
of the plot. Let’s read the first paragraph together.
On a copper-rich tropical island—Ah, I was right, the setting is an island. I learn more
about it—copper rich probably means copper is mined there and it is shattered by war.
I learn of a central male character, named Mr. Watts. Eccentric means he’s unusual
in behavior. Now I recognize the Pip in Mr. Pip. Pip is the central character in Great
Expectations. Charles Dickens is one of my favorite authors. It’s been a long time
since I read the book. I’ll read it again or find a plot summary to refresh my memory.
I expect the book to refer to it at least some. Now my question about the girl and the
central male character is answered: it’s a student and teacher relationship
Now let’s read second paragraph together. Now I
know the girl on the front cover must be Matilda, and she’s possibly reading as an escape
from the terrible things going on around her. There’s a clear suggestion that the book
has a strong element of realism.
As I skim the excerpts of praise for the book at the bottom half of the back cover, these
words stand out poignant—that means emotionally moving--characters dance believably—that
means strong, well developed characters, my favorite element of literature. That’s why
Dickens if one of my favorite authors-- sheer magic suggests the book is captivating-- brave
and fierce writer suggests the author writes about profound, universal themes. I’m hooked!
Let’s turn to the first page inside the book. I see here at the top, the book has
won several other prizes, more evidence for literary quality.
Skimming the excerpts from reviews in praise of the book, I see that Bougainville is the
island. I don’t know where that is. I’ll have to research a bit. I also see that the
author is from New Zealand. I bet Bougainville is somewhere in that region of the world,
but I’ll still look it up for sure. Often these excerpts reveal some of the themes in
the book. Several of these mention the power of storytelling, imagination and art as themes.
Violence and horror are also mentioned. The theme of black and white race relations is
also suggested. So my impression the author writes about profound themes is confirmed.
I can expect to be moved and surprised. I’m more hooked than ever.
As I turn a few more pages, I see the author has provided an epigraph. It’s the page
right before the first paragraph of the book. An epigraph is a quotation, usually at the
beginning of a literary work that suggests the theme. Good readers always read and reflect
on the meaning of an epigraph, but know that they probably won’t fully understand why
the author chose it until after they finish the book. It’s a final pleasure of finishing
a book. This one is very short and says “Characters migrate,” and is by Umberto Eco. Migrate
means to move from one place to another. Can characters in a book move from one place to
another? The character of Pip is moving from London of the 1800’s to the tropical island
of modern times. He is moving from one culture to another. He is moving from one book to
another. What comes to your mind?
Now, refer to your survey of strategies that good readers use. You will see that while
we were previewing by looking at and thinking about some of the text features we were also
using strategy number 3, activating background knowledge, strategy #4 recognized when our
background knowledge might be inadequate, and strategy #5 knew how to and did build
background knowledge.
Now we can start reading the book with a great deal of anticipation. I am confident and eager
to begin reading the book, strategy #6. I expect to be introduced to the teacher and
the student Matilda right away. I will expect to find out about the war raging on the island.