Strategies for teaching senior English on a third-grade level (counselor, IEP, graders)
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One of my colleagues who teaches 12th-grade English was just given instructions on an IEP that the student would do best if he were given materials prepared on a third-grade level. My colleague's response was that he can't teach MacBeth on a third-grade level. The language and vocabulary of Shakespeare is challenging to most students, but even more opaque to students whose level of mastery of language and vocabulary is at least 50% behind. I did find some materials adapted for actual third-graders, but I was hoping someone here would know some resources for a 19-year-old who just wants to pass senior English so he can graduate in May with a regular diploma.
There are very good children's versions of Shakespeare, but they tend to be essentially just stripped down plots, and do generally leave out critical thematic elements such as would be studied at the 12th grade level, so in presenting a third grade level version, much of what is likely being taught would be lost.
I've done it before, with Shakespeare and other literature, but you end up basically teaching a whole separate individualized unit in tandem.
The state standards are very specific about students being able to identify the themes and provide textual evidence in a variety of queries, many of which use vocabulary that is far beyond many of our students. The teacher already simplifies his materials as much as he believes that he can without abandoning the standards altogether as they are written. The way they are written is supposed to require the kind of rigor that our state Department of Education considers a minimum for high school graduation.
Part of the problem is that students reject the idea that the work will be hard. That is one of the reasons that so many are so far below grade level. The reasons for that are multitude and nothing new for anyone familiar with inner-city student populations. I'll ask the teacher if he if familiar with No Fear Shakespeare.
The teacher is a theater major who performs the works for the students and then breaks it down into plot elements they can understand. The instruction to put the whole play into dialogue more reminiscent of Hemingway than the Bard is almost sacrilegious to him. I think he does a great job, and so do his students, for what that's worth. He is known for having the most diligent classroom in the school. Everyone knows how important senior English is. You pass or you don't walk. End of sentence.
As An English and special education teacher, I have to point out that it's not with the realistic bounds of what's likely in the PLAAFP student for a student with literacy ability topping out at a third grade level to independently pass according to these exacting standards. It's the responsibilty of those writing the IEP to write clearly and realistically attainable goals.
In short, graduating with a regular diploma may not be a realistically attainable goal for a student who must, at 17-18, have work modified to an elementary school level.
I think the lack of realism is often on the part of the parents. For example, I have many students in French I who are functioning on a second- or low third-grade level. The counselors and Exceptional Education teachers have all told me that the parents of one boy insist that he must get a regular diploma. I can't see how that can happen, but possibly the parents don't really understand what is required to earn the credits needed for graduation.
I adapt the curriculum to around a fourth- or fifth-grade level in general, as that is our modal reading level. The main thing that relieves the pressure on the teachers is when the students fail the state test on every retest. That pretty much means that you can't earn a diploma. The problem comes when a student posts a passing score on the state tests (by whatever means) and then all eyes are on the teacher. There is overt pressure to pass students to improve the graduation rate, which this year may drop below 50%. We are going backwards fast.
I looked at the site for MacBeth and it looked promising, except for the vocabulary. When I talked to the senior English teacher today, he said that he had used it in the past but gave it up because the students couldn't understand it either. He said they do better when he performs it for them and then talks them through each scene. Thanks for the link.
One of my colleagues who teaches 12th-grade English was just given instructions on an IEP that the student would do best if he were given materials prepared on a third-grade level. My colleague's response was that he can't teach MacBeth on a third-grade level. The language and vocabulary of Shakespeare is challenging to most students, but even more opaque to students whose level of mastery of language and vocabulary is at least 50% behind. I did find some materials adapted for actual third-graders, but I was hoping someone here would know some resources for a 19-year-old who just wants to pass senior English so he can graduate in May with a regular diploma.
This is similar to the no fear site already given.
It has MacBeth translated to modern english but with all or most of the plot still given.
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