As technology becomes more and more prevalent and readily available to the next generation, many teachers are finding it more difficult to get their students engaged in activities that encourage literacy. Helping students gain a love for reading at a young age is one of the best ways a teacher can promote a lifetime of literacy for their students' futures.
Popular Books into Movies
When it seems like their students are only interested in the latest video games and movies, many teachers turn to books that have been adapted into the kids' favorite films. By choosing these popular titles to line the walls of your classroom bookshelves, you invite your students to engage in something they may already have an interest in. When kids have classroom book sets where they encounter familiar titles, including classic books that have been adapted into their favorite new movies, they may be more likely to pursue reading than if they are given a book they had never heard of before.
Orson Scott Card's 1985 novel, Enders Game has been a young adult sci-fi favorite of many readers. This scientific fiction is written through the view of a young boy living in a futuristic society. The view from Ender's eyes may be appealing to young adults and teenagers interested in modern technology. Card's novel has recently been adapted into a film version and is expected to be a big hit at the box office. Buying a title like Enders Game is a wise choice for classroom book sets for several reasons.
1. The Book is Better than the Movie
With the popularity and media that surround a big new film release, many students are sure to have heard about the movie. Often, popular movie renditions of books can draw in students to read the original story for themselves. This creates the environment for reading and gaining a special connection with literacy. Reading a book that many students have seen in the movie theater helps you teach your students an appreciation for the fullness, richness, and detail that you cannot find outside of a book. Reading a popular title as a class my help your students to find that they really
2. Introduce a New Genre
A popular title such as Card's can give you some variety in your class book set. Many young adult novels fall into similar story lines or topics. With Card's sci-fi fantasy, you may be able to introduce your students to a genre they have never encountered before. The science fiction and fantasy aspects of the novel can appeal to some students who have not enjoyed books of the genres their peers enjoy reading.
3. Open up the Possibilities
As many educators believe, reading is a great key to opening up a student's mind to limitless possibilities. By using popular book titles to lure kids into a world of reading, you give them an opportunity to explore more titles and think outside the box. Using the thinking and creativity required while reading, your students may be one step closer to recognizing their potential academically and in life. Enders Game is just one of dozens of popular book titles that have been turned into a movie. For a new approach to sparking interest in your students, look for the titles that are popular and interesting them.
