We Should Not “Dumb-down” Hi-Lo Books!
Reluctant readers are not stupid. In fact, they recognize “dumbed down” books. This is a highly offensive phrase used when discussing the structure of Hi-Lo books. It also shows a lack of understanding of the purpose and process of writing effective Hi-Lo books. Is it a surprise when reluctant readers don’t want to read those books? It seems, to me, a logical response. So how can we reach them? We should not “dumb-down” Hi-Lo books! Struggling readers deserve books with a high level of quality. These books should make all readers want to pick up them up and read them!
This is how I approach writing Hi-Lo books. I write them on an easy reading level. But the plot line, character development and level of interest match the intellectual needs of a struggling teen reader.
Struggling readers want to be taken seriously and valued for their thoughts and ideas.
Struggling readers want to be taken seriously and valued for their thoughts and ideas. Providing them with material they can read that will help spark those higher-order thinking skills is what I do. It is why I write the books I write.
My series, The Way I See It, offers students and teachers material to have those Hi-intellectual level conversations, with low-reading level material. If you, as a teacher, reading specialist or parent, are seeking ways to engage your struggling readers, I encourage you to give the series a try. https://www.lbtillit.com/the-way-i-see-it-series/
We strive to provide a platform for creating and publishing quality easy-read books for children, youth and adults. The primary purpose is to provide engaging literature, written on a high interest level with a lower reading level in order to strengthen reading fluency. We believe that an easy-read book should maintain a healthy balance between being “easy-to-read” and developing a complex content to engage the reader in order to effectively activate understanding. https://www.lbtillit.com/the-way-i-see-it-series/
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