Ayden and I co-read several chapters of the novel. The language used by the author continues to fascinate us. For example, today, we noted that the vocabulary is uncomplicated (most books we have read include several unknown words per chapter.) The language illustrates the main character's autism and limited language skills.
Ayden and I co-read the novel, pausing to discuss and make predictions. The unusual point of view makes predicting difficult, which is part of the charm of the story.
Ayden and I co-read several chapters of the novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime. The main character's point of view and voice is fascinating; the stilted language and the unusual observations convey his autism. The book's organization is unexpected and contributes to this perspective; the chapters are prime numbers, and the author includes diagrams and charts to illustrate the main character's bizarre thoughts. I was impressed with Ayden's insightful comments related to the plot.
Assignment
none
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
This might not be Ayden's favorite book choice (especially because there is no movie!). Still, he is getting a lot out of experiencing a different writing style, and our conversations relating the book to my experiences with Will are enlightening. Ayden commented that he thinks his brother, Adam, might be on the spectrum.
Ayden and I are reading a new novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night-Time, a murder mystery set in England, told from the perspective of a 15-year-old boy on the autism spectrum. Ayden shared a video with me about a similar boy, narrated by his father. It was a wonderful video and very on point. While reading, we discussed the unique point of view, the unusual observations of the narrator, and the humor implicit in the observations.
Assignment
none
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
Ayden is such a thoughtful person. The video was wonderful and added to our experience of the novel. He is genuinely curious about Will, Lena, and the other students on the autism spectrum he encounters at school. I think that reading this novel is going to be an interesting experience. The book has been turned into an award-winning play. I wish we could go to London and see it! Andy noticed that we were reading it and wondered if it would appropriate for Lena or too close to home. I recommended that he have his mother read a review of the first few chapters. I don't know.
I introduced Ayden to the rubric, a grading system frequently used in high school and college. A rubric clearly delineates a teacher's expectations of what a student must include to achieve each letter grade. We will incorporate a rubric for work in the future.
writing, reading, literary analysis, test preparation
Lesson Outline
Ayden and I completed and edited his five-paragraph essay. He did a good job expanding his ideas into coherent paragraphs. The resulting essay was thoughtful and well-organized. We began our next book, The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime, which is a murder mystery set in England told from the point of view of a fifteen-year-old autistic boy.
Ayden and I spent the hour working on his essay about the author's use of motifs. We brainstormed to expand Ayden's writing. At the end of the novel, there is an interview with the author that we found helpful. We will finish the essay tomorrow.
Assignment
none
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
I teach Ayden after Hebrew, and he is drained. This is not a complaint, just an observation. She is challenging him!
Ayden and I reviewed and practiced his vocabulary list. He will be assessed this week. We began writing his essay in earnest, completing the introductory and first body paragraphs. Tomorrow I will teach Ayden how to incorporated quotations from the text into his writing.
