This essay gives a few hints to teach this novel to Spanish level 3 or above.
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Before even opening the novel, I introduce the setting of the novel by presenting the maravilla cultural presentation on the grey whale birthing lagoons in Baja California Sur. Follow the link above and, if you look at the presentation and think to yourself, “how would I do that?!”, then watch this video of me presenting about the grey whales to a group on a Zoom call.
I’ll often do this the day before we start reading the novel. In my classes I try to limit almost any activity to 20 minutes or less, so this is the right amount of time to introduce the setting of the novel and then start reading the next day.
In general, I like to allow a lot of independent reading. If students choose, I allow them to read in small groups where they take turns reading a sentence aloud and can ask each other questions to verify comprehension. When they work in groups, I encourage them to read the whole sentence first and not get bogged down by understanding every single word.
On the first day of reading the novel, I always read the first chapter of the book together as a whole class experience when we are all reading the same novel in class. For Meche, you might consider skipping the prologue if your students are level 3. The prologue was added at my beta readers request to clarify the direction of the novel’s plot, but I think that the language of the first chapter is easier to read and a more inviting introduction. I usually start the novel on page 8, chapter 1.
Bryce Hedstrom recommends translating the first chapter aloud as you read, because there is nothing worse than getting lost on the first chapter. You know your students. Think about the lowest level readers in your class and make sure that, whether you read aloud in Spanish or English, they understand.
When we read the first chapter together in Spanish, I will read to them and pause frequently to ask many comprehension questions to the whole class (they respond together in chorus; I’m not singling out individual students). I go slowly, perhaps too slowly in the eyes of my students, so that everyone stays onboard.
Then I talk about the three illustrations on those first two pages. This is important because this novel is full of illustrations that we will talk about. I am modelling the flow of how I expect our class conversations to be.
After we read chapter 1 (along with discussion this easily takes up 15-20 minutes) we then put the book down for the day. We go on to another activity, like a movie talk or the tv series that we are watching. I think it is important that, when we read a book together, we do not overload students. Let’s wade into the book slowly.
On the third day of reading, we alter the flow of the class period:
Normally we start class with up to 10 minutes of quiet reading, followed by the activities of the day and then finish the class with W&D and an exit quiz. However, once we start reading Meche, I start the class by posting the illustrations from the previous day’s reading. In pairs the students discuss the illustrations. I often give them 1-2 minutes, and then ask that they switch partners to discuss the illustrations again. They listen to each other and develop more to say about the illustrations. Ideally, I like to do this a third time, encouraging them to add transition words and more details to their comments. Then we discuss in whole group, calling on individual students if needed, but after so much paired discussion students are often ready to contribute by their own choice.
There are so many illustrations in Meche that this is the main method we use to discuss the novel. Our whole group discussion sometimes moves beyond the illustrations, but we have a time set so that we do not spend more than 10 minutes on this initial discussion. Knowing that we start class discussing the novel is strong motivation for everyone to keep up with the reading. These picture talks are a powerful way to differentiate instruction to varying levels in class. Allow students to start at their level and then, after several rounds in pairs, the teacher-led conversation should bring the conversation to a higher level of complexity. Write on the board for greater acquisition.
Once we have finished discussing the illustrations from the previous day’s reading, we spend the next ten minutes silently reading. After our silent reading we have enough time to do one non-Meche activity, and then the daily W&D and exit quiz is usually about that second activity. For instance, my level 3 classes are watching a scene or two from the telenovel Gran Hotel every day after our reading session.
Each day I tell students the minimum that they have to read and allow them to read at their own pace during the independent reading session. I chose a daily goal that most students can complete during class. Students often read beyond the daily goal and then eventually pick up their own pleasure reading, which my advanced and heritage learners often do. Slower readers will take the book home to complete the daily reading at home.
After students read chapter 5: we play this game several times to familiarize everyone with some of the vocabulary specific to the novel: Ballenas grises . Quiz (purposegames.com) The game also reinforces the geography of the novel.
After a few days I give a short, five question comprehension quiz based on what is happening in the novel. These are informal, orally delivered quizzes that confirms that everyone is following the plot. They should not be difficult.
In general, we do a fluency write every 2-3 weeks in class, so when the fluency write comes along I give a prompt that asks students to respond to the novel in some way. I choose open-ended prompts such as “Describe Meche, her world and the problems she faces”.
Finally, it is okay to stop reading a novel before everyone has finished it.
I try to get through at least chapter 21 so that we can discuss the images of the Japanese girl at the aquarium with her father. Some years we have read the entire novel, whereas other years I have announced that those who would like to continue reading Meche can finish the novel during our FVR sessions.
Everyone is now free to return to “free choice reading” during the 10-minute reading sessions at the beginning of class.