Dear Parents,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you may know, this term your 7th grade student in the Bilingual Program will be reading\u00a0Tuck Everlasting<\/em>\u00a0by Natalie Babbitt. This will not be an adapted or abridged text, but rather the original work of American young adult literature. We\u2019d like to give you some background about the novel, mention the benefits and challenges from the students\u2019 point of view, and also make suggestions for how you could help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading in any language expands the mind and helps us explore vital topics and real-life situations, all the while allowing students to develop their comprehension skills, critical thinking capabilities and complexity of thought both in general and also in that specific language. Indeed, research indicates that reading skills directly relate to future academic and professional success. It can help students gain a deeper understanding of context and why characters \u2013 and people \u2013 make the choices they do. Reading also helps build independence and self-confidence and has a positive effect on the development of empathy as well as concentration. Finally, reading is a major resource for using and understanding language \u2013 including grammatical structure, lexical knowledge and writing skills. Not only can students pick up new words, but reading them in an authentic context can also help students understand the subtle nuances of the lexis that was chosen by the author. The same is true when we process the plot and character development through the linguistic structures employed by the author \u2013 helping students understand a variety of uses \u201cin the linguistic wild\u201d, as it were. All in all, reading in any language develops skills that are essential for each student\u2019s continuing studies and life in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natalie Babbitt wrote novels for young adult for many years. Her take on ordinary situations mingled with small twists of fantasy makes her novels almost believable. Her style of writing is detailed and packed with nuanced language, metaphors, and symbolism. This particular romantic, coming-of-age story delights people of all ages. Its magical twist of immortality and the difficult choices we have to make as we grow up tends to appeal to everyone who reads it. It won the 1976 Christopher Award and has been recognized as an American Library Association notable book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuck Everlasting\u00a0follows young Winnie as she meets a mysterious family in her sleepy town. With her own family aloof and indifferent, young Winnie yearns for adventure and falls into the company of the Tuck family, who can give that to her. She finds herself in tough situations that lead her down a path where she must make a choice that will affect the entirety of her life. The use of symbolism and metaphors throughout the novel guides students to deeper levels of comprehension. The themes also bring up conversations about making difficult choices and understanding the repercussions that those choices may have on our own lives and on those around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The language used in the novel can be a challenge, as Babbitt uses her words to paint a picture for her readers. Her descriptions may seem mundane, but her use of symbolism \u00a0to dig into deeper issues is abundant. Students may need to read certain passages a couple of times to really grasp the author\u2019s meaning and see what it is she is trying to point out. We will, of course, work on this with students in class \u2013 through brainstorming, guided exploration and other types of scaffolding. At home the assignment accompanying the reading will provide needed guidance, too. Of course, keeping your child on track with assignments will smooth the way for the discussions to take place in class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please let us know if you have further questions. We would like to thank you for your support in helping your son or daughter keep up with his or her chapter-by-chapter reading assignments at home. Finally, we hope your child learns from this novel and, most importantly, enjoys reading it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best regards: Anthony Laudadio, Head of Education \u2013 Primary & High Schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Parents, As you may know, this term your 7th grade student in the Bilingual Program will be reading\u00a0Tuck Everlasting\u00a0by Natalie Babbitt. This will not be an adapted or abridged text, but rather the original work of American young adult literature. We\u2019d like to give you some background about the novel, mention the benefits and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7456","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy is it important for my child to read in English?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why was this novel chosen?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are the benefits of this novel?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are some of the challenges? \/ How can I as a parent help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n