- Books recommended for free voluntary reading and classroom reading by Darcy Pippins.
They are not just her recommendations but those of her students as well.
(each level helped to rank/score level of interest)
- Darcy is one of the most successful Spanish AP teachers in the business. She leverages reading aloud in class and free voluntary reading into consistently high scores on the AP test.
- Remember: Reading is one of the most powerful tools we can use for students to intuit and internalize grammatical structures.
- Notes about FVR and reading levels: When choosing a book most reader choose ‘down’ to a level where they are very comfortable reading. Often students were more comfortable reading a level below their enrolled level for FVR. So level 2 students could pick up and understand level 1 etc. Level one teachers may need to use backwards planning to introduce key vocabulary words and structures, but since the books use many cognates much is comprehensible with a little help.
Though these titles are in Spanish many are available in French and German.
Level 1: (novice low-mid)
Las aventuras de Isabela
Brandon Brown quiere un perro
Brandon Brown dice la verdad
Isabela captura un congo
Piratas
Capibara con botas
Agentes secretos
Level 2: (novice mid-high)
El nuevo Houdini
Problemas en paraiso
Felipe Alou
Piratas
Robo en la noche
Esperanza
La Llorona
Level 3-4: (Intermediate low to mid)
Vida y muerte en la Mara Salvatrucha
Vector o Hasta la Sepultura
Hija de sastre
Frida
La Guerra Sucia
Casa dividida
Level 4-5 (Intermediate low/mid to intermediate high+)
Hasta la sepultura
Vector
Frida Kahlo
La hija del sastre
Vida y muerte en la Mara Salvatrucha
La Guerra Sucia
La Calaca Alegre
also : Chac Mool, Tornada, El almohadon de plumas
Darcy Pippin is a highly successful AP Spanish teacher who includes free voluntary reading and classroom reading in her lesson plans and counts on teachers in lower levels of Spanish to do the same. I Skyped with her this summer: she is an amazing teacher and human being. She is a finalist for teacher of the year in OK. The results for AP students this year were 58 of 60 level 4 AP students passing (non-native speakers). She uses a comprehensible input methodology along with integrating reading into her curriculum. The novels she uses (or requests teachers in feeder schools to use) are pictured on this page (click then scroll down to see). The novels are written to use a limited vocabulary that corresponds to various grade levels. Some of the titles are available in other languages. The beauty of a 'graded' reader is that it offers the opportunity of the learner to read and discover on his/her own because the vocabulary is accessible. She strongly suggested that we consider adding reading to our lesson plans.
Another finalist (also an AP Spanish teacher in OK with similar AP results), Shala Marshall, gave me a list of free voluntary reading books that she has used successfully in class. (part of her classroom library). I had the opportunity to attend a conference with her this summer: she is also an incredible teacher with hard to believe AP Spanish success. I'm pasting the list of her suggestions below. She too uses these little novels as an opportunity to bring in interesting things to discuss, contrast and compare in the classroom.
We are considering the purchase of books for starter 'libraries' for each school in the district that offers LOTE classes. There is a very limited time frame to create a purchase order for materials like this, so there is a real sense of urgency about making this happen.
The books we are talking about primarily would be for students in levels 1-4 of language classes.
Native speakers will probably be more interested in magazines, popular novels, comic books, graphic novels etc. We are looking at strategies to provide those resources to native speaker classes, but we may need to use different strategies.
If you are interested in participating in this language learning strategy (using level appropriate reading materials either for FVR and/or read aloud, classroom reading etc) please take a look at the titles that Darcy uses (not all are the same that Shara suggested) and others to see what looks like your students may like to read.
If you find titles I have omitted that you think look interesting please let me know! If they are from a different site (teacher's discovery etc.) also please indicate that when you give me prospective titles.
Links to graded readers for levels 1-4 Spanish: (the Spanish teacher of the year in OK has given us suggestions of titles that she has used successfully: do you have suggestions?
Many of the titles are available in other languages!
Many of the titles are available in other languages!
Spanish
Level 3+: culture/science etc. readings to address higher level vocab
Conexiones : 11? (2 for each HS 1 for each MS with native speakers)
Mid-level 1-2
La Leyenda de la Llorona: 12
Agentes secretos: 12
Ataques de hambre: 12
Superburguesas: 12
Level 2, low 3
Soy Lorenzo: 12
Las Lagrimas de Xochitl part 1: 12
Las Suenos de Xochitl part 2 : 1
Level 1+:
Los ninos detectives: 12
Casi se muere (middle school?)
Level 2+:
Vivo el toro: 12
Level 3+:
Todo lo que brilla: 12
Casa dividida: 12
Vida o muerte en Cusco: 12
Level 4:
En busco del monstruo: 12
Level 1:
Daniel el Detective: 12
Novice High or level 2:
Rebeldes de Tejas: 12
Level 2+:
Don Quijote, el ultimo caballero: 12
Strong level 2 or level 3:
Problemas en Paraiso: 12
Rival: 12
La vampirata: 12
Level 3+:
Vida y Muerte en la Mara Savatruchas: 12
Level 4 (or strong 3):
La hija del sastre: 12
French:
From TPRS
Level 1 mid-semester:
Pauvre Anne: 8
Level 1 semester 2+:
Pirates francais des caraibes: 8
La France en danger et les secrets de Picasso: 8
Le nouvel Houdini: 8
Felipe Alou: 8
Level 2 mid-year + (enjoyable to 3):
Nuits mysterieuses a Lyon:8
Problemes au paradis: 8
Le voyage perdu: 8
Ou est passé Martin: 8
Ma voiture a moi: 8
German:
Level 1:
German Sample Novel Package: 2
Neue Schule, neue Freunde:4
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