Preface for question 1:
I want to try out the Crazy Professor during reading, but I am struggling with how to use it while meeting the needs of all learners in my 4th grade classroom. I have a couple students reading at a first grade level (emergent readers - still sounding out individual words) all the way up to students who read War & Peace for fun (joking - sort of!)

I love the idea of reading and gesturing expressively on a common text. I want my entire classroom community to participate, but this wont work for all learners. Question 1: Any suggestions for individualizing?

Question 2:
Has anyone tried the Crazy Professor with students on the autism spectrum? Three of my students have autism and I wonder how this will work.

And yes, this is a regular ed. classroom. It is just a little extra colorful with the variety of learners.

With emergent readers, Crazy Professor works best during a Read-aloud. You read the story slowly and expressively, and they gesture while you are reading. Next, they would paraphrase with partners, while gesturing. So, you are going through the basic steps, but it is based on a story with characters, setting, plot, etc instead of just words based on the phonics skill.
Give it a try, and let us know how it works!
Deb

I saw the Crazy Professor being used in a class doing book clubs the other day. It was a class of 5th graders (reading levels from beginning 2nd grade to 7th grade). The teacher had put each student in a group and selected text for that group's reading level. All books were on the same topic, but not at the same reading level. When I walked in everychild was either reading aloud or doing the gestures. As I watched, I saw them switch jobs. After each person in the group had read, they discussed the gestures that were used and seemed to decided on the ones they liked the best. The teacher had sinilar tasks for each group to complete and it appeared to be working well.

Maybe you could do something similar. You could put you more abled readers in groups and have them do Crazy Professor withing their group while you work with your emergent readers on doing Crazy Professor.

Susan Floyd
WBT Intern
2011-12

Well, my class has readers ranging from a reading age of 5:06 to 15:09! So the way I approach this game is one of two ways.
1. Each child has an independent reading book appropriate to their level. They read their own book to their partner and so there are no problems with playing crazy professor.
2. I choose a text which I think hits my class reading level somewhere in the middle and so is accessible to all, something which most children will be able to read fairly fluenty although maybe not all. If the emergent readers struggle their partner goes first and they gesture/listen thereby absorbing some of the potentially difficult vocabulary, then when it is their turn their partner helps them with any words they are stuck on.
Crazy Professor is a favourite in my classroom! Even with the emergent readers. They love the wild gestures and dramatic voices and they really get into it. So do I!

No Carrots UK

This is a great way to differentuate (did I spell that right) reading and meet the needs of all. Plus you have modeled a reading strategy they can use. Nice job.
Annette

Nocarrots1980,
I really like your approach! I have a few struggling readers in my class, Although, the Superspeed Math and reading has helped so much this year, compared to previous years!

Heather Hansen
Wbt Intern
2011/12