Explicit Strategy Instruction: Making Connections

Do you ever look for resources to help you explicitly teach your child comprehension strategies when reading?  Good readers use these strategies without even thinking about it.  It is our job as parents and educators to teach our children how to use these strategies so that they become second nature to them as they read independently.  You can use the book I’ve focused on or any of the books on Big Universe.

Making Connections

Making connections is often the easiest of the common comprehension strategies to model for children as well as for them to learn and use.  There are three types of connections a reader may make when trying to understand a text: Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World.

When a reader makes a text-to-self connection, he relates the book back to himself.  When he makes a text-to-text, he relates the book to another book he has read, and when he makes a text-to-world connection he relates the book to something in the world (current events, a movie, etc.)

During the holidays, families often travel to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. The Relatives Came is a perfect book to use to model for your child how to make connections.  In the story, the relatives pile into their station wagon and drive all day and night to visit the family.  Some connections you might make when reading aloud to your child:

• Hmm, this reminds me of the summers/holidays I spent in our family station wagon driving to my grandmother’s house.
• My grandmother and aunts and uncles liked to hug a lot, too.

Use your read aloud time to sneak in some comprehension strategy lessons without missing a beat.  The likelihood is that you will discuss the book anyway, so make your discussion a bit more focused and your child will begin to learn a few strategies as you model them.  As you read aloud other books to your child, note when you make connections and point them out to your child.  If your child makes his/her own connection as you read, explain to him that he made a connection and tell him what type he made.

Dawn Little (aka Links to Literacy) also blogs at www.teachingwithpicturebooks.wordpress.com where she provides educators with picture book lessons based on comprehension strategies and the Six Traits of Writing.  In addition, she blogs at www.literacytoolbox.wordpress.com where she provides educators and parents with tips and tools to enhance the literacy lives of children.  She is the founder and owner of Links to Literacy, a company dedicated to providing interactive literacy experiences for children and families.  Find out more at www.linkstoliteracy.com

Supporting English Language Learners With Songs

“There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don’t know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she’ll die”, is what my kindergarten students hear within the first ten minutes of being introduced to me and their school library. Everyone loves a song! I use this song in particular because it exposes my students to new vocabulary, reinforces grammar structures, and it’s the perfect story to teach retelling and sequencing. There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback continues to be a favorite of all of my students. It’s the book and song that connects us to each other and to books. Singing to and with students builds the positive learning environment that students need in order to thrive academically and socially.

Here are a few of my favorite songs to sing with early elementary students (also available in book form):

• We’re Going On a Bear Hunt
• Itsy Bitsy Spider
• B-I-N-G-O
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm
• Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
• If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands
• 10 Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed
• Where is Thumbkin
• I’m A Little Teapot
• One,Two, Buckle My Shoe
• EVERY Schoolhouse Rock song ever made…especially “Three is a Magic Number”, “Number Nine” (I really get into this one), “Conjunction Junction”, and “Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla” (Yes, I really sing ALL of the lyrics. The kids get a huge kick out of it).

Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.

How do I get my kid to become a reader?

“How do I get my kid to become a reader?” I was recently asked this question while on Twitter by a non-custodial single father who sees his 4-year-old during scheduled visits. On the surface, this is a daunting situation, especially if there is no reading support from the custodial parent. Underneath, there are several things that non-custodial parent can do…from a distance, that can make all the difference.

1. Model that you are a reader. Every time you see your child, make sure they see you reading. The Sunday paper is a great way to encourage reading. Sit and talk about the images, headlines, captions….and ESPECIALLY the comics! Your child will grow to love reading the comic section with you. You can also tear the comic section out of the daily newspaper for more reading materials.
2. Visit the library. Even if you aren’t able to send the books home with your child, it is important to visit the public library. Allow your child to make his or her own book selections. These are the books that you will read at bedtime.
3. Skype your way in between visits. For this, you will need cooperation from the custodial parent. Skype is a free Web 2.0 tool that you may use to have a video conversation with your child. You need a computer, internet access, and web cameras on both ends. Set a regular time for “Daddy Storytime.”
4. Purchase children’s magazine subscriptions. With the permission of the custodial parent, subscribe to a couple children’s magazines and have them sent directly to your child. Children love receiving mail and a magazine will provide days of reading and exploration. Speaking of mail…
5. Write letters to your child or send cards. Reading is reading no matter what form it takes. Reading personal letters from Dad would be a treat. Talk about your day or ask questions about your child’s week at school. In any case, letter writing/reading is an exciting and sneaky way to promote reading and writing.

Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.

Simple Machines on Big Universe

Bellwether publishers will quickly become a favorite of 2nd and 3rd graders studying simple machines. These Level 4 Blastoff Readers contain full color images, labeled diagrams, captions, bold vocabulary words, fun facts, a glossary, and websites to learn more information. These books are perfect for reinforcing the use of text features and research skills. Titles offered on Big Universe include:

Wheels and Axles , Wedges, Ramps, Pulleys, Levers, and Screws.

One of my favorite stories involving simple machines is The 3 Pigs and the Scientific Wolf by Mary Fetzner. In the past, I’ve rewritten the book as a reader’s theater script and had the students create masks and costumes to act it out. This story is perfect for demonstrating the use of simple machines with an added bonus of humor.

Here are a couple of lessons using this book (Lessons can be modified for younger students):

Machines and Work Across the Ages (Grades 6-8)

Solving Problems Using Simple Machines (Grade 5)

Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her teaching. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.

Back To School…..Again!

 

It is back to school already!?!?  I think most of us are wondering what happened to summer break; I know I am.  Break time is over with and it is back to the books and I know that there are probably many households that are “refreshing” their reading skills.  We did slack off a bit during the summertime in our reading, which I really did not intend to do, so we are going to have to play catch-up to get back on track.

My oldest son is in the 2nd grade this year and, from the words of his mouth, he says “Second grade is hard; it is only for smart people.”  I have to chuckle every time he says that.  The biggest challenge that our household faced last year was in reading.  I have searched for ways to help to make reading a bit easier and here are some things that I have found:

            a.         Consistency, consistency, consistency.  Did I mention consistency?  Yes, I feel that is the most important aspect.  When you do things in repetition, you tend to finally “get” things after a certain time period – everything just “clicks”.  So, I am determined to spend a certain amount of time, on a daily basis, with my child to go over the basics until he grows tired and weary, and can recite what was set out to be learned.

            b.         Make learning fun.  Find a character that your child enjoys and make use of that character.  Spice up the routine every now and then so the “routine” does not become so routine.

            c.         Progress and reward chart.  Your child is just like you are – loves to see progress.  Make a chart at where they are starting from to where they want to go. You will be amazed at how excited they can become once they see that they are progressing, and what a better way to celebrate their progress than with a reward?  Now, the reward does not have to be anything extravagant, maybe take them out to an ice cream treat or to see a movie that they have been wanting to see.  It will make them feel special and, most of all, it will make them feel proud of themselves. 

The vitality of mastering early reading and comprehension skills is so crucial to our children’s future.  Reading IS their future.  So, whatever steps that we, as parents, need to take to ensure the best possible learning in literacy for our children, we need to take.  Reading may be their future but our children are our future.

Wordless Picture Books on Big Universe

Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.

Wordless picture books are a great way to encourage reluctant readers, motivate storytelling, and prompt creative writing. I was blessed to receive the Caldecott Medal winning book,  The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney from a Twitter Elementary Librarian colleague, Ernie Cox. It was serendipitous that our kindergarten and first grade teams had just read another version of this story to our students.

When I introduced this book to students, I talked about how the illustrations in most picture books tell the story. I then modeled how to “read” a wordless picture book. I narrated parts and I added dialogue where appropriate. For example, “As the lion squeezed his paws around the mouse, the mouse screamed, “HELP!”…But no one heard his cries.” During the second reading, I call on students to “read” each page. When they narrate, I encourage them to think about describing how a character feels (and why),  body language, the setting,  and encourage them to add  dialogue to enhance their storytelling. They always surprise me with the humor and specific details they choose to add to the story.

Did you know that Big Universe has wordless picture books? Use these titles to get your little ones “reading”:

Wordless picture books on Big Universe

Top Ten List: Golden Opportunities of Summer

Maggie Cary, a national board certified teacher has been an educator for more than 17 years. She is certified in secondary education and holds a master’s degree in early childhood education.

Over the years she has mentored countless teachers and advised hundreds of parents. Cary has taught children from preschool through high school. She also offers classroom advice on website Classroom Talk.

     You can take advantage of the extra time you’ll have with your child this summer by incorporating reading games into your everyday activities.  These times when you can help your child practice reading and writing are Golden Opportunities.  Here are 10 ways to make sure you don’t miss out.

1. When waiting for a meal in a restaurant, ask your child to read items on the menu.
2. When waiting at the ice cream shop, have your child try to read all the ice cream flavors. To mix things up you could ask them to read to themselves and then tell you all the flavors that include chocolate or a type of fruit.
3. On a car trip, a great way to pass the time is to read bumper stickers and the sides of panel trucks.  See who can be the first one to spot a specific word or letter.
4. If you go to a theme park or zoo this summer, let your child be your “tour guide.”  Depending on age and reading level, your child can read signs or the full descriptions from books and brochures.
5. Let your child write a list of things to take on vacation. They can then check off the items on their list as they pack.
6. Similarly, your child can make a summer activity to-do list.  Let them post it on the refrigerator and make tally marks of the number of times they did particular things at the end of the day.
7. Summer is the perfect time to make cool collections of things you find outdoors—bugs, rocks, flowers, etc.—and make custom labels.  Older kids can look up the objects in their collection in library books, while younger kids can fill out their labels with simple descriptions.
8. As a family, send post cards to friends and relatives even if you don’t leave town.
9. A new notebook can serve a number of purposes for your child: a diary or travel journal, a field notebook or collection of short stories.
10. Start a scrapbook with pictures and captions of summer fun.

Reading Resources: 7 Keys to Comprehension by Susan Zimmerman and Chryse Hutchins and

While Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement was written to assist teachers in the classroom,7 Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It! is written in a fashion that guides parents as they teach their children comprehension strategies.

If children don’t understand what they read, they will never embrace reading. And that limits what they can learn while in school. 7 Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It! is the result of cutting-edge research. It gives parents practical, thoughtful advice about the seven simple thinking strategies that proficient readers use:

• Connecting reading to their background knowledge
• Creating sensory images
• Asking questions
• Drawing inferences
• Determining what’s important
• Synthesizing ideas
• Solving problems

Easily understood, easily applied, and proven successful, this essential educational tool helps parents to turn reading into a fun and rewarding experience.

Dawn Little (aka Links to Literacy) also blogs at www.teachingwithpicturebooks.wordpress.com where she provides educators with picture book lessons based on comprehension strategies and the Six Traits of Writing.  In addition, she blogs at www.literacytoolbox.wordpress.com where she provides educators and parents with tips and tools to enhance the literacy lives of children.  She is the founder and owner of Links to Literacy, a company dedicated to providing interactive literacy experiences for children and families.  Find out more at www.linkstoliteracy.com

Sort it out!

Sorting is one of my favorite activities to do with young people in the library at the beginning of the school year.  It encourages scientific and critical thinking and it’s a great way to reinforce the concepts of the Dewey Decimal system. Each year I place piles of different types of books on the library tables and my only instruction to students is to work together to “sort the books.” I give them 2 minutes to sort the books and then I ask for a group member to share how they sorted the books and why. Most of my younger students will sort according to color and size. The older students are more sophisticated and tend to sort by subject. I repeat this procedure until we have completed 3-4 cycles of sorting. By this time, it becomes challenging to figure out new ways to sort the books…but this is where their creativity comes to play. Try this activity with your little ones and see what they come up with.

This Big Universe title, Sort it Out!, by Barbara Mariconda is a perfect book to read just before the sorting activity.

Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.

Reading Resources: Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis

Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement is a book that was suggested to me early in my teaching career.  I used it extensively in the classroom, and continue to use the resources and strategies within the book when I read to my own children.  The goal is to create engaged, thoughtful, independent readers and this book helps!

Though Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement is meant as a resource for teachers, I feel that any parent who has an interest in explicitly teaching their children strategies when reading (especially parents who home school!), will find this book useful.

In this revised and expanded edition, Harvey and Goudvis have added twenty completely new comprehension lessons.

In this book, you will find:

• what comprehension is and how to teach it
• lessons and practices for teaching comprehension
• information on social studies and science reading, topic study research, textbook reading and the genre of test reading
• updated appendix section recommends a rich diet of fiction and nonfiction, short text, kid’s magazines, websites and journals

When kids are engaged in their reading they enhance their understanding, acquire knowledge, and learn from and remember what they read. And most importantly, they will want to read more!

Dawn Little (aka Links to Literacy) also blogs at www.teachingwithpicturebooks.wordpress.com where she provides educators with picture book lessons based on comprehension strategies and the Six Traits of Writing.  In addition, she blogs at www.literacytoolbox.wordpress.com where she provides educators and parents with tips and tools to enhance the literacy lives of children.  She is the founder and owner of Links to Literacy, a company dedicated to providing interactive literacy experiences for children and families.  Find out more at www.linkstoliteracy.com