“I wanted to read that”

My daughter just turned 5, and she will start Kindergarten in August. She loves books (like her momma) and is always wanting to be read a story. When we were reading at bedtime last night, she got upset when I finished reading one of the books. She told me that she wanted to read that book to me. I pointed to the bookcase and told her to go get one, and she could read to me for the next story. She looked up at me and said she didn’t know how to read those but she knew how to read the one I just read.

I started thinking about that book from last night. The story was presented in a predictable pattern. The words on the pages were clearly depicted in the illustrations. This was also a story she had heard several times before, so she knew what to expect (she even caught it when I missed a page). The familiarity of the story and story elements made her feel comfortable.

I want her to become a fluent reader, so that she won’t have to worry so much about the mechanics of reading that she won’t be able to experience the joy the can be found in reading a story. There are several things I could have done with the story I read last night to work on that skill (without sounding too much like a teacher to my child):

• Echo Reading: I could read aloud one or two sentences and then let my daughter attempt to “echo” my reading. This strategy works on sight vocabulary, decoding skills, and oral fluency. My daughter can hear the words and sounds I emphasize when I read and try to do the same thing.
• Easy Reading: I can find stories  the contain words and sentence patterns familiar to my daughter. Using this strategy should be pressure-free and enjoyable for both the child and parent/teachers. We could start by taking turns reading sections/pages until she feel comfortable enough to want to read it all by herself. I think great illustrations help here too.
• Repeated Reading: This reading fluency strategy works right along with the saying, “The more you practice, the better you will get.” As a parent or teacher, I often tell my child (or students) that they more we read a story, the more things we will notice about the story. Repeated Reading helps the child know what to expect and how it should sound.

There are many books/stories on Big Universe that I can use with these strategies to work on oral fluency without it seeming like I am working on oral fluency with my daughter.  Did you know that one of the ways to search for Big Universe books is by publisher? I have seen it in a list of ways to search Big Universe (I might have even made a list like that), but I had not tried it out until today. One of the publishers is Reading Reading Books, LCC.  On the Big Universe page for this publisher, you can find this description:

Reading Reading Books, LLC is an independently owned and operated publishing company located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The books published by Reading Reading Books, LLC are written to promote a young reader’s enjoyment of literature… with books they can really read! Each book is carefully developed by an experienced, certified K-12 Reading Specialist, with a concentration in the area of primary literacy. Our books are ideal for a variety of students including: lower level first graders, on level pre-kindergarten and kindergarteners, elementary school children with special needs, and English as a Second Language learners.

When I saw the second sentence of this description, I knew I had found some books that would be great for me to use with my daughter. This will also be a great publisher to recommend for anyone working with any children who would experience success reading this type of book. I can’t wait to try it out! I think we will start with Bedtime for Carl.

Reading strategies from The Howard Street Tutoring Manual, pages 205-206

Have you heard of Graphic Novels?

Have you heard of graphic novels? I will be honest and admit that I do not know very much about them.

Here is what I have found:

Graphic novels are expressed through many frames of pictures and words. They are similar to comic books in appearance but have the depth of novels. Graphic novels are important to introduce students to for many reasons.  Students are given opportunities to analyze many forms of literature.  Some of these are poetry, fiction, and non fiction.  Graphic novels are often not taught at all by teachers.  They can be an excellent resource though.  Students who may not respond well to some literature might love graphic novels.

I recently found a LiveBinder (online 3 ring binder) dealing with Graphic Novels which helped me understand and appreciate this type of story a bit more: Graphic Novel Webliography.

Here are a few things I learned from the Graphic Novel Webliography:

• Graphic novels appeal to both experienced readers and reluctant readers
• Graphic novels can be used with students of all ages (elementary through adult)
• Graphic novels can be used to build vocabulary

The webliography also provides links for parents and educators to learn more about Graphic Novels in general and recommends   specific ones.  I really like the “No Flying, No Tights: Super Hero Soup” tab. I know my classroom library tended to have more options for the girls to choose (I did not plan it that way … it just happened). I can see Graphic Novels appealing to both girls and boys.

I was also pleased to find that when you do an Advanced Search in Big Universe, one of the categories is Graphic Novels. When you do a search for Graphic Novels on Big Universe, you can find illustrated classics, biographies, history, nonfiction, and just really good stories!

image from Franklin Park Library and found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/88488351@N00/2624664037/

Thinking while reading …

Journals, Journals, Journals …

Journal writing was something I strongly encouraged in my 4th grade classes (so many benefits). I believe that writing and reading go together. To become a better read, you should write more. To become a better writer, you should read more.

Some years we (me and students) would write in journals for 15 minutes at the beginning of writing class. There would be music playing and students knew that this was a time for thinking and working not asking questions.

Students also kept Book Journals. If they had questions while they were reading, they would write down those questions.  If the book they were reading made them think of something else, students would write down that thought. I found that encouraging students to write down those thoughts let them get focused back on the book rather than the idea that popped into their head.

There were also times when students when look at their Book Journals to find things to write about. We also used the Book Journal for summarizing parts of the books and even writing recommendations of certain books for others to read.

My last year in a classroom, my students used blogs as “thinking logs” or as a type of journal. Journals can take many forms, and, as much as I like to encourage writing, they don’t even have to be in written form.

I got to thinking about all the ways students could do journals after watching my 4 year old daughter walk around the house carrying a Flip camera. According to her she was making a video to send to a family member. When I started listening, I noticed that she was telling about her day, her toys, the weather outside, and a little about herself. Those are the things I remember writing in a diary or things my students wrote in journals. I guess my little girl was making a type of video journal …

Realizing that caused me to think about the ways various technology tools could be used for “journals”:

• GlogsterEDU could be used to create “A Day in the Life” posters or even a “What happened this week” poster
• Student created blogs could easily be used as a replacement for the spiral notebook journals in my classroom … as a teacher, I used blogs to keep track of the things I tried in the classroom that did or did not work
• The “A Picture Each Day” project many participate in could be seen as another type of journal … pictures could even be posted on things like VoiceThread where narration could be added
• Programs like Animoto or PhotoPeach could be used to pull together photos to be used as a visual journals
• Interactive Timelines could be used used as journals

I am sure my short list is not very comprehensive. What other things can be used for journals?

Turning the pages …

While sitting in a school library one afternoon, I looked around and saw a poster: “Turn the pages of your imagination. READ!!” That would be a great writing topic for students. I can imagine inviting children to brainstorm about what they think that message means. Here are a few guiding questions that came to mind:

• How might your imagination have pages?
• How does reading help jumpstart your imagination?
• Why do you think writers want the readers to imagine when they read?
• How do the things you imagine help you understand what you are reading?
• How might the things you imagine cause you to not understand what you are reading?
• If reading helps you turn the pages of your imagination, what could you do next?

That brainstorming or journal idea could be used as a pre-reading activity to get students thinking about or imagining what could happen in a certain story. That activity could be used to activate prior knowledge and/or generate a purpose for reading.

Another way that brainstorming or journal idea could be used is as a post-reading activity for students to reflect on what they read and how they used imagination in the story.

Students could also provide illustrations of what they imagine. Those illustrations could be connected with the before reading activity and/or the post reading activity.

So while the idea mentioned above could be used before or after reading, students could keep track of the things they imagine while they read. A small notebook, a piece of paper, or even a program like bubbl.us could be used to help student notice things in the story that cause imagination to take place.

Imagination plays a role in reading … before … during … and after

Why don’t you pick a book from Big Universe and see how it turns the pages of your imagination?

image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/24113168@N03/3803641352/

Going on a Scavenger Hunt?

I recently came across a Balanced Literacy Scavenger Hunt that caught my attention.

Even though younger grades are mentioned in the title of this scavenger hunt, Balanced Literacy: Reading and Writing in the First and Second Grade Classroom, I think the ideas and resources presented here are appropriate for any elementary grade. I really like the subtitle on the webpage: an internet-based treasure hunt on balanced literacy. This webpage is similar to a treasure chest with the thought-provoking questions and ideas as well as the linked locations to find some answers to encourage even more thinking.

Not only are there questions concerning the components of a balanced literacy program but also questions about the characteristics of the students involved in the program. We can’t forget about the students, since they need to ultimately be the driving force and reason for any program used to assist their learning. Since students need to be a main focus of the program, the way the classroom and the students in it are managed is an important piece of the puzzle.

There are also questions about instructional strategies and classroom setup. The way the classroom is arranged can play an important role in the effectiveness of any instructional strategy used in that classroom.
Another piece to the puzzle that is not always verbalized is the assessment of the program and the students. How can we know if what we are doing is effective? We have to keep checking along the way and making the needed changes.

There is a list of links to explore to help you think about the answers to these questions. I would encourage you to also look at other resources, maybe even one that are more directly related to the specific areas and issues you are dealing with.

So the 14 Questions about various Balanced Literacy topics (components, fluency, book choice, shared and guided reading, assessment, classroom management and arrangement …) promote the thinking that will help the teacher in answering the Big Question on the webpage which basically boils down to how is what we are and/or are not doing helping students become better readers and writers.

This Balanced Literacy Scavenger Hunt can be found at http://www.swlauriersb.qc.ca/english/edservices/pedresources/balancedlit/balancedliteracy.htm

To become a better reader … READ

I was recently looking back over some information I have bookmarked in the past. I found a blog post that is really focused on building literacy in technology, but it made me think about the ways teachers can help students build literacy skills and fluency in reading.

I found this in David Warlick’s 2 Cents Worth blog:
“Students who become fluent in reading, do so because they read, not because they were taught the basic reading skills. Of course, it wouldn’t have happened without having been taught the basic reading skills. But they become fluent because they are required to read for the rest of their formal education and beyond.”

My 4 year old is learning the alphabet letters and sounds. She is learning rhyming words. She is learning how to write her name. She keeps asking how to spell words so she can right them down. Those are all important skills to set the foundation for reading, but learning those specific skills will not automatically make her a fluent reader. Taking the time to read and support that skill will encourage fluency.

Reading with children can go a along way to building literacy and fluency skills. Make reading a fun experience. Reading needs to be something children look forward to. I can use Big Universe to have great reading experiences with my 4 year old. I can also encourage literacy and fluency with my students by providing time for them to read and to write as a part of my balanced literacy program.

So working on the specific skills is important, but providing experiences to use those skills and READ is the most important part ….

A recipe for writing ….

Cast Your Vote for Thanksgiving Charity Giveaway

Jumpstart for Young Children, a national non-profit literacy program, is among four potential recipients of the $500,000 Thanksgiving Charity Score giveaway, and the public gets to help the MetLife Foundation decide how the funds are shared.

The following charities are candidates:

• Jumpstart for Young Children, an organization of volunteers that works with preschool children to facilitate success in school by providing individualized tutoring and mentoring to build foundational language skills;
• KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that builds playgrounds and advocates active play for children to ensure health and well-being;
• Alzheimer’s Association, a group which helps those affected by Alzheimer’s and supports efforts to prevent, treat and find a cure for this disease; and
• Food Bank for New York City, a relief organization working to end food poverty in New York City.

The public – including Jets and Giants football fans – are encouraged to cast their votesduring Thanksgiving week by going online to make their daily selections. Sports fans who plan to attend the New York Jets football game on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, at the New Meadowlands Stadium can vote in person, as can New York Giants fans during the Sunday, Nov. 28, game.

Voting ends Sunday, Nov. 28. Results will be announced on Monday, Nov. 29. The charity getting the most votes will receive $175,000. The second highest vote getter will receive $125,000, and the remaining two charities will each receive $100,000.

This funding will be a huge blessing to all four of these great causes. Which one tugs at your heart strings?

Getting involved is simple. With just a few clicks, you can cast your vote and spread some holiday cheer. And after that, there still will be ample time to cut another piece of pumpkin pie and to snuggle down to read a book to a child.

Have a very happy Thanksgiving.

MetLife Foundation was created in 1976 by MetLife to continue its longstanding tradition of contributions and community involvement. The goal is to empower people to lead healthy, productive lives and strengthen communities. Underlying the Foundation’s programs is a focus on education at all ages and a commitment to increasing access and opportunity. The Foundation makes grants in health, education, civic affairs and culture. In 2011 the Foundation will make grants in excess of $40 million. (Information courtesy of www.MetLife.org. Leh Tikuva photo.)

 UPDATE:(Dec. 6, 2010) MetLife Foundation awarded $125,000 to the Jumpstart for Young Children literacy group as part of its Thanksgiving Charity Score giveaway. The Alzheimer’s Association was gifted $175,000, and KaBOOM! and Food Bank for New York City were each awarded $100,000. Thanks for participating.

Sequence Words Help Students Put Ideas in Order

Learning how to write sequentially can be tricky for an elementary school student, but it’s a vital skill in our increasingly digital world. A kid who can put events in chronological order and summarize them concisely will be well on his way to mastering not only reading comprehension and history, but also online communication – a life skill akin to doing one’s laundry, driving a car and paying bills. (See sequence words below.)

Of course, a broad vocabulary equips understanding and makes it easier to identify chronological order. That became clear in our family when my oldest daughter came home from elementary school with a paper covered in red ink. She was upset.

The paper was an exercise in recognizing chronological order. While she showed reading prowess, we quickly realized she had three strikes going against her before she ever picked up her pencil on this particular assignment. All three were due to holes in her personal experience.

I picked up the assignment. It read: “How to Make a Bed.” The hair stood up on my arms. “Oh…” I said, as Mommy Guilt gripped my abdomen. You see… our family is embarrassingly lax about making our beds. Unless we have guests coming over, our rooms feature rumpled sheets, pillows akimbo and a cat or two stretched among the linens.

Strike No. 2: We called our beds “our nests.” It was vocabulary that carried over from the pre-school days when our children pretended to be different animals every day. Getting in “your nest” was more fun than “going to bed,” so we retained the term to ease the angst commonly associated with bedtime. (As a matter of justification, a respectable couple I know refer to their bed as “The Burrito.” They don’t know that I know that, but it makes me feel better about the whole “nest” thing.)

The third factor that sunk my daughter’s chances of doing well on her assignment was that she didn’t know what a “bedspread” was. I know, I know. That sounds pathetic, but let me explain. Both of my daughters’ grandmothers were talented quilters, so each of our beds was topped with a hand-stitched work of beauty – not a Bed-in-a-Bag number from Wal-Mart.

…So, when my eldest had a leftover choice on her “How to Make a Bed” worksheet, she made a wild guess, inserting “Put on the bedspread, and smooth out the wrinkles” somewhere after “Stretch the mattress pad over the mattress,” but well before “Finally, put some pretty pillows on top.”

Unfortunately, “Spread the quilt” was not an option. My daughter had all the other steps in order, but had that one step out of order. However, instead of missing one point, the teacher had made six red slashes on her paper after the initial mistake. While generally a good teacher, Mrs. “X” could be a little, well, rigid.

For an instant, little puffs of smoke could be seen coming out of my husband’s ears. His expression said, “Storm the school!”

However, the mood was lightened considerably when my very verbal younger daughter piped up: “I hope I never have to put things in pathological order!”

Of course, the comedic timing was spot-on. We all ended up laughing. Then, we clarified that the term was “chronological order.” Secondly, we explained that most people used bedspreads, but that our family was special. We slept under colorful quilted covers that kept us warm with the love of two talented grandmothers.

 Years have passed. My oldest is now a sophomore in college. She reports that she makes her bed on occasion. I’m pretty sure she does it in chronological order, too.

 ***

Recognizing different organizational structures during conversation and within written text helps with understanding. Components might include context clues such as time-sequence words, mood words, the mention of location changes, cause and effect details, and physical breaks such as chapter and paragraph divisions, poetry stanzas or a pause in conversation.

Chronology Signal Words

First…

Before going…

In the beginning…

In the winter… (or spring, summer or fall)

Years ago…

Before you were born…

Two hours later…

Soon after…

Between…

While I was at the dentist’s office…

Quick as a wink…

In a flash…

Afterward…

After school…

Later that afternoon…

Eventually…

When…

Next Sunday (any day of week)…

Instantly…

Finally…

 For more ideas, check out “Writing: Chronological Order,” a StudyZone.org test-prep tool created by Pat Delia of the Oswego City School District in New York, or read “Mini-Lesson Planning for Sequencing,” a teaching guideline developed by Cassandra Yorke of Florida.

You also can use Big Universe’s Author Tool to practice writing in chronological order.  Use the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) to help summarize important information. Then, illustrate with any of the thousands of images in the graphics library.