Hello,
In an earlier blog I mentioned the article in The Reading Teacher about the students who learned how to crochet and how that facilitated their reading and writing. I decided to give it a try with my 3rd and 4th grade students.
I first bought myself a new crochet hook and some yarn and one for my students. One by one, I taught my students the chain stitch. When one student learned, he or she taught another student. I was surprisde by their interest in learning and teaching. Yes, even the boys are becoming crochet masters!
My students wrote letters to their parents requesting a few dollars to buy their own crochet hook and yarn and today they will each receive their own supplies! I was lucky enough to get a discount at the local fabric store so today my students will write "Thank You" letters to the store managers.
I am happily surprised at how this project has taken off with my students. They are learning how to communicate instructions in a sequential manner, how to listen to a read-aloud while crocheting, and how to write a persuasive letter and a thank you note to adults.
I'll keep you posted on our progress!
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Nifty Strategy To Help Your Child Read Fluently
Hello,
When children first learn to read, we check for one-to-one correspondence; is the child saying a word for each word on the page? Usually, the reader uses his finger to point to each word as he says it. But, as the reader becomes more accomplished, this is a habit that we want to change. We want the reader to read like he is talking - fluently.
One way to help your child reader to read more fluently is to use a bookmark to cover the words just after he has read them.
Ask your child to begin reading the first sentence. You will use the bookmark to cover the first word and the following words just after your child has read each word.
Continue to slide the bookmark over the words, moving along each sentence.
The goal is for your child to read the words before you cover them with the bookmark. Soon your child learn how to see the words ahead in the sentence before he actually needs to read them, which facilitates reading fluently.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
When children first learn to read, we check for one-to-one correspondence; is the child saying a word for each word on the page? Usually, the reader uses his finger to point to each word as he says it. But, as the reader becomes more accomplished, this is a habit that we want to change. We want the reader to read like he is talking - fluently.
One way to help your child reader to read more fluently is to use a bookmark to cover the words just after he has read them.
Ask your child to begin reading the first sentence. You will use the bookmark to cover the first word and the following words just after your child has read each word.
Continue to slide the bookmark over the words, moving along each sentence.
The goal is for your child to read the words before you cover them with the bookmark. Soon your child learn how to see the words ahead in the sentence before he actually needs to read them, which facilitates reading fluently.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Unique Way of Encouraging Literacy in the Community
Hello,
I read an article in the February 2009 issue of The Reading Teacher called, "The 42nd Crochet: Getting Students Hooked Into a Literacy Community". The article tells the story of how a second grade teacher taught her students how to crochet as a classroom management tool at the end of the school day. However, it quickly blossomed into a regular part of the classroom's literacy content. The students used their crocheting time as an opportunity to talk about books they were reading, to write about their crocheting projects, to problem solve, and to build relationships with the community outside of the classroom. The students wrote letters to local businesses asking for donations of crocheting supplies. Crocheting also became a big part of the students' home life. Students began crocheting at home either on their own or with other family members. This is a great way to spend some quality time with your child and discuss their literary interests just like in the classroom, to encourage dialogue with your child, and make gifts for family members all at the same time!
When I first read the title of this article, I was a little skeptical and unsure of how crocheting tied into literacy. But, now I'm excited about trying this out in my own classroom of 3rd and 4th graders. I'll keep you posted on our progress!
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
I read an article in the February 2009 issue of The Reading Teacher called, "The 42nd Crochet: Getting Students Hooked Into a Literacy Community". The article tells the story of how a second grade teacher taught her students how to crochet as a classroom management tool at the end of the school day. However, it quickly blossomed into a regular part of the classroom's literacy content. The students used their crocheting time as an opportunity to talk about books they were reading, to write about their crocheting projects, to problem solve, and to build relationships with the community outside of the classroom. The students wrote letters to local businesses asking for donations of crocheting supplies. Crocheting also became a big part of the students' home life. Students began crocheting at home either on their own or with other family members. This is a great way to spend some quality time with your child and discuss their literary interests just like in the classroom, to encourage dialogue with your child, and make gifts for family members all at the same time!
When I first read the title of this article, I was a little skeptical and unsure of how crocheting tied into literacy. But, now I'm excited about trying this out in my own classroom of 3rd and 4th graders. I'll keep you posted on our progress!
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
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