Hello,
I would like to share a fun and easy way to share books with your child at home. Teachers, this is also a great way to encourage your students either with the whole class or in partners.
This comes from THE READING TEACHER journal, Volume 63, Number 6, March 2010. This lesson uses a structured prompt to engage students in sharing their thinking about what they are reading. Research supports that “… social interaction enhances language development and elevates a child’s intellectual functioning (Clay 1991)” What better way than to interact with your child or classroom of students while reading a book!
The sample prompts provided are:
*Tell me what in your own words what happened in the book.
*Talk about your favorite parts.
*This book reminds me of ...
*Add something new to the book.
If you'd like, you can make a spinner with these prompts to increase the chances of variety in your child's responses.
It is suggested that you model using the prompts for your child first. Soon, your child will begin to naturally use the prompts to begin her own statements and sharing about what she has read or a story she has listened to. Finally, your child will naturally respond to her reading. What’s more, the prompts are not limited to fiction text. They can be used for social studies, science, and even math!
I look forward to hearing how the lesson works for you and your child or students.
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
