Hello,
Reading aloud to children is more than just "reading a story" to pass the time. The content and amount of the adult's language is very instrumental to the child's developing language skills. The article in the April/May/June issue of READING RESEARCH QUARTERLY, published by The International Reading Association, goes into great detail about the content of talk while reading aloud. I will summarize a few of the points in today's blog and in next week's blog.
The higher the cognitive demand in the types of questions you ask, the more your child will be engaged in an analytical type discussion. For example, ask your child to make predictions, hypothesise, summarize or explain what is happening in the story. If your child is a preschooler, then you can be the one to model how to think analytically. After reading a part of a story you can say, "I think the momma bird will eventually want to teach her baby birds how to hunt for worms."
This type of language will give your preschooler a head start in comprehension strategies. As an older reader, your child will continue to build on analytical skills and interest in reading.
The story reference above is from Moosey-Moose's blog post today. Yes, we have a new family of robins in our garden! Check out his blog at Mooseymoosewrites.blogspot.com.
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sleepy Bear Hosts a New Book Club
Hello,
Sleepy Bear is hosting a book club for girls ages 6-10 at Mockingbird Books in Greenlake, WA. We will meet on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-8pm. Sleepy Bear will then post questions and answers on his blog.
If you live in the area, we hope to see you at Mockingbird Books! If not, be sure to visit his blog every Thursday for the latest news. His blog is: SleepyBearWrites.blogspot.com
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Sleepy Bear is hosting a book club for girls ages 6-10 at Mockingbird Books in Greenlake, WA. We will meet on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-8pm. Sleepy Bear will then post questions and answers on his blog.
If you live in the area, we hope to see you at Mockingbird Books! If not, be sure to visit his blog every Thursday for the latest news. His blog is: SleepyBearWrites.blogspot.com
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
A Few of My Favorite Things at the SCBWI Conference
Hello,
This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the SCBWI Western Washington Regional Conference. It was two full days of meeting fellow authors, agents, and editors.
I will highlight some of the authors and their books that I'm sure you will enjoy reading for yourself or for the kids in your world.
On Saturday we had the pleasure of being entertained by the keynote speaker, Adam Rex. He is the author of THE DIRTY COWBOY, FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, a New York Times bestseller, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY and his newest book, FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE.
On Sunday, Jon Scieszka, the first National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, gave the keynote address to close the weekend. He is also the founder of GUYS READ, a literacy initiative for boys. A few of his titles are, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE STINKY CHEESE MAN, the TIME WARP TRIO series, and the TRUCKTOWN series, just to name a few.
Other authors and or illustrators who attended the conference were Justina Chen Headley, Sundee Frazier, Ellen Hopkins, Nina Laden, and Grace Lin, just to name a few. I highly recommend their books!
Until next week,
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the SCBWI Western Washington Regional Conference. It was two full days of meeting fellow authors, agents, and editors.
I will highlight some of the authors and their books that I'm sure you will enjoy reading for yourself or for the kids in your world.
On Saturday we had the pleasure of being entertained by the keynote speaker, Adam Rex. He is the author of THE DIRTY COWBOY, FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, a New York Times bestseller, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY and his newest book, FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE.
On Sunday, Jon Scieszka, the first National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, gave the keynote address to close the weekend. He is also the founder of GUYS READ, a literacy initiative for boys. A few of his titles are, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE STINKY CHEESE MAN, the TIME WARP TRIO series, and the TRUCKTOWN series, just to name a few.
Other authors and or illustrators who attended the conference were Justina Chen Headley, Sundee Frazier, Ellen Hopkins, Nina Laden, and Grace Lin, just to name a few. I highly recommend their books!
Until next week,
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Do Crocheting and Literacy Really Have a Connection? - Update
Hello,
A quick update on the progress of my students and their crocheting.
The students are creating a variety of projects. Some have decided to make coasters, others scarves, and others are making hats!
During our choice time in the classroom, some students will sit around a table to crochet while one student reads aloud to them. They take turns passing the book around the table to read.
Another positive for the students learning how to crochet is that they talk about how relaxing it is to sit and crochet while they visit with friends during recess or watch TV at home.
All in all, a great success!
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
A quick update on the progress of my students and their crocheting.
The students are creating a variety of projects. Some have decided to make coasters, others scarves, and others are making hats!
During our choice time in the classroom, some students will sit around a table to crochet while one student reads aloud to them. They take turns passing the book around the table to read.
Another positive for the students learning how to crochet is that they talk about how relaxing it is to sit and crochet while they visit with friends during recess or watch TV at home.
All in all, a great success!
Happy Reading,
Kathleen
Monday, April 27, 2009
Do Crocheting and Literacy Really Have a Connection?
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
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 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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