Have a look at this NZ ABC wall frieze / poster... http://www.kakarikigreen.co.nz/
A is for aroha, j is for jandals, n is for netball... lovely bright graphics and clear letters.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
test post
Dear all,
I am now based in the Christchurch Centre of Natonal Library and enjoying the changing landscapes of Canterbury. I will try and remain an active blogger, - and add informaoitn as it passes me by. I am now based in a centre where there is a collection so I will keep my eyes peeled for new books especailly picture books that would suit the aims of Juls.
Take care and enjoy 2010 Dyane
I am now based in the Christchurch Centre of Natonal Library and enjoying the changing landscapes of Canterbury. I will try and remain an active blogger, - and add informaoitn as it passes me by. I am now based in a centre where there is a collection so I will keep my eyes peeled for new books especailly picture books that would suit the aims of Juls.
Take care and enjoy 2010 Dyane
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
ERO Report : Reading and Writing in Years 1 and 2
Here is a link to the newly published ERO report on Reading and Writing in Years 1 and 2, due to be sent to schools in Term 1 2010.
http://tiny.cc/EROreportReadingandWritingYears1and2
I was interested to see how the library fitted into effective teaching of reading and writing at Years 1 and 2 from ERO's perspective... I was disappointed.
The word library does not appear at all in the report.
The word libraries appears once in the report in the following sentence on page 18 :
Children had plentiful and appropriately levelled texts in their reading boxes, big books, poetry cards, reading games and in class and school libraries.
The word literature appears 4 times in the report, in each instance referring to professional reading about best teaching practice.
I can't believe that a report about reading and writing in the junior school does not mention the vital importance of ready access to a range of literature and engagement with stories for reading motivation and pleasure, teacher reading role models "readers are made by readers", well-resourced and well-used school libraries to enrich teaching practice, and the creation of a reading culture in the classroom and school...
http://tiny.cc/EROreportReadingandWritingYears1and2
I was interested to see how the library fitted into effective teaching of reading and writing at Years 1 and 2 from ERO's perspective... I was disappointed.
The word library does not appear at all in the report.
The word libraries appears once in the report in the following sentence on page 18 :
Children had plentiful and appropriately levelled texts in their reading boxes, big books, poetry cards, reading games and in class and school libraries.
The word literature appears 4 times in the report, in each instance referring to professional reading about best teaching practice.
I can't believe that a report about reading and writing in the junior school does not mention the vital importance of ready access to a range of literature and engagement with stories for reading motivation and pleasure, teacher reading role models "readers are made by readers", well-resourced and well-used school libraries to enrich teaching practice, and the creation of a reading culture in the classroom and school...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
LPDP report : Improving learning for all
You may be interested in reading the Literacy Professional Development Project report : Improving learning for all
This document is part of a set of materials for teachers and school leaders that summarises research articles and milestone reports from New Zealand’s Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP). Online users can also access the hyperlinks indicated in blue in the text.
Here is the link to the report.
http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Community/Literacy-Online-update/LPDP
Glenys suggests in particular having a look at :
If the Teacher Is Clear about It, the Students Will Get It: Professional Inquiry for Teachers http://tiny.cc/Iftheteachers
and
It’s All about the Students: Helping Students Become Self-regulated Learners
http://tiny.cc/Itsallaboutthestudents
This document is part of a set of materials for teachers and school leaders that summarises research articles and milestone reports from New Zealand’s Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP). Online users can also access the hyperlinks indicated in blue in the text.
Here is the link to the report.
http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Community/Literacy-Online-update/LPDP
The Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP) provides schools with an in-depth professional development programme that focuses on improving student learning and achievement in literacy through evidence-based practice. The project also has a focus on the professional learning that has an ongoing effect on student progress and achievement.
The introduction paper and four research reports, Improving Learning for All: Learning from the Literacy Professional Development Project(LPDP), focus on student learning, teacher learning, facilitator learning, and learning across the whole education system. They contain ideas of relevance to teachers, school leaders, facilitators of professional learning, and policy makers across the education sector.
The content of these reports has been sourced from previously published research conducted by the researchers (Professor Helen Timperley and Associate Professor Judy Parr from the University of Auckland) working within LPDP, in partnership with project members.
Glenys suggests in particular having a look at :
If the Teacher Is Clear about It, the Students Will Get It: Professional Inquiry for Teachers http://tiny.cc/Iftheteachers
and
It’s All about the Students: Helping Students Become Self-regulated Learners
http://tiny.cc/Itsallaboutthestudents
Beyond feedback: Developing student capability in complex appraisal
Here is a link to an interesting article about giving students effective feedback, shared by Glenys Brown.
www.uts.ualberta.ca/documents/Beyondfeedback.pdf
Beyond feedback: Developing student capability in complex appraisal
by D. Royce Sadler, Griffith Institute for Higher Education, Griffith University, Brisbane
Abstract
Giving students detailed feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of their work, with suggestions for improvement, is becoming common practice in higher education. However, for many students feedback seems to have little or no impact, despite the considerable time and effort put into its production.
With a view to increasing its effectiveness, extensive theoretical and empirical research has been carried out into its structure, timing and other parameters.
For students to be able to apply feedback, they need to understand the meaning of the feedback statements. They also need to identify, with near certainty, the particular aspects of their work that need attention. For these to occur, students must possess critical background knowledge.
This article sets out the nature of that knowledge and how students can acquire it. They must appropriate for themselves three fundamental concepts : task compliance, quality, and criteria – and also develop a cache of relevant tacit knowledge.
Keywords: formative assessment, feedback, qualitative judgment, peer assessment, criteria
www.uts.ualberta.ca/documents/Beyondfeedback.pdf
Beyond feedback: Developing student capability in complex appraisal
by D. Royce Sadler, Griffith Institute for Higher Education, Griffith University, Brisbane
Abstract
Giving students detailed feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of their work, with suggestions for improvement, is becoming common practice in higher education. However, for many students feedback seems to have little or no impact, despite the considerable time and effort put into its production.
With a view to increasing its effectiveness, extensive theoretical and empirical research has been carried out into its structure, timing and other parameters.
For students to be able to apply feedback, they need to understand the meaning of the feedback statements. They also need to identify, with near certainty, the particular aspects of their work that need attention. For these to occur, students must possess critical background knowledge.
This article sets out the nature of that knowledge and how students can acquire it. They must appropriate for themselves three fundamental concepts : task compliance, quality, and criteria – and also develop a cache of relevant tacit knowledge.
Keywords: formative assessment, feedback, qualitative judgment, peer assessment, criteria
Monday, November 23, 2009
Teaching juniors to become writers : one teacher's experience
Here is some information from Lynne Shearman, RTLit, from her JuLS Workshop 7 session on writing.
This is the link to the document with the Junior Writing Intentions
http://tiny.cc/JuniorWritingIntentionsLShearman
and Lynne's powerpoint on Teaching Juniors to become writers is on the right sidebar under the heading Powerpoints from workshops.
This is the link to the document with the Junior Writing Intentions
http://tiny.cc/JuniorWritingIntentionsLShearman
and Lynne's powerpoint on Teaching Juniors to become writers is on the right sidebar under the heading Powerpoints from workshops.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Reading to a dog
For those who love dogs, you'll completely understand this great story about a programme for learner readers to read to a dog...http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/22/dogs.irpt/index.html
Learning to read? Try talking to a dog [CNN]
I saw this happen at Russell School quite a few years ago - a young boy was out on the verandah, sitting cross legged with a lovely dog (the Principal Keith Dowdle's dog) resting its chin on the boy's knee while the boy read - it really looked as if the dog was listening and looking at the pictures - if only I'd had my camera !
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Notes on the "summer slide"
Overcoming the “summer slide” : students and reading mileage, summer holidays and the school library…
It would be also be productive to gather evidence of the impact of any initiative you take.
Perhaps the discussion at your school could also include an invitation / challenge to teachers to extend their own summer reading of children’s books – getting to know children’s books that they can promote to their students next year, read aloud, incorporate into their teaching programme…
For more information, discussion or workshops at your school on this topic, please contact your National Library Adviser – Dyane Hosler or Jeannie Skinner.
1 An investigation of the effectiveness of a summer school reading intervention in a low decile school as a way of preventing the summer slide in reading, Shanthi Tiruchittampalam, University of Auckland, MEd thesis 2006
2 Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap Karl L. Alexander, Doris R. Entwisle, Linda Steffel Olson, John Hopkins University, Baltimore in American Sociological Review, 2007, Vol. 72 (April:167–180)
- The “summer slump” or “summer slide” is the decline in reading achievement children suffer just from being away from school and formal literacy instruction.
- Often it is the students who can least afford to lose the reading gains they've achieved during the school year who fall the furthest behind when they return to school after a summer break.
- A New Zealand masters thesis[1] showed a 5.8 month summer reading slide for pupils in a Decile 1 school who were reading at below-average levels. · In a key Baltimore study[2] it was found that low-income children fell further behind than their classmates – characterised as the “the Harry Potter divide”, and that the effects are cumulative and long-term.
- Term 4 is the time to consider how your school can prevent any “summer slide” and what strategies you can implement before the end of term for the coming holiday...
- getting parents on board, informing / reminding them of the powerful benefits for children of reading and being read to, and that even just 10 minutes reading a day by or to children will maintain / develop their child’s reading skills, habit and enthusiasm…
- looking at ways to get books in hands / homes during the holidays and what role the school library or the resource room might play in this, as well as liaison with the public library to encourage membership and use…
It would be also be productive to gather evidence of the impact of any initiative you take.
Perhaps the discussion at your school could also include an invitation / challenge to teachers to extend their own summer reading of children’s books – getting to know children’s books that they can promote to their students next year, read aloud, incorporate into their teaching programme…
For more information, discussion or workshops at your school on this topic, please contact your National Library Adviser – Dyane Hosler or Jeannie Skinner.
1 An investigation of the effectiveness of a summer school reading intervention in a low decile school as a way of preventing the summer slide in reading, Shanthi Tiruchittampalam, University of Auckland, MEd thesis 2006
2 Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap Karl L. Alexander, Doris R. Entwisle, Linda Steffel Olson, John Hopkins University, Baltimore in American Sociological Review, 2007, Vol. 72 (April:167–180)
Messages for parents about summer reading...
Here are some notes you may wish to use as a starting point for communicating with parents… Put them onto your school letterhead or in a newsletter, and edit them as you wish…
3 important messages for parents / caregivers / whanau
We know you want the best for your children.
Here are three things you can do which will really help them :
1. Encourage your children to read.
3 important messages for parents / caregivers / whanau
We know you want the best for your children.
Here are three things you can do which will really help them :
1. Encourage your children to read.
- If your children spend 15 minutes each day reading or being read to, it will help them become excellent readers, writers and thinkers and do well at school and life.
- 15 minutes is only 1 % of each day. It could be in 3 lots of 5 minutes. It isn’t much time but it makes a HUGE difference.
- If you would like some help getting books to read and share, then please ask us, we’d be happy to help.
- Many children, especially struggling readers, forget some of what they've learned or slip out of practice during the summer holidays. If you keep reading to your child and encouraging them to read and write, then they won’t lose ground they have made over the year and “slide” back.
- Keep it fun – read anything, write anything – lists, recipes, stories, postcards, comics… Ask your child’s teacher for ideas.
- The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.
- Reading aloud to children stimulates their interest, their emotional development, their imagination, and their language.
- Reading aloud to your children every day will help them become great readers and listeners, but most of all they will love you for doing it with them and they will remember the times you read to them all their lives !
Jeannie Skinner, Library Adviser, National Library School Services
Summer slump - NLNZ workshop 7
The NLNZ session at Workshop 7 explores the importance of maintaining the progress made by your students in your class during the year by setting up strategies to keep reading and writing happening over the school holidays - avoiding the "summer slump". In this session we discussed what teachers, parents, libraries, the school and the children themselves can do...
Contact Dyane or Jeannie if you would like a copy of the powerpoint to share at your school with staff.
Here are some links to articles about the summer slump :
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c41/ Summary of articles...
Summer Reading Loss by Maryann Mraz and Timothy V. Rasinski (2007) http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/15218
These are some suggestions from the Whangarei JuLS group on what they plan to do:
Contact Dyane or Jeannie if you would like a copy of the powerpoint to share at your school with staff.
Here are some links to articles about the summer slump :
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c41/ Summary of articles...
Summer Reading Loss by Maryann Mraz and Timothy V. Rasinski (2007) http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/15218
These are some suggestions from the Whangarei JuLS group on what they plan to do:
- Intend to set up school LibraryThing to record summer reading
- Promote the library in newsletters and the need to read.
- School newsletter item about summer slide
- LibraryThing class site - link up with other classes as "friends"
- I will be better prepared to set up a focus group to monitor over summer.
- Will try and inspire community to make this work
- Look forward to bringing it up at staff meeting to discuss
- Good ideas for making books. Will follow through with newsletter
- Will make class slogan for summer holiday reading.
- Had not really thought about this issue deeply and now I realise we can make a difference.·
- Share at syndicate meeting.·
Innovative Teachers' Companion
Andrew Clements, a teacher at Kaikohe West School, heartily recommended this teacher planning diary - the Innovative Teachers' Companion. The website www.itcpublications.com.au
For Australian and NZ teachers, it has double page spreads for teacher daily / weekly planning as usual, interleaved with a variety of teaching strategies for critical and creative thinking. It costs NZ $33 and with purchase comes access to the website with a huge number of resources to download. I imagine that having these ideas and suggestions right in your planning book could be really useful...
I contacted Sharon Birss at the Tai Tokerau Ed Centre which sells it (s.birss@auckland.ac.nz / ph 09 470 1023) and she has kindly given me a 2009 Primary edition (Secondary edition also available) as a sample to show at network meetings etc.
For Australian and NZ teachers, it has double page spreads for teacher daily / weekly planning as usual, interleaved with a variety of teaching strategies for critical and creative thinking. It costs NZ $33 and with purchase comes access to the website with a huge number of resources to download. I imagine that having these ideas and suggestions right in your planning book could be really useful...
I contacted Sharon Birss at the Tai Tokerau Ed Centre which sells it (s.birss@auckland.ac.nz / ph 09 470 1023) and she has kindly given me a 2009 Primary edition (Secondary edition also available) as a sample to show at network meetings etc.
Teachers as Readers (UK research)
The UKLA UK Literacy Association has undertaken research which I find interesting, about teachers as readers and about the relationship between reading instruction and reading for pleasure. There is such a role for the school library to play here...
http://www.ukla.org/site/research/research_projects_in_progress/teachers_as_readers_building_communities_of_readers/
The first phase of the Teachers as Readers research (2006-7) looked at patterns in primary teachers' reading, both personally and professionally - looking at their own personal reading habits and preferences, their knowledge of children's literature, their own childhood favourites and books significant to them, their use of texts in the classroom, and use of libraries...
Teachers as readers Report
http://www.ukla.org/download.php?file=/downloads/TARwebreport.doc
Teachers as readers Questionnaire
http://www.ukla.org/download.php?file=/downloads/tars.pdf
The goal of the second phase of the research is Building Communities of Readers (2007-8) to improve teachers’ knowledge and experience of literature in order to help them increase children’s motivation and enthusiasm for reading, especially those less successful in literacy, to build new relationships with parents and families and to explore the concept of a reading teacher: a teacher who reads and a reader who teaches (Commeyras et al., 2004).
The Executive Summary provides an overview of the research and the key findings as well as recommendations. It argues that teachers need support in order to develop children’s reading for pleasure, which can influence both attainment and achievement and increase young learners’ engagement as self- motivated and socially engaged readers.
http://www.ukla.org/downloads/teachers_as_readers.pdf
Click on the picture to enlarge a summary of key findings :
Reading instruction - oriented towards learning to read, Reading for Pleasure oriented towards choosing to read...
http://www.ukla.org/site/research/research_projects_in_progress/teachers_as_readers_building_communities_of_readers/
The first phase of the Teachers as Readers research (2006-7) looked at patterns in primary teachers' reading, both personally and professionally - looking at their own personal reading habits and preferences, their knowledge of children's literature, their own childhood favourites and books significant to them, their use of texts in the classroom, and use of libraries...
Teachers as readers Report
http://www.ukla.org/download.php?file=/downloads/TARwebreport.doc
Teachers as readers Questionnaire
http://www.ukla.org/download.php?file=/downloads/tars.pdf
The goal of the second phase of the research is Building Communities of Readers (2007-8) to improve teachers’ knowledge and experience of literature in order to help them increase children’s motivation and enthusiasm for reading, especially those less successful in literacy, to build new relationships with parents and families and to explore the concept of a reading teacher: a teacher who reads and a reader who teaches (Commeyras et al., 2004).
The Executive Summary provides an overview of the research and the key findings as well as recommendations. It argues that teachers need support in order to develop children’s reading for pleasure, which can influence both attainment and achievement and increase young learners’ engagement as self- motivated and socially engaged readers.
http://www.ukla.org/downloads/teachers_as_readers.pdf
Click on the picture to enlarge a summary of key findings :Reading instruction - oriented towards learning to read, Reading for Pleasure oriented towards choosing to read...
Themed literacy bags for younger students
I recommend checking out the Reading Rockets website http://www.readingrockets.org/
it is full of interesting links and useful resources. I've subscribed to the free monthly newsletter.
From their website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
In the latest newsletter from Reading Rockets there is a new "literacy bag" based on the "Where the wild things are" by Maurice Sendak. Browse their full library of Family Literacy Bags. And for additional information about Family Literacy Bags, you might want to read this article.
it is full of interesting links and useful resources. I've subscribed to the free monthly newsletter.
From their website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
In the latest newsletter from Reading Rockets there is a new "literacy bag" based on the "Where the wild things are" by Maurice Sendak. Browse their full library of Family Literacy Bags. And for additional information about Family Literacy Bags, you might want to read this article.
I could imagine these literacy bags being a great resource for Parent Mentoring Programmes or in junior classrooms.
Mo Willems blog
I came across Mo Willems' blog - http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/ the other day - he is one of my favourite picture book author/illustrators, creator of the inimitable Knuffle bunny, Edwina, Pigeon...
I loved the idea of his family dining room being decorated with chalkboard - the latest version are portraits in frames - have a look http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/2009/10/weve-been-framed-chalkboard-walls2.html
There are links from this blog to other Mo Willems information - websites, interviews and the great teacher resources too - http://www.pigeonpresents.com/grownup.aspx
I loved the idea of his family dining room being decorated with chalkboard - the latest version are portraits in frames - have a look http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/2009/10/weve-been-framed-chalkboard-walls2.html
There are links from this blog to other Mo Willems information - websites, interviews and the great teacher resources too - http://www.pigeonpresents.com/grownup.aspx
wickED at TKI
A message from Anne Mason, Community facilitator at TKI :
wickED is a quality-assured online environment for 7-12 year olds (years 3-8), developed to complement the Ministry of Education’s study support centres initiative. wickED provides engaging curriculum-based learning activities in English and te reo Māori, many of which have been developed to reflect a literacy, numeracy and ESOL focus. The activities are intended to support facilitated or independent use by students.
Have you visited the wickED site ? From the home page :
Explore the wickEDly cool things on this site! Quizzes, crosswords, interactives and games in English and te reo Māori, a gallery of student artworks, profiles of inspirational New Zealanders, an information station, and activities and games based around topics – it’s all here – on wickED!
Reading and comprehension strategies
Here is a link to an interesting book Independent Reading Inside the Box by Lisa Donohue aimed at primary school teachers about strategies to enhance students' comprehension, language and thinking skills while they are reading.
The box refers to a one page template with 8 boxes in a table, each with a useful strategy to "dig deeper" into reading.
You can read the whole book online for free, and download each chapter and the templates as PDFs. Preview the entire book
These sort of activities do not take the place of pure reading for pleasure, the FVR (Free Voluntary Reading) which Stephen Krashen talks about, and there is a risk when a book is too analysed that it loses all spontaneity, but we know that the key to becoming a life-long reader is beyond decoding to make meaning, and with comprehension come the rewards of reading...
Independent reading inside the box by Lisa Donohue, Pembroke 2008 ISBN: 978-155138-225-8
The box refers to a one page template with 8 boxes in a table, each with a useful strategy to "dig deeper" into reading.
You can read the whole book online for free, and download each chapter and the templates as PDFs. Preview the entire book
These sort of activities do not take the place of pure reading for pleasure, the FVR (Free Voluntary Reading) which Stephen Krashen talks about, and there is a risk when a book is too analysed that it loses all spontaneity, but we know that the key to becoming a life-long reader is beyond decoding to make meaning, and with comprehension come the rewards of reading...
Independent reading inside the box by Lisa Donohue, Pembroke 2008 ISBN: 978-155138-225-8
Improving outcomes for Maori
One of the JuLS goals is "to develop shared understandings of literacy teaching and learning, particularly in the first three years at school, including the knowledge and use of appropriate resources, and how Maori and Pasifika students learn (emphasis added).
Here is a useful resource to explore this aspect, shared by Glenys.
Teachers as learners: Improving outcomes for Māori and Pasifika students through inquiry (Published September 2009)
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Case-studies/Inquiry
Using family stories in learning about cultural identity and cultural transmission How can I use Māori and Pasifika students' past experiences, knowledge, and culture to enhance their achievement and learning?
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Case-studies/Inquiry/Learning-stories/Story-6
Here is a useful resource to explore this aspect, shared by Glenys.
Teachers as learners: Improving outcomes for Māori and Pasifika students through inquiry (Published September 2009)
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Case-studies/Inquiry
These learning materials are primarily for teachers and school leaders, and they may also be useful for others in education. Their purpose is to illustrate how teachers have used an inquiry approach to teaching to become more culturally responsive and to improve outcomes for their Māori and Pasifika students.
The teachers’ stories illustrate a variety of contexts and experiences: some involve teachers relatively new to the profession, while others show very experienced teachers taking a fresh look at their practice. Whatever their situation, all the teachers have willingly shared the challenges and highlights of their investigations in order that other teachers and school leaders may use them as triggers for their own inquiries.
I found Learning Story #6 really engaging and inspiring - check it out...Using family stories in learning about cultural identity and cultural transmission How can I use Māori and Pasifika students' past experiences, knowledge, and culture to enhance their achievement and learning?
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Case-studies/Inquiry/Learning-stories/Story-6
Sunday, October 4, 2009
PhotoStory software
PhotoStory is wonderful free software which enables you to turn a collection of digital photos into a "video" complete with your own narration, text and music background. It is lots of fun and very easy to use... It could be a great tool for the classroom with students of all ages for a variety of purposes, and in the library maybe for doing book reviews ? It could be a good resource to promote to families in the school newsletter too perhaps ?
Here is the website http://tiny.cc/Photostory610
There is a guide to making a video using a single photo which is also very effective, if a bit more complex ! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/tips/create.mspx
Here is the website http://tiny.cc/Photostory610
There is a guide to making a video using a single photo which is also very effective, if a bit more complex ! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/tips/create.mspx
Friday, September 18, 2009
Vocabulary
Here is a post on the school library list serve from Gerri Judkins, librarian at Southwell School in Hamilton. Gerri recently attended the International Association of School Librarianship in Padua, Italy...
Hi All
At the IASL pre-conference Literature Day in Italy Aidan Chambers talked about the most recent brain research as it relates to leaning to read. He said children cannot learn to read a word unless they have heard it read aloud.
We've had sooo much fun this week in the library with "Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig goes to Dad's Café".
I printed off (Times New Roman 72) words such as ravenous, resplendent, repercussions, belligerent, various, disarray, aplomb and auspicious and held them up one at a time asking students from Yr 3 - Yr 8 to read them aloud and give the meaning. They couldn't define most of them. Then, we read the book and talked about the meanings as we encountered the words. It really is quite sophisticated with politicians, business men and café food.
It was a hit with all ages and reinforced the reading aloud message to teachers, who come with the kids. I also encouraged the students to use the words at home and read aloud to their younger siblings.
Have a great weekend...
;-) Gerri
For another great account of the rich vocabulary in picture books, have a look at this short article from School Library Journal...
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6348381.html?industryid=47190
Hi All
At the IASL pre-conference Literature Day in Italy Aidan Chambers talked about the most recent brain research as it relates to leaning to read. He said children cannot learn to read a word unless they have heard it read aloud.
We've had sooo much fun this week in the library with "Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig goes to Dad's Café".
I printed off (Times New Roman 72) words such as ravenous, resplendent, repercussions, belligerent, various, disarray, aplomb and auspicious and held them up one at a time asking students from Yr 3 - Yr 8 to read them aloud and give the meaning. They couldn't define most of them. Then, we read the book and talked about the meanings as we encountered the words. It really is quite sophisticated with politicians, business men and café food.
It was a hit with all ages and reinforced the reading aloud message to teachers, who come with the kids. I also encouraged the students to use the words at home and read aloud to their younger siblings.
Have a great weekend...
;-) Gerri
For another great account of the rich vocabulary in picture books, have a look at this short article from School Library Journal...
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6348381.html?industryid=47190
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