I've never been much of a reader. Don't know why. Just the way I am I suppose. However, I do enjoy being read to (bloomin' love being read to) and enjoy reading a book out loud for others to share in the enjoyment of. This is another post where my classroom practice has been altered by by daughter. My daughter is now just over a year old and, in the past year, I've rediscovered the library and picture books. She quite enjoys books and I enjoy reading to her at bedtime. There are some beautiful, interesting and amusing picture books.
In the past, we've written about picture books being a useful tool in Key Stage Two. What I've done so far in the spring term is change my approach to reading to my class. In the past, I read 'longer' books: Tove Jansson, Dhal, Blyton etc... These have mostly been successful, but often, I'd start a book and not manage to get it finished or we'd lose track of events. I've taken into school some of the books I read my daughter, I've chosen picture books from the school library and even had one brought in by the children. The result has been that we've started and finished a story in two or three days.
What do I want to get out of a story? Children enjoying it. Learning about plot. Seeing vocabulary and punctuation choices. Getting ideas for their own writing. We've got all of these so far!
Notable stand outs so far...
Mr. Wuffles! - David Wiesner
Horton Hears a Who - Dr. Seuss
This Moose Belongs to Me - Oliver Jeffers
I'll still read some longer books too (that's important), and Five on a Treasure Island will be one of them, but I'll get in lots of picture books in between.
I love picture books too, bud - great stimulus for writing.
ReplyDelete