Welcome! One year ago today, a group of teacher-bloggers launched the website Adventures in Literacy Land to share tips and tools for effective literacy instruction.
In honor of reaching our first full year of blogging together we are hosting a Winter Wonders Blog Hop and Birthday Celebration. Join us, if you will, to read a short post by each author, download a free literacy resource, and enter a raffle for a chance to win a Barnes and Noble gift certificate.
What I'm Wonder ing about this Winter: Close Reading with Emergent Readers
One of the instructional goals our elementary school has chosen this year focuses on close reading and answering text dependent questions. This is an achievable goal for our intermediate students, but how do we implement that in the primary grades--especially with our emergent readers?
At a conference I attended recently, we discussed using the shared reading block as an opportunity to model and practice close reading strategies. We watched a video of a kindergarten teacher doing a close reading activity using The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Students were seated on a large carpet in front of the big book. They were discussing vocabulary with partners; responding to questions by finding a part in the book that proved their answers; and comparing the book to others they had read. What a great way to introduce close reading early on!
My "ah-ha moment" was realizing that using modeling and a gradual release of responsibility is an effective way to introduce students to close reading. Emergent readers can be successful with thinking deeply about a text and locating evidence to support their answers if we provide the scaffolding.
My "ah-ha moment" was realizing that using modeling and a gradual release of responsibility is an effective way to introduce students to close reading. Emergent readers can be successful with thinking deeply about a text and locating evidence to support their answers if we provide the scaffolding.
Freebie
Studying penguins is a winter favorite of my students. The freebie I have prepared for you is a book study for The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins and Penguins! by Gail Gibbons. This mini-pack contains vocabulary cards, a KWL chart, guiding questions, and more. It will be available on January 6, 2015 only. Click on the image to download. :) |
| This Freebie has expired. |
Next Stop
The next stop along the hop is Comprehension Connection. Visit my friend, Carla, to learn more about close reading and pick up her wonderful Partner Scripts freebie. You'll be glad you did!
At the final stop of the hop, Adventures in Literacy Land, you will have an opportunity to enter a raffle to win one of four $25 Barnes and Noble gift certificates. Best of luck!
Happy 1st Birthday, Adventures in Literacy Land!
