October 2011 - ideas
Books, Books and more books.
Oh look… another test!
It's here lets not moan!
Let's not scream!
Let's not despair?
NO … really let's not!
It's here lets not moan!
Let's not scream!
Let's not despair?
NO … really let's not!
A recent Daily Telegraph article (24-9-11) announced 'The erosion of childhood'. As that week a group of 11 year olds had enjoyed jumping on the ground to get worms out and announced in the plenary that they had learned how to bring worms up to the top of the ground. I worried about the current primary curriculum.
Dr Richard House says ' the time has come to move from awareness to action'
If you have been on a training of mine you will know ACTION is the key word for the modern child.
MOVE IT!
So to accelerate reading skills?
Sing it, dance it, jump it…?
Well YES for key word games, however for engaging the reader in books it's not that simple.
An ability to read comes from a love of books?
I loved Cinderella, a ladybird book as a 5 year old. I often ponder how Cinderella got out of the pumpkin when the carriage she was riding turned back into the vegetable after 12! I imagined myself dancing with the prince, shrinking to the size of Mrs Pepperpot and living in Happyland with Mr Happy!I devoured books because my imagination had the ability to bring them to life. BUT… I did not live in this modern age. I did not have a TV till age 10! I did not have a games device or Ipodpad thingy!
Modern children do!Modern children have 4D! glasses and scratch and sniff cards!
So what can we do as modern teachers?
Bring the books to life!
Simply pick a book for a week or two and bring it to life. In both my current settings we have enjoyed bringing the Cat in the Hat alive, all activities linked to rhyme, pigs in wigs, combs in foam, wellies in jelly, bears on chairs… the possibilities were endless. I watched as my Manchester team brought alive Giraffe's Can't Dance
Building an outdoor jungle in fact would you like to see the team's planning for the 2 weeks?
Download Giraffes Can't Dance mind map
Download Giraffes Can't Dance Planning
I challenge you to bring books alive, I have never seen so many children retelling the Cat in the Hat and looking for more books to enjoy. That's what I call early start to reading.
If you need any ideas just email
Shonette