Poetry and Struggling Readers

Look! Look!
by Jack Prelutsky

Look! Look!
A book!
A book for me,
A book all filled with poetry,
A book that I can read and read.
A book! Exactly what I need.

 Look! Look!
A book to open wide,
And marvel at the words inside,
To sit and savor quietly.
Look! Look! A Book!
A book for me. (1)

I was in the second grade classroom of one of my pre-service teachers recently, working with a small group of children who function below reading level. We were working on writing a short poem. It was an entertaining experience watching these struggling readers using words they knew to create a short rhyming poem. One of my favorites came from the “character” of the group.

Fly!

Someday I will fly,
Way up into the sky.
If I go up too high,
My friends will miss me,
And cry.

I have always marveled at how engaged young children become when they have composed something they think is great. Our poet, Mary, wanted to read her poem to anyone who would listen. In fact, one student asked her, “How high is too high?” Mary responded, “Until you can’t see me anymore. That is why you will be really sad.”

This experience reminded me that poems can be wonderful for children who struggle with reading longer passages. I found a document written by Dr. Martha Walther, in which she listed reasons why poems make good reading material for struggling readers. Here is her list:

• Poetry is short!
• Poetry plays with language
• Poetry is comprised of well-chosen words
• Poetry incorporates rhythm and rhyme
• Poetry contains rich vocabulary
• Poetry is perfect for fluency practice
• Poetry boosts comprehension
• Poetry creates interest in a topic
• Poetry sparks enthusiasm for writing (2)

Every element on this list supports working with children who find reading challenging. Take the poem, “Fly,” written by the second-grader.

• It is short
• It plays with language (her friends will cry if she flies too high)
• “Way up” and “too high” are well-chosen words and very descriptive
• ‘Fly’ does rhyme and there is a short rhythm to it. (I particularly liked line four, which did not rhyme, but was resolved with line five.)
• Even though the words are simple, used with the adjectives (e.g., too high, way up) they can all be considered rich vocabulary for the age group.
• There is enough rhyme and rhythm in the poem for great fluency practice.
• Boosting comprehension is done with the poem and afterward. Think of the other student who wanted to know how high was “too high.”
• The children were definitely interested in Mary’s poem.
• Right after Mary finished, the entire group wanted to write and share their own poems

Poetry can be a supportive teaching strategy for struggling readers. There are many short, interesting children’s poems to begin the process. (3) As the children learn how a poem works, they will be inspired to write their own. What a great way to help children build stronger reading skills. Working with those children in second grade, I was delighted to be reminded about the value of the poetry-reader connection.

• Prelutsky, J. My dog may be a genius. (2008)
• http://www.mariawalther.com/images/PoetryIRCHandout14.pdf
• Prelutsky, J. and Lobel A., The random house book of poetry. (1983)

The Number One

Three of my grandchildren spent several weeks with me this summer. We decided to drive to a local mountain resort during their visit. While we were driving, the old song, “One is the Loneliest Number” started playing on the radio. After a few minutes, my eight-year-old granddaughter said, “That can’t be right. One can’t be the loneliest number. What about zero? It’s got nothing.”

I was reminded of this story when I was in one of my student teacher’s classrooms this week. She expressed her concern about a boy who was below reading level and was continually isolated and targeted for support services. The teacher was concerned that all of that isolation had to be lonely, and he had no reading role models or reading friends during the instructional time. Being by yourself, or being one, can be a lonely number.

Recently, I read some research about reading specialists who were discovering that using only instructional level texts (the level at which the child is reading) with a child, especially a child who is reading below level, doesn’t seem to support the child in making progress toward a higher level. Experts believe that, when a child is only exposed to on-level texts, it can isolate her and make it difficult for her to progress.  In fact, some of those same experts are convinced that children learn many things from books on their frustrational level (print too difficult for their skills). The Common Core State Standards also encourage teachers to use frustrational level texts with students to help them dissect new words and vocabulary.

I have always believed this to be true. During the years that I taught school, I tried to teach as many reading skills during whole-group instruction. Of course I took children in small groups to work with books on their instructional level, but I didn’t limit their exposure to other texts outside that small group instruction. The entire group participated in shared reading experiences appropriate for their grade level and the interests of the group. My goal was to give every child a positive attitude toward reading and a feeling that each one could navigate that “tricky” world of reading.

Although each child is an individual with specific needs, I think there are suggestions I can make that will generally help struggling readers in a classroom setting.

1. Even when extra support is available for children reading below level, be sure the child does not feel isolated and is allowed to participate in reading activities with the entire class.
2. Use challenging texts with the entire group on a regular basis. The best way to do this is to read the book to the class, not requiring individual students to try to decode the difficult text.
3. The reading block is usually divided into four instructional activities. Here are suggestions for each of the activities:

                    a. Read-Aloud: The teacher does all the print work. The teacher and students discuss the meanings together.
    b. Shared Reading: The teacher and the students do the print and meaning together.
   c. Guided Reading (small group): The student does most of the print and meaning work.
d. Independent Reading: The student does all of the print and meaning work, with varied texts-easy/challenging.

Independent texts are critical for the activities in c and d. However, frustrational texts can be used in a, b, and occasionally d.

Finding a balance is the answer to good reading support, especially when helping struggling readers. We can shift some of the attention away from leveled materials and move toward creating what researchers call a productive effort. Productive effort provides challenge to children, and even struggling readers must be challenged to keep their heads in the game. When a child begins school, he is usually excited to learn to read. Most struggling readers have lost that excitement when they get behind and know they are struggling. Providing some challenge and excitement, allowing the child to participate with everyone in some reading activities, can help him redevelop the interest he once had in learning to read books.

When a child is continually isolated for reading instruction, he becomes a ‘one,’ which can be the loneliest number. Our goal should be to move him toward feeling part of the group of many, and not move backwards to actually become that ‘zero,’ who’s “got nothing.”

References
Burkins, J. & Yarris, K., break through the frustration: balance vs. all-or-nothing thinking. Reading Today, Vol. 32, Number 2. 2014. International Reading Association.
Croft, M. & Burkins, J. Preventing Misguided Reading. The Reading Teacher. 2010. International Reading Association.

Summer Reading Plan

One of my student teachers recently shared with me an email that she had received from her site teacher just prior to the end of school. My student teachers begin their pre-service training in August and complete it at the beginning of April. They are a permanent part of their students’ daily experience during that time. The teacher in the class where this particular student teacher had been working shared with her the results of a writing activity in May. The assignment was to write about five things that they have learned during their second grade year. One of the students wrote, “I have learned that student teachers disappear and leave you missing them.”

I thought of this story when I recently discussed helping children retain the academic learning that they receive during the school year. Will some of the skills “disappear” without the child missing them? Maintaining and supporting learned skills during the summer months is an age-old problem facing teachers and parents. We can’t afford to have skills “disappear.” When I was a first and second grade teacher, I was often dismayed in the fall when it was evident that many of the students had lost their mastery of some of the basic skills over the summer. This seemed to be particularly true with children who struggle with learning, especially in reading and math. Because learning concepts has been such a struggle for them, when the summer months come, these children feel released from that “learning prison” and feel free to “not think.” When fall comes, they have often slipped even further behind and the struggle begins again. It is critical that parents and schools do everything possible to put a maintenance program in place for those summer months so that skills are not lost. One important element of any plan is reading.

The following list contains suggestions of ways to engage struggling readers during the summer. While the suggestions would work for all children, special attention has been given to struggling learners who need to feel engaged in books and build connections between reading and real-life excitement.

1. Create a fun and challenging game with an incentive at the end of the experience. Three of my grandchildren attend a school that challenges their students to read a certain number of pages each summer. When school begins in August, the children bring their individual reading logs back to school and they are totaled for each classroom. The classrooms with the highest number of pages earn a half-day outdoor activity and treats. This has proven to be very successful for that school. For struggling readers, I might change the activity slightly and use a total number of books instead of pages. Since they struggle with reading, counting books may be more appropriate. I think this activity could be adapted to a family situation, with a visible chart in the home to record progress and an appropriate fun experience at the end.
2. Turn books into projects and activities. Some of my fondest memories as a parent came while helping one of my children build a project centered around one of the books that we had read together. I remember helping one of my sons build his own bow and arrow after reading The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks. There are so many great books out now that invite project development. I recently read, Sophie’s Squash (1) and thought how much fun it would be to plant a squash plant in a garden area or even in a pot as a follow-up to this engaging story.
3. Visit the local library on a regular basis during the summer months. Public libraries often have displays and other activities that encourage children to read particular books. Sometimes, visiting the library can be an adventure. We have a spectacular main library in downtown Salt Lake City that is right on the train line. When my grandchildren are visiting, they love to ride the train from my house to the downtown library. Whatever the situation, make going to the library a fun adventure.
4. Read with the child. It is very critical for the adults in a child’s life to model reading and display excitement and joy in reading. I read to my children routinely from an early age. Even with all of that reading time, I still had one child who struggled with reading early on in school. I know it was the constant modeling of good reading and having someone else share excitement about the contents that helped him overcome his difficulties. When a child is able to read, the adult should take turns with him. Reading books also gives the adult a chance to have discussions about various topics. Book discussions offer opportunities to talk about subjects that are difficult to discuss out of context. I remember having a discussion about families coming in different sizes, colors, and configurations with one of my children. The discussion was more natural and had a connection for her because of what we had read. It was more powerful than discussing the topic without any particular references. During the project I mentioned in #2 above, my son and I were able to have a great discussion about stereotypes and the Native American culture.
5. Choose a comfortable place to read. By suggesting this I am not saying that summer reading can only take place in one spot. I am suggesting a comfortable place in the house (or even outside if the child has a yard) that makes reading comfortable and regular. Having a familiar place that quietly says, “Reading Time,” may make reading more pleasant for some children. I know a family that has reading time at 11:00 a.m. every morning when they are home during the summer. The children go to their “reading nook” and pick up their reading where they left off the day before. This is especially effective in this home because Dad sometimes reads at the same time as a model, or he reads with them individually.

We know that children who read regularly during the summer months are more likely to retain their reading skills from the previous school year. In fact, in many cases, the child is able to even improve on skills by regularly practicing what she has learned.

Here are a few recently published books that would be fun this summer:

Younger Children

(1)  Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller

Rufus Goes to School by Kim Griswell

Moo by David LaRochelle

If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett

That’s Not a Good Idea! By Mo Willems

 

Beginning Readers

Check out the Elephant and Piggy Series from Mo Williams. There are lots of titles and the books are easy to read and very engaging and fun.

 

Older Children

Mr. Orange by Truus Matti

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

On Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Prisoner 88 by Leah Pillegi

10 Butterfly Books for Reading Aloud with Kids

submitted by Mary Catherine from Fun-A-Day.com.

Recently, we had an insect and plant theme in preschool. The kiddos enjoyed exploring our nature center built around this theme.  Hands down, the stars of the show were the caterpillars!  My students and I watched the caterpillars as they grew, created chrysalises, and then became butterflies.

At the nature center, I placed a basket of books. They covered a variety of topics – bugs, plants, gardens. The books about caterpillars and butterflies were, of course, incredibly popular. The children loved hearing me read these books to them. As I did so, I incorporated some of the helpful techniques outlined in John Funk’s reading aloud article.

Below are just a few favorites from our science book basket:

1.     The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

2.     Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin, Jr.

3.     A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston

4.     The Butterfly Alphabet Book by Brian Cassie and Jerry Pallotta

5.     Gotta Go! Gotta Go!  by Sam Swope

6.     Clara Caterpillar by Pamela Duncan Edwards

7.     Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons

8.     Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

9.     Ten Wriggly Wiggly Caterpillars by Debbie Carbett

10.    Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story by Elisa Kleven

I loved using the books to connect to the real life cycle of butterflies. The books gave the children more vocabulary to use as they discussed the insects. The fictional stories also let their imaginations “take flight”, encouraging the kids to make up their own stories. The children created some very interesting tales of about caterpillars and butterflies!

What are some of your favorite butterfly books to read aloud with kids?  I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.

Reading Aloud

This post is authored by John Funk.

Reading aloud to a child is an essential part of his development, a simple fact which continues to be reinforced by research on supporting children’s reading development. Children who are read to regularly usually have a larger vocabulary, more background knowledge and comprehension, a better grasp on how reading strategies work, and an opportunity to discuss and develop a stronger understanding about many aspects of life (1). In fact, when parents read with their child, the experience can provide a wonderful setting for developing a stronger bond and discussing current issues. Having a parent model reading is one of the best examples a child can have, especially if the child is a struggling reader.

While reading a book to a child is essential, it is also very important to discuss the contents of the book with her. In the book Starting Out Right from the National Research Council, a number of suggestions appear using the CROWD principals as a way to help the child develop reading and comprehension skills while listening and discussing a book (2). All interactions need to be kept light and fun and need to follow the interest of the child.

CROWD questions include:

• C          Completion questions about the language in the book. For example, when reading The Tales of Peter Rabbit, “When Mr. McGregor started chasing Peter, he yelled, ‘Stop ______ (Thief)!’ ” The child fills in the blank.
• R          Recall questions related to the story content of the book, for example, “Do you remember what happened to Peter when he got home?”
• O         Open-ended questions to increase the amount of talk about a book and to focus on the details of the book, for example, “What is happening on this page?”
• W        “Wh” questions to teach new vocabulary, for example, “When Peter was running from Mr. McGregor, his jacket button got caught in a gooseberry net. The sparrows flew down to help. What is a sparrow?”
• D          Distancing questions that help the child bridge the material in the book to their real-life experiences, for example, “Have you ever been in a garden to see how vegetables grow?”(1)

While you certainly do not need to turn every book experience into a mini reading lesson, taking time to discuss what has been read is essential. Some of my most wonderful experiences with books have come when I was reading to or with one of my children or grandchildren. Books have brought us closer together and have assisted in helping all of us to become better readers and to develop sharper comprehension skills. It is never too early to begin, and you should make sure you don’t stop too early. I routinely read with my children until they finished elementary school and became too cool to read with Dad.

There is a wonderful website called Seussville that offers great suggestions for reading with a child.

Tips for Reading with Your Children from Seussville (3)

Pick a comfortable spot to read in – one with plenty of light.

Make it a routine – whether it’s right before breakfast or right before bed, set aside a special time every day.

Give lots of encouragement! Read the words aloud to your child. Point to the pictures. Say the words together. Laugh with your child.

It’s never too early. Reading can be a bonding activity for you and your new baby. Introduce reading in the very beginning, keep books in the nursery, and have your books out for baby and toddler to see!

The fun continues after the last page! When you finish a story, ask your child about his/her favorite passages, characters, and illustrations.

Every year we see more wonderful books that are especially good for reading aloud to a child. Here is a short list of recently published books that will make reading aloud to your child a delightful experience.

That’s Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems
The Dark by Lemony Snicket
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Odd Duck by Cecil Castelucci
Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Xander’s Panda Party by Linda Sue Park
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip Stead
Oh No! George! by Chris Haughton
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (for older children)

References:

(1)   Whitehurst, G.J., F.L. Falco, C.J. Lonigan, J.E. Fischel, B.D. DeBaryshe, M.C. Valdez-Menchaca, and M. Caulfield. (1988). Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Developmental Psychology 24:552-559.

(2)   National Research Council, M. Susan Burns, Peg Griffin, and Catherine E. Snow, editors. Starting out right: a guide to promoting children’s reading success. 1999. National Academy Press, Washington DC.

(3)  Tips for Reading with Your Children from Seussville

(4)  The Hidden Benefits of Reading Aloud – Even for Older Kids