Shared Reading

Based on Don Holdaway's (1979) research, "shared reading is a collaborative learning activity that emulates and builds from the child’s experience with bedtime stories.  In early childhood classrooms it involves a teacher, a small or large group of children sitting closely together to read and reread in unison carefully selected enlarged texts."

There are two purposes to shared reading.  The first purpose is to "provide children with an enjoyable reading experience, to introudce them to a variety of authors and illustrators and the ways these communicators craft meaning, and to entice them to want to be readers themselves."  The second purpose is what distinguishes shared reading from read-alouds, and that is "to teach children systematically and explicitily how to be readers and writers themselves."

Reading to children at an early age helps them to become readers themselves.  I agree with this because my nieces and nephews were read to at an early age and are excellent readers and are constantly reading books.  They even read to their younger sibilings as mentioned in the case study.

In Reading Aloud at Home: A Case Study, shows how reading aloud at home helped Sarah's reading experience grow.

1. Increasing Involvement with Content and Process;  

2. Connecting text to self;
3. Connecting texts to texts;
4. Connecting text to language of life; and
5. From novice to teacher.

As stated in this chapter, I believe that reading to children at an early age encourages children to become readers themselves.  But what happens to the children who don't have an adult or family member read to them at home or at bedtime?  I feel that as future teachers, it is important and our job to find ways to help the children who are at a disadvantage to have memorable and exciting experiences so they too can become readers themselves. 

I came across another great website, Harper Collins Children's Books, it's web address is http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/.  I really enjoyed browsing through this site and I have added it to my favorites for future use. 

I decided to search for a book my niece recently received for her birthday, Fancy Nancy, it is written by Jane O'Connor.  Jane O'Connor is the author of more than thirty books for children, including the Nina, Nina Ballerina stories, and the Fancy Nancy picture book series.

Meet Nancy, who believes that more is ALWAYS better when it comes to being fancy. From the top of her tiara down to her sparkly studded shoes, Nancy is determined to teach her family a thing or two about being fancy.

How Nancy transforms her parents and little sister for one enchanted evening makes for a story that is funny and warm -- with or without the frills.

All the practice in the world can't turn Nina, a less-than-prima ballerina, into a ballet star, But she's a real standout at her first dance recital when she dances the role of a betterfly--with her arm in a cast!

Books for Read Alouds

Chapter 10 states that read alouds are essesential because "reading to children helps prepare them for literacy and to develop literacy skills, develops inerest in reading, promotes language development, increases reading acievement, positively influences their writing, and provides opportunities for social interation" (371).

The chapter also mentions that "hearing books read aloud is one of the earliest and most beloved memories many children have, and it is where the seeds are planted for developing a love for reading."  My favorite memories of being read aloud to were when my uncle would visit us from Mexico.  He would read Archie Comics to my brother and I.  He read them in Spanish and he would act out each character and their expressions which made the stories a lot more fun and interesting.  This memory would have to be one of my favorite read aloud memories.

Here are a few books that I came across while searching for read aloud books.  I just happen to have also read these in elementary and I loved them!

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

When Omri receives an old cupboard and an ordinary plastic Indian for his birthday he is in no way prepared for the adventure that is about to begin. Mysteriously, with the twist of an old key, the cupboard brings the tiny Indian alive, and gives Omri the experience of a lifetime. However, Omri soon learns that with this amazing surprise comes tremendous responsibility and the test of true friendship. Indian in the Cupboard is a fantasy book and so much more too.

"The Indian in the Cupboard is a magical book for kids. The writing is done so well that you almost believe this really could happen. It is an excellent read-aloud especially when done with voices to match the characters, and great for children 8 years and up. I also recommend this as a read-alone for ages 11 and up. Kids will really be drawn into Omri's secret world and feel his frustration when his friend Patrick can't understand the respect these tiny humans deserve. The vocabulary is challenging so don't be afraid to read this one together even with older kids." (Review by Hedgie)

Superfudge by Judy Blume

Nothing is easy for 11 year old, Peter Hatcher. It's hard enough to have an impossible little brother like Fudge, but now there's a new baby coming. And if this baby is anything like Fudge, that's it – Peter is moving out! Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, Peter finds out that Fudge will be in kindergarten at the same school where he'll be in 6th grade!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Hey! Unto you a child is born!

The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie and steal and smoke cigars (even the girls). They talk dirty, hit little kids, cuss their teachers, set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse, and take the name of the Lord in vin. So no one is prepared when the Herdmans invade church one Sunday-and decide to take over the annual Christmas pageant.

None of them has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation—the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating—has a lot of people up in arms. But the actual pageant is full of surprises for everyone, starting with the Herdmans themselves.

I found another great website called Teachers First.  I really like the way this site has categorized books into subject and grade level making your search a whole lot easier.   As I searched on http://www.teachersfirst.com/, I came across a book I remember reading, Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan.  Patricia MacLachlan is known for her award-winning picture books and novels for children, which include The Sick Day; Arthur, for the Very First Time; Sarah, Plain and Tall; and The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt.

When Anna and Caleb, missing their mother who died, wish for another woman to make their father laugh again. And into their lives comes Sarah, with her own needful loneliness and searching, to help them create a whole family.

But life on the endless prairie can be hard and unforgiving, sucking out all a person's strength and courage just to survive. And the prairie can hold your secrets for years and years, then toss them back at you without any warning. At such times, family can be all a person has to hold onto.

Another author I came across was Beverly Cleary.  I've also read her book Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 1984 John Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw, for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in 1983. Her Ramona and Her Father, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8, were named 1978 and 1982 Newbery Honor Books, respectively. Among Mrs. Cleary's other awards are the American Library Association's 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Catholic Library Association's 1980 Regina Medal, and the University of Southern Mississippi's 1982 Silver Medallion, all presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature.
 

Ramona feels quite grown-up taking the bus by herself, helping big sister Beezus make dinner, and trying hard to be nice to pesky Willa Jean after school. Turning eight years old and entering the first grade can do that to a girl. So how can her teacher call her a nuisance?