Literacy AutobiographyClaudia Diaz

RED 4344 Methods of Teaching Reading

Las Viejitas de Las Sombrillas

When I was a very young child this was my favorite book. I can clearly remember reading this book over and over again and enjoying everything about it. At first my mom and my older sister would read this book a loud to me. Then, once I could sound out the words on the page I was able to read it to them. It was so much fun to be able to read the book aloud to my family.

This colorful book that relates the story of seven old ladies introduced me to the world of reading and writing. This book definitively holds a very special place in my heart. I still have the original book I read from, and I hope my future children will be able to read it too one day.

By: Manuel Cofiño

Early Years

Clifford The Big Red Dog When I first moved to the US, I did

not speak or understand a single word of English. This was the first book I ever read in English.

At first I was very nervous because I was scared of the words on the page. The words were strange and very difficult to pronounce.

I remember the first time I read this book. My sister and I sat down on the couch and tried sounding out the words and figure out their meanings. I remember feeling proud when I pronounced a word correctly or understood what it meant. As I kept reading more of the Clifford books, my pronunciation and vocabulary improved greatly. I love these books because I learned English with them.

By: Norman Bridwell

Elementary

The House of the Spirits When I was in my early teens I read

this book in Spanish and I absolutely fell in love with it. This book sparked my love for literature. I was mesmerized by the way the words would come alive and transport you into the different stories within the book.

I can still remember how much I enjoyed sitting in my back porch in the afternoon while I read this book. I’ve actually read this book several times in both Spanish and in English and each time I love it as much as the very first time I read it.

Last semester, I took an English class where we read this book and I had a lot of fun analyzing and writing my essay on this book.

By: Isabel Allende

Middle School

Their Eyes Were Watching God

I read this book when I was in high school and I really enjoyed it. I really liked how it told the story of the African American people particularly focusing on African American women. I like Hurston’s stories because she writes about the African American experience which was a topic I had not read a lot of and interested me greatly.

I remember when I first checked out this book from the library. I went to the library and as I was browsing some books this one caught my eye. I opened it and I read the first paragraph and I was instantly hooked. I could not put this book down. I love Hurston’s style of writing because it is very beautiful and poetic. I specially like this book because it was the first work I read of hers.

By: Zora Neale Hurston

High School

Waiting For the Barbarians

I read this book last semester for one of my classes and it instantly became one of my favorite books. This book has left a big impression on me because it dealt with a subject that really interests me. It really opened my mind up and made me think about the way people interact with one another.

I feel that this book is very important because it illustrates how people can mistreat others and how hate can escalate into something much worse such as the dehumanization of a group of people.

This book is outstanding an I would like to read this book again. I like this book because it carries an important message. I feel that this book really prompts the reader to reflect and examine the world we live in.

By: J.M. Coetzee

College

My Learning Style I believe that this graph accurately

describes my learning styles. I consider myself to be very musical. I

can remember song lyrics and melodies easily. When I was learning English, I would write down the lyrics to my favorite songs and try to sing along. This activity really helped me with spelling, pronunciation and grammar.

I also like to study by myself. I like to sit in a quiet place and read, write and or draw. I keep a personal journal were I write down my thoughts and feelings regularly. I am also very organized, I like to write down everything I have to do in an agenda, so I make sure I can manage my time effectively.

I am not so good with math or physical activities such as sports. However, I enjoy nature, so I like to take walks around green areas and go to the beach.