Ability versus desire

Language

The Systems

Grammar

Vocabulary

Functions

Phonology

The Skills

Listening

Reading

Speaking

Writing

Open up a child’s imagination, andhe or she will want to read!

Picture Approach

The children understand the story because of the pictures. They are starting at the end rather than at the beginning. They feel confident because the problem of comprehension has been removed. The next step in this approach is listening to the story. Let´s see how that works.

But when do the children read in this approach?

• They have seen the pictures.

• They have heard the story.

• Now they are ready to read the story, which they will now be able to do without any comprehension problems.

Little Red Riding HoodWent to the woodTo visit her grandma -She’s ever so goodIn her large basketShe had a big pieSo the Big Bad WolfAsked her “Why?”

It’s for my GrandmaShe’s sick in bedMy mommy made itThe little girl saidThe Wolf said “Goodbye”And rushed on aheadAnd frightened poor GrandmaRight out of her bed

When Little Red Riding HoodCame to the doorShe was very surprisedBy the creature she sawSo what happened nextOn that famous day?The woodcutter cameAnd the wolf ran away

And just after thatThe remaining threeSat down togetherAnd had their tea

Remember

Rhymes really help children when they are reading.

What do we use to understand texts?

• Knowledge of the world• Knowledge of social relations• Knowledge of text types• Knowledge of text structure• Knowledge of text function• Knowledge about coherence• Knowledge about cohesion• Knowlege of grammar• Knowledge of vocabulary• Knowledge of sounds and letters

Handling Texts

Show the children how to make use of the clues in the text.

Once upon a time, there lived a little old woman all alone in the forest with her old cat, Arthur.

One day when she was tired and depressed with her lonely life she started to cry.

Suddenly a fairy appeared out of nowhere, and tapped her on the shoulder.

What do you think the fairy said?

The fairy said to the old woman, you have always been a kind person. I want to reward you with three wishes.

The old lady was amazed. She rubbed her eyes again and again until she was convinced that the beautiful fairy in front of her was real. She could hardly speak.

“Think”, said the fairy. “There must be something you would like.”

The old lady thought hard and then she made her first wish.

What did she wish for?

“I wish I were not so very poor,” she said.

POOF! The fairy waved her wand and the old lady found that she was standing in a magnificent castle! And she was wearing the most beautiful clothes.

The old lady made her next wish. “I wish I were younger so that I could really enjoy my new castle and new clothes,” she said.

POOF! Suddenly the old lady was a beautiful twenty one year old girl.

Then she made her last wish.

What was her last wish?

“All my life I have lived alone with my old cat,” she said. “I wish I could marry a good man.”

She looked down at Arthur, her old cat. “I wish Arthur were human!”

POOF! No sooner were the words out of her mouth than there was a puff of smoke and standing in front of her was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life, with beautiful green eyes and shiny dark hair. “Oh Arthur!” she sighed.

Soon Arthur and the old lady (now young and beautiful) were married. They had a magnificent wedding feast.

What did Arthur eat?

Fish, of course! Fish always made Arthur purr with pleasure.

Arthur and the old lady (now young and beautiful) lived happily ever after in their magnificent castle.

So you can start at the end with pictures or you can start at the beginning with text. You should try both ways for variety. But remember that there is one thing that a really good text always needs.

A good introduction

• This will make the children want to read on

• It should be something that the children can really relate to

• It should involve the children in the story and make them want to find out more

• It should never tell the children everything, so that they have to read the rest of the story to find out what happens

Thank you

Angela Llanas

angelallanas@prodigy.net.mx