The Book Study got off to a great start this week with Chapter 1 hosted by Scott Wiley of Brick by Brick.
Now it’s time for a Q&A break with Jim Trelease, the author of The Read Aloud Handbook.
Question:
It’s no secret that national, state, and local mandates as well as standardized testing have negatively impacted the classroom climate throughout the U.S. Many teachers feel they have no time left to actually teach and sometimes read-alouds get pushed out of the daily routine. How often should a teacher in preschool, kindergarten, or first grade be reading aloud to students daily? How often should a parent be reading to their child at home?
Jim Trelease:
In 1985 the national Commission on Reading (out of the U.S. Department of Education) declared: “Reading aloud to children is the most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading.” Nothing has come along to refute that conclusion in nearly three decades. The commission even said it was a practice that continue throughout the grades. We’ve increased the amount of testing, the variety of assessments, and the consequences for both child and teacher since 1985. And what have been the academic end-results? A one-point increase in reading scores for 17-year-olds (the eventual repository of our testing efforts and billions of our assessment dollars). And through the three decades, we decreased the amount of time we spent reading aloud to children, decreased the stories they could experience without fear of failure, decreased the stories they could meet for pure pleasure, and decreased the amount of time we spent advertising reading for fun (that is reading aloud). Doesn’t look like the three-decade approach is working. Anyone for another three decades of intensive testing in hopes things will turn around?
On page 61 of my 7th edition, I include the story of Jennie Fitzkee, a preschool teacher in Groton, Massachusetts. Jennie reads throughout the day to her three- and four-year-olds, from picture books to novels. There are discussions, questions, play-acting, story-telling, throughout the day. Yes it can be done. As for parents, at least twenty-minutes a day for reading. A shortage of time? Not so. If there were a real shortage of time, all the malls would be closed, all the cable channels out of business. We always find time for what we value. Schools need to sell the value of it to the parents, starting when those parents are children in their classrooms.
On page 69 of the 7th edition, I recount the experience of Kimberly Douglas, a former sixth-grade teacher who years later polled her former students about what they remembered from their year with her. Most common remembrance? They books she read to them — in 6th grade! The only kind of education worth talking about it lasting education, the stuff that makes you a lifetime reader.
To join in on the Book Study discussion, write a comment below this post, or link up your Book Study blog post using the linky below.
I would like to join the book study
Hi Robin, Karen has directions for following/joining the book study here: https://www.prekinders.com/summer-book-study-the-read-aloud-handbook/ The best way to make sure you stay up to date is to follow each blog. For Karen’s blog (this one) you go to the very top right or the bottom right and enter your name and e-mail in the box that says “free updates”. The same for my site (pre-kpages) Look for the “follow” or “subscribe” button on each of the hosting blogs and click on it. This way each chapter of the book discussion will be delivered directly to your e-mail inbox. Hope that helps!
Thanks for visiting, Robin! Thanks Vanessa for the directions.
I am interested in hearing what novels people have read to preschoolers and/or kindergarteners because I definitely want to do that this year. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Kristin, My favorite has always been Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Several years ago they came out with a series of Mrs. PW books for younger children and I snatched them up. My kids LOVE those books so much. We talk about making “mental pictures” and then do a readers response after each chapter.
Thanks so much for the suggestions!! I am sooo excited about all the ideas already generating from this book study!
The Frog and Toad series are great chapter books for this age. Also, the Poppleton series. I tried one of the Ramona books one year, and it had too many new vocabulary words for this age level, in my opinion. I love books that introduce new vocabulary words, particularly the ones which are masterfully written where the word is subtly explained in the same sentence or the next sentence. However, I think when a book has too many new vocab words, it gets confusing for the kids. Others may disagree with me here about Ramona, but that’s my take on it.
Thanks Karen!
As a kindergarten teaching in a K-5 school, I’m always amazed how little kids are read to as they go up in years. When people ask me how much I read to my class and I tell them honestly (a minimum of five to six books a day, but sometimes more), I think many are shocked. Really, for me, it’s the cornerstone of EVERYTHING we do. Beyond reading, I use read alouds to introduce every writing, math, social studies, and science. I always try to end each day with a read aloud for pleasure and I explain to my class that sometimes I read them a book ‘just for fun’.
That’s awesome, Matt! I should strive to read that many books a day. I love that you introduce all subject areas with a book as well as reading “just for fun”. I think it’s so important to read just for fun, and sometimes we as teachers can forget to do that.
I thought I had signed up for the book study and I have bought the book. But I have not received anything from any of you this week. How do I connect with the study?
Daphna, if you would like to receive the posts in your e-mail inbox you can “follow” each blog. For Karen’s blog (this one) you go to the very top right or the bottom right and enter your name and e-mail in the box that says “free updates”. The same for my site (pre-kpages) Look for the “follow” button on each of the hosting blogs. We’re also posting to social media if you prefer that method. Our hashtag on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google + is #readaloud.
I will be posting links to all of the book study posts on my Facebook & Twitter accounts. Last week I was on vacation, so did not get all of the posts out there, but I will from this point on. Thanks for visiting, Daphna!
Wow, great post and I will be following along with your linkup!! I am a SAHM and your blog is a great find for me!!
Nice post! I read to my one-year-old, but I need to up the time. Thanks for the inspiration.