In a world of test-driven instruction, teachers are still expected to have effective teaching strategies and teach children to love reading. It is very important that we as professionals take a look at how we introduce reading to children; what strategies we use to teach them to love reading; and how we can make it fun, engaging, and meaningful. This article discusses teaching objectives, skills that must be taught, and how they can be organized and successfully implemented by using children's literature. You may have to get a little creative, but creativity makes lessons engaging and worthwhile!
Children's literature covers many types of texts from picture books to biographies. Children's literature empowers children. It motivates thinking, enhances language, and promotes cognitive development. Children not only become involved in the story, but they connect with the characters. If children love to read, their comprehension is higher, their vocabulary is extended, and their fluency becomes more evident.
It is so important for teachers to have objectives and plans for why they do certain activities, and children's literature is an easy way to engage children in the learning process and cover objectives. Do you remember in elementary school when your teacher would read a book? Most of my teachers had that wonderful soothing voice that would entice me to be engaged in what they were reading. I loved when my teachers would read aloud in class. I loved even more the activities that we would do with the books they shared with us.
How many of you remember doing a book report? What do you remember about that book report? I want to share a few successful strategies and ideas that I used in my classroom that allowed children freedom, Planning Engaging Lessons Using Children's Literature — Whole Child Education:
6-9-14 The Whole Child Blog — Join the Summer Learning Movement! — Whole Child Education
Join the Summer Learning Movement! — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGJoin the Summer Learning Movement!June 9, 2014 by Kristen PekarekThe summer learning movement, as promoted by whole child partnerNational Summer Learning Association (NSLA), is part of a whole child education as it takes into account a child's education and overall well-being all year long, including the summer months.