VESL for
Child Development
Module 4, Lesson 2
The term, preschooler, is often used to describe children 3 to 5 years old.
Objectives
1. Recognize teaching strategies to engage young readers
2. Learn vocabulary to describe strategies for reading to preschoolers
3. Identify the purpose of asking children questions when reading
4. Distinguish between closed and open-ended questions
5. Create and pronounce appropriate questions to promote early literacy
A. Watch the video to see a teacher model how to read aloud for children. Take notes.
Take notes:
1. What does the teacher do to make the book engaging (interesting) for children?
2. How many strategies does she use to teach beginning literacy?
Watch for two minutes. (2:40)
Transcript
Wash and Dry written by Trish Hollen. Illustrated by Vinay Kumar.
Look at the family here. They look very upset. I wonder what's got them so upset? Let's look inside and find out.
Wash and Dry. Oh no, my muddy dog just jumped on me. I'm grimy and slimy from cap to socks. Daddy says I smell like a wet dog. PU. I'll add my dirty clothes to the rest of the dirty laundry. I'm glad mommy and daddy will help me wash and dry my clothes. I wouldn't want to have to do this job by myself. Luckily, I still had lots of clean clothes in my dresser. It smells like a bag of lemons in there. I'll be glad when those dirty clothes smell that good.
I'm looking in his drawer here, and I don't see a bag of lemons. I wonder what he means.
I carry the stinky basket over to the washing machine. I hold my breath as I walk, and I try to think about flowers.
I wonder why he's thinking about flowers? What do we know about flowers? I bet they smell much better than the stinky basket of laundry.
But it's not working. I'm glad we have our own washing machine at home. My aunt takes her dirty clothes to the Rub-a-Dub-Tub laundromat.
Hey, listen to those three rhyming words: rub, dub, tub.
There are lots of people there, and the machine's clink, clank, whistle and whir as they wash and dry the clothes. My aunt has to use a lot of quarters to wash and dry her clothes.
How many of you have been to a laundromat before? When I used to live in New York City, I wash my clothes at a laundromat.
At our house mommy helps me wash my clothes. (2:40)
B. Read strategies for reading aloud to young children.
*Compare these strategies with your notes from activity A. How many strategies did you recognize?
âť– Describe the cover illustrations and make predictions.
âť– Run your finger along the text to model reading from left to right.
âť–Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no response.
âť–Model your thought process.
âť–Use your voice and facial expressions to make the book engaging for children.
❖Emphasize the characters’ facial expressions and discuss their feelings.
âť–Run your finger along the text to model reading from left to right.
C. Study and learn key words related to reading to children.
D. Take notes from an observation with specific examples.
Imagine your Child Development instructor asked you to observe a read-aloud. You can attend story time at a public library or watch a recording online.
In this activity, you will watch a recording of story time at a library in Los Angeles, CA.
Listening #1:
Watch the video two times. Stop watching at the end of the story. (14:50)
Use the checklist to identify the strategies that the librarian uses.
Copy the checklist in your notebook. Check off the strategies when you see them. She doesn't use all of them.
Note:
The librarian uses puppets to engage the children.
Puppet:
a doll that is moved by putting your hand inside it
Listening #1: Did you identify the strategies that she used?
Transcript
… I'm so glad you know Pete. Pete is one of my favorite characters and the same person who wrote Pete also wrote this book called Groovy Joe, Ice cream and Dinosaurs. Ice cream and dinosaurs? Who loves ice cream? Who loves ice cream? Right? Me! Who loves dinosaurs? Me! Okay, so this is a book about all of our favorite things. Are we ready? All right. Someone is so excited. Groovy Joe saw something yummy. What did he see? An ice cream truck. Groovy Joe started rubbing his tummy. He got so excited. Groovy Joe was living the dream. He had a spoon and a tub of ice cream. And, you know what? He was so excited he started to sing. Does that ever happen to you? Do you sing when you're happy? I sing when I'm happy. Alright. He started to sing. Ready? “I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream.” He was singing a song. He loved it. Uh oh, until… Uh oh, someone's coming in. Someone's coming in from behind the scenes. Someone's coming through the door! Who is it? It's just a baby. It's a baby dinosaur! It's a baby dinosaur. “Roar!”, said that baby dinosaur. And he glared at the ice cream, and he took out… What do you think he took out? A spoon! I think he wanted some ice cream. He put on a bib, and he pulled up a chair, and Groovy Joe said, “It's groovy to share.” Yes, he did. And the little dinosaur and Groovy Joe started to sing. “I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream.” You guys know. Until, there was a knock on the door. And, you know who came in? It was another bigger dinosaur. “Roar! Roar!” And he glared at the ice cream and he glared at Joe, and he took out his own spoon. He put on a bib, and he pulled up a chair. And what did Groovy Joe say? “It's groovy to share.” And they sang the song. Do you remember? “I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream.” Until, there was a knock on the door. Yep, someone was coming, and it was this bigger biggest dinosaur! “Roar!” The bigger biggest dinosaur burst into the room. And he glared at the ice cream, and she took out a spoon! She put on a bib, and she pulled up a chair, and what did Groovy Joe say? “It's groovy to share.” And all the dinosaurs sang their song. Are you ready? “I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream.” They sure did. Uh-oh. Oh no. This time the ice cream tub is empty. They finished their ice cream. And the dinosaurs glared at you-know-who, at Joe. And what did Joe do? What is he gonna do? There's no more ice cream! So, Joe is smart guy. He turns the tub of ice cream upside down and plays it like a drum. Can you play like a drum? A rump a tum, tum, a rump a tum, tum. Yes, he did. And the dinosaurs loved it! They laughed, and they rose from their chairs, and they started to dance, and they jumped in the air. And then what did they say? “It's awesome to share.” And everyone's sang together, “I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream. I love my doggy ice cream.” And that's the end. (Applause)14:50
Listening #2:
Watch again and describe what the librarian does when she uses those strategies. Pause the video often so that you can write descriptions as you watch.
Use objective language to describe her words and actions.
For example:
____ Uses her voice and facial expressions to make the book engaging for children?
Yes! She sings and roars for sound effects to illustrate what the dog and dinosaur do.
Listening #2: Check your answers.
Read the observation notes. Do they match yours? Watch the librarian again to review.
Describes the cover illustrations and make predictions?
Yes, a little bit. She reads the title, shows the cover illustration.
Uses her voice and facial expressions to make the book engaging for children?
Yes! She sings, and roars for sound effects.
Runs her finger along the text to model reading from left to right?
No, she didn’t do this.
Points out some new vocabulary, rhyming words, or familiar words?
No, she doesn't use her finger to "point out" the words, but she uses her voice , body language, and pace to emphasize the rhymes and repetition. (chair - share) She pauses when there is repetition to encourage the children to remember and join in.
Asks open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no response?
Yes, but just a few. (Who is it? What is he going to do?)
Emphasizes the characters’ facial expressions and discusses their feelings?
Just a little bit. (Groovey Joe is excited. The dinosaurs glared.)
Models her own thought process and how she connects to the story?
Yes. (She asks if anyone else likes ice cream. She says she likes ice cream, and she sings when she is excited, just like Joe. She tells the kid, "So this is a book about our favorite things.")
Good job! You completed an observation! Taking notes from an observation is challenging, but it's an essential part of teacher training.
E. Acquire a new skill. Watch the video presentation to learn about asking questions strategically to promote early literacy.
F. Check your understanding.
1. In your notebook, write four questions about the illustration by unscrambling the words.
A. Where - going - you - she - think - is - do - she ?
B. Why - pig - some - clothes - for - ask - the - did ?
C. Have - seen - you - real - pig - ever - a ?
D. What - having - our - animals - are - or - in - the - good - bad - things - about - homes ?
2. Then, identify which type of question they are.
(Prediction, Making a Personal Connection, Reflection, or Recall)
Check your answers:
1.
A. Where do you think she is going ?
B. Why did the pig ask for some clothes ?
C. Have you ever seen a real pig?
D. What are the good or bad things about having animals in our homes?
2.
A. Prediction
B. Recall
C. Making a personal connection
D. Reflection
G. Speaking. Record yourself asking open-ended questions. (Canvas assignment)
Copy the question categories below (F). Write one example for each type of question about the story illustration about being helpful at home.
1) Prediction question
2) Question about making a connection
3) Reflection question
4) Simple recall question
Then, record yourself asking the questions and submit to your instructor in Canvas.
Complete assignment in Canvas CD-M4-L2-G.
You have completed the lesson! Please mark your progress on your checklist.
