Why a good book is a secret door

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Author: Alunatrinidad

Picture It !

Picture It !

A graphic novel such as Flora and Ulysses compare to other readings is much different. They provide you with pictures, so you are able to relate to what you are reading to an image. This can make it much easier to understand what is happening. On the other hand, other readings give you the chance to use your imagination and imagine everything such as the characters and the different settings. As a second language learner, I believe graphic novels can be a gateway for children who are learning English as a second language to experience reading in a different way. Graphic novels are almost like a picture book but with more reading, this can help students to develop their vocabulary. The different pictures can help the students gain a better understanding of what they are reading. The only experience I remember having of reading and seeing pictures is the Magic Tree House books, which had some pictures here and there. I can imagine using this drama, comics or graphic novels in the classroom as a way to introduce chapter books and novels into the class. As a second language learner, it was always difficult to understand the books I read, when I didn’t have someone to read to. There are words that sound the same in English and Spanish called cognates. Students who are learning English as a second language usually relate what they’re learning to their native language. Sometimes words would sound the same but they would mean something totally different. One example of the is embarrassed, as second language learner might related it to embarazada which in Spanish means pregnant. You can see the confusion these students may have trying to understand the story. But if a picture is provided portraying embarrassment then the students might be able capture a different meaning. I enjoyed reading the graphic novel and hope to incorporate it in my class someday.

Alma Luna Trinidad- Children and Fantasy

Alma Luna Trinidad- Children and Fantasy

The_Land_of_Stories The series I am reading is The Land of Stories The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer. In this particularly adventure series, it’s a combination of two worlds, fairy tales and modern day. The main characters are Alex and Conner Bailey, two twelve year old twins, going through family issues. They are trying to stay strong through their entire situation but are alone half of the time since there mom is working long hours to pay all the bills have arise due to their father’s death. When their grandmother comes to for their birthday, they get sense of comfort and feel like everything is okay. Before, their grandmother leaves, she gives them her most treasured book, full of fairy tales. The twins discover that the book contains mysterious powers, in which they are able to escape into different worlds. There they find themselves in places full magic and wonder. Which they had only heard about when their grandmother read to them, growing up. They come eye to eye with all these characters throughout the book; there were witches, wolves, goblins and many more. As they are able to escape their own world to explore an unfamiliar one, every time it gets harder for them to go back to their reality.

The assumptions made about children are they don’t have to worry about grown-up problems or care to understand what is occurring around their surroundings. We also assume they are in their own world and that is all that matters is them. Children, who go through difficult situations, often try to find a replace to their world; one that will provide them with what they are missing in their current life situation. We can see this in the book as the twins mysterious book to escape their real world to enter one full of fantasy.

The resources available related to this series are audio books and quizzes. You could use the audio book in your classroom as a tool to introduce the series to the students and get them excited about reading. The audio incorporates music and different effect which helps children develop a more vivid scene to provoke their imagination. The can develop scenes in their minds as play them as if they were to be watching a movie. You can also benefit, for this because it allows you to observe the student and see reactions to the story. The reading quiz, I believe is one of the best mechanisms to measure student’s comprehensibility about a book. One of the most common ways to see if you understood something is by being asked questions. Which is what quizzes do, and if you promote quizzes as something beneficial in your classroom then students will mostly want to take more quizzes. You can provide different rewards based on the points student have earned. It has to more of a goal to get them motivated and for them to see some kind of accomplishment rather than a mandatory assignment.

Alma Luna Challenge

Alma Luna Challenge

My take away ideas from the Miller text so far is her definition of reader or wild reader as she states, is a person who reads as a second nature and is almost a necessity like eating. As she describes her husband as wild reader. I also understood that some children are constantly reading and are not necessarily for homework assignments but for personal pleasure. Teachers need to see that students need to have some kind of liberty of deciding what they like to read. Teachers should not assign meaningless assignment that required students to fill out a log to proof they are reading.

The resonating idea is the wild reader term the idea that teachers need to prep students to become wild readers. Students who pick up book every few free minutes to read. I would have loved to be that kind of student who reads every second of free time. I believe it could start at any age you just need to push self or be pushed.

As future teacher, I now know the importance of reading. I have a little sister who is six years old. I have always pushed her to do her very best. I have decidated my self to teaching her the foundation of literacy, in order for her to succeed at reading. I believe that was my weakness growing up, not understanding the basics. She is a bright first grader. At the top of her class. When my books came in, I asked her open the box of books. She looked at them and then went crazy she looked at all the books and said can I read them. I said yes pick one and I will read with you. I started to read to her Flora and Ulysses but didn’t seem much interested. She had an eye one another book Out of You Mind. I let her read and helped her in what ever she needed help. In the morning she had her book, reading. I was outside washing my car and there she was seating down reading. When went to the store and she took her book. Its weird for me seeing her taking the book everywhere especially after reading the Miller’s text. I was actually seeing for my self.

The fact that teachers need to engage students to read and not hold them accountable for their progress is difficult especially with fake readers.
The most exciting and frightening part about teaching reading is always the challenges, coming up with ways that will engage students in reading to help them become wild readers all through adulthood. This is exciting and scary because we have to understand that there are all different kinds of students and they all learn differently and have different interests. The challenge is to develop a plan or plans that will accommodate everyone at the some level to start engaging them in reading.

Riddle

Riddle

In this story not like all,
There are no step mothers and stepsisters who want to have it all,
There are no birds nor donkeys who poop gold,
but a fish who couldn’t fit any longer in a bowl