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Making Connections through picture books...

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Making Connections through picture books...

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Read a loud a picture book like The Invisible Boy... Discuss attributes of self, classroom and community. Group discussions, brainstorming then individual reflection through art. Connecting text to self, text to text and text to world

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Have students bring in their favorite book from home. They can read it to the class, a peer OR do quick book talk or share a favorite moment of why the book is their favourite.

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Using pictures/visuals to open conversation and dialogue. 

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Using pictures/visuals to open conversation and dialogue. 

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Reading and writing with them and actively listening to what they have to share

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Ask students to make a list of their favorite books from last year and their best writing piece.  Note the genres and topics on these lists.

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Drawing, writing, reading activities to spark thoughts and capture
ideas.

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Using a variety reading, writing, speaking, visual activities help see where students strengths and areas of growth are.

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I have used Portrait art and had students complete sentence prompters which they write around their portrait to describe themselves and their interests, preferences etc.`

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Write/ draw about anything after reading a book to launch idea.

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Reader's Theatre. Small groups collaborate to present piece to larger group.  

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Reader's Theatre. Small groups collaborate to present piece to larger group.  

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Tell and show: Children bring in an object(s) that represents their interests. Then, they write three clues about their object for the class to guess what their object is.

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Read Alouds, discussions, as well as sharing what their favourite picture books.

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Read Alouds, discussions, as well as sharing what their favourite picture books.

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Use the individual white boards to gauge where students are in their knowledge.

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Using pictures/ visuals to open a conversation. 

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Using pictures/ visuals to open a conversation. 

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Ask students what helped them progr
ess the most as readers and writers in their lives last year.

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Engage in Read-alouds with conversations

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Engage in Read-alouds with conversations

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A range of immersive experiences with teacher observation and student self-reflection

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A range of immersive experiences with teacher observation and student self-reflection

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A short, deep dive into an important issue, an afternoon spent solving a complex problem, a design challenge - these offer opportunities to notice what students know and can do, where there passions lie and how they learn best.

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Spending time with students while they are exploring a variety of books, noting their body language, book choices, and engagement. How do they engage with the book? What kind of a reader are they? Do they want to read? Do they want to share what they have read?  Are they making verbal connections to the story?  Are they making real life connections?

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I do many many read-alouds of picture books and watch the children's reactions to quality literature.

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Bring in your favorite book from home to share with the class. Students can then read it to the class, or provide a book talk moment or tell why it is their favorite book.

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Meeting often in large and small groups to discuss issues, concerns and interests.

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Students use wooden ball-jointed dolls (art dolls) to learn shape and space. They create a movement for the doll to express themselves and write about this specific activity. They can make a word collage or sentences. Nice intro activity to get to know them while also assessing their writing.

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I like to listen and observe each of my students. Reading books that they have selected independently. We talk together about how they feel about themselves as readers and writers. I record these conferences and we revisit these pages at different times during the year.

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At the beginning of the year ask students to complete the compass:
N- Needs (What do you need this year to be successful?)
E-Excitement (What are you excited about?)
S - What ways can I best support you?
W - What worries you?

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Free write - once a day starting with "I wonder" or similar question.  Provide each student with opportunity to share and encourage feedback - spark interest and connection from peers.

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Free write - once a day starting with "I wonder" or similar question.  Provide each student with opportunity to share and encourage feedback - spark interest and connection from peers.

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Share a favourite book and talk about why it is important to me. Share why others might enjoy it.

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Ask students what they want from me as a teacher.

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Ask students what they want from me as a teacher.

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Art! Allow students to be successful from the beginning of the year... everyone can colour, paint or draw...then build upon that with the writing, reading, multimedia as it fits for the individual student. 

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Art! Allow students to be successful from the beginning of the year... everyone can colour, paint or draw...then build upon that with the writing, reading, multimedia as it fits for the individual student. 

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Observing Body Language during activities.

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Observing Body Language during activities.

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I ask students to bring in what they are  reading, even if it's a   manual or blog. I listen as they talk about why they do that kind of reading. I do the same with writing and making--what are they making? Why? What are they writing or composing? Why?

The more I know about students' thinking, the more I know about their learning

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Involve kids in creating their own spaces.

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Have students write a letter to me about themselves. I would give them specific critieria to share with me. 

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Have students write a letter to me about themselves. I would give them specific critieria to share with me. 

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blogging responses to questions (questions can be student or teacher driven, or both). Students and teachers can comment on each others' blog posts.

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Anecdotal records of their play- choices of friends, materials etc

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Anecdotal records of their play- choices of friends, materials etc

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Set up the books from my classroom library around the room and have all students walk around to begin to write their "To-be-read" lists by recommending books to each other, seeing which books they are interested in.

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We compile an expert list as a class. Students share what they know a lot about. It provides an opportunity for students to connect about similar interests. I also write what I think I'm an "expert" on which lets the kids know a little about me.

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We compile an expert list as a class. Students share what they know a lot about. It provides an opportunity for students to connect about similar interests. I also write what I think I'm an "expert" on which lets the kids know a little about me.

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Ask questions about their favourite books to read/listen to, what strategies work for them, what their ultimate reading goals would be, what they enjoy writing.

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Students conduct interviews with one another

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Students conduct interviews with one another

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As a group, students brainstorm questions to ask one another (can be guided by teacher to enhance or target a specific area)

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I like to share my favorite picture books and explain or tell a story why they are my favorite stories. Allow students to share their favorite and take them to the Learning Commons to choose their favorite books for the teacher to sign out and keep in the classroom for reading and sharing.

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Have them read a simple text and observe what they do with the book and the text itself

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Find out what students are interested in

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Find out what students are interested in

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Understand what students know about answering questions, listening and connecting ideas

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Metaphorical epresentation "intro to me" assignment" 

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Metaphorical epresentation "intro to me" assignment" 

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Discuss favorite books, characters, series.  Other students may possibly connect different books with similar topics to help broaden what books students are reading.

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Look at Learner Profile and Learning Plan in Iris if available

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How I get to know my students as literacy learners?

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How I get to know my students as literacy learners?

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I love to invite two students each day in the beginning of the year to eat lunch with me. I listen and chat with these kids and learn so much about them in 20 minutes.

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I set out all sorts of books, at all different levels, and types, and let the kids pick up and read, without any expectations. I watch their observable behaviours - do they stick with a book, do they like to share a story, do they speak to what they see, do they listen to other students...

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watch them interact with peers and with objects

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-Letter Recognition and Corresponding Sounds Testing
-Free Writing Samples

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students can film themselves talking about their interests, summer experiences etc and share with the class.

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Students draw and write or have dictated stories.

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Brainstorm icebreaker questions with class

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Brainstorm icebreaker questions with class

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One from  me to them, one from them to me.

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Fountas and Pinnell Reading Assessment

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Similar to diploma-style assessment s they will encounter later in the

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Visual journal entry of their summer/current interests. 

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Visual journal entry of their summer/current interests. 

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Wrting samples one is n one converversations

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Wrting samples one is n one converversations

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Goal setting and expectations questionnaire.

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Goal setting and expectations questionnaire.

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Together we compile a list of everything and anything that could tell a new about themselves. (questions, topics, images, songs...)
They choose what "topics" they want to use to "introduce" themselves to me and they choose how they want to deliver this information. (art, written, tech, sport...)

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Ask them about their interests, reading habits, experience of previous courses, time commitments

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Design flexible reading invitations: books, other texts, sharing of personal reading materials, careful observation, list of "what next" questions for student(s)

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Design flexible reading invitations: books, other texts, sharing of personal reading materials, careful observation, list of "what next" questions for student(s)

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How do you get to know your students as literacy learners at the beginning of the year?

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Serravallo's Engagement Inventory