Reading with a child
Before reading:
I copied a book called A bear hunt – I suppose because I am afraid I did not copied the first page. I chose the book because it reminded me a story I have already known. A story about two birds that are going to meet a cat. I decided to combine it a bit. I prepared two paper birds on my fingers for performing the story during the reading. I have almost learnt the story by heart.
I decided to use third class where I do not normally teach. There are only a few pupils and this is their first year with English. I taught there once and I tried to use English all the lesson but it was a horror. They did not understand and they even did not want it. Especially, one boy with ADHD was a stumper and that is why I decided to focus on him by reading.
During and after the reading
The procedure
02/05/2015 15:17During and after the reading
The pupils were prepared for my coming. I chose the day when there were only five of them so it was easier for me to observe them. When I came I said them hello. I told them what was going to happen. I explained them some basic vocabulary. I also introduced them the birds and I gave them names (Nike and Mike) to make a contact with children. Then I started to tell the story. From time to time I needed to turn a page or read but the rest of the time I tried to keep an eye contact. I decided to act the story so I changed a voice pitch and made some prepared moves with the props. At first they seem to be nervous and shy but after a while they started to smile. I also saw some sparkled eyes which surprised me a bit because I remembered the hard work I had had with them. None of them was doing anything else. They paid attention even the boy with ADHD.
After the reading we were discussing. My first questions were about comprehension. In some passages they did not have much idea what I was telling them. In spite of that they clearly enjoyed it. Even the boy liked it and he was focused all the time. Normally, it is not easy to catch especially his attention. They were also capable of remembering words that were often repeated in the story.