Connect With Low-Literate Families: A Three-Tiered Approach

Materials and Technology

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• A teacher-chosen poem or story
  
  
• Computer with Internet access and printer
  
  
• Projector (optional)

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PRINTOUTS

Journal page

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WEBSITES

• Poetry for Kids
• Stories for Children Magazine
• Poems for Children
• Storyline Online

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PREPARATION

1.	Choose a poem or story for students to read. Since they will need to be able to read it fluently and easily before they take it home, you want to choose a text that is reasonably easy and that will hold their interest. Poetry for Kids, Poems for Children, Stories for Children Magazine, and Storyline Online are all good resources for finding an appropriate text online. The Storyline Online and Poetry for Kids websites are particularly valuable for at-home use because both sites offer examples of fluent reading, which can be helpful to both children and adults who may need a good model. If you have students who do not have Internet access at home, be sure to send printed materials or books home as well.
2.	You have several options for the take-home activity. You can print or copy the poem or story you have selected or send home the book it is in. You might also choose to send home information about accessing the website where it appears. You should make sure that all students have access to the text at home whether or not they have Internet access.
3.	Choose a few significant vocabulary words from the poem or story to discuss with students. Also, prepare some open-ended questions about the characters' behavior or events in the poem or story that could generate an interesting class discussion.
4.	You will use the following read-aloud strategies during the course of this lesson. Echo reading. One line or sentence is read aloud, and then students read the same line or sentence. The number of lines or words read at one time can be increased as reading improves. Students follow the printed text as they listen. Choral reading. Two or more students read the same text aloud together. Partner reading. Take turns reading. Start by reading one sentence and asking the students to read the next sentence. The amount read can be increased as the student becomes more comfortable with this technique.

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