Tag Archives: Anne G.

Young Hoosier Book Award

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It is my honor to be able to serve on the Young Hoosier Book Award Committee again this year for the intermediate level books. Every year a group of teachers and librarians read through about 80 newly published books and then get together in September to select the 20 titles they believe children in grades 4-6 will enjoy reading. Unlike the Newbery Award which tends to look at different criteria, these books are selected with an eye towards recreational reading. Students in grades 4-6 across the state read at least five of the twenty books on the list and then vote for the one they enjoyed the most by May 1st.

The last two years both winners have been graphic novels: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson and Smile by Raina Telgemeier. Grades K-2nd grade read 12 of the 20 picture books and then cast their votes. Winners for the past two years have been: Tuesday Tucks Me In by Luis Montalvan and Dog Vs. Cat by Chris Gall.

Look at the past winners of YHBA to find some excellent “KID CHOICE” books: https://tinyurl.com/y3pfw64

Next year’s books are found at: https://tinyurl.com/y3jr4fkp

 

 

Review: Bob

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Bob
by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
5 stars

Age Group:  Kids 3rd-8th grade
Other: AR Level: 3.9  Lexile 590

Bob is a delightful magical story about ten year old girl (Livy) who returns to Australia to visit her grandmother after five years and realizes that she’s forgotten something very important – BUT WHAT???? The WHAT is a small green creature dressed in a homemade chicken suit (Bob) who has been obediently living in her bedroom closet awaiting her return. This quirky story unfolds as Livy and Bob find clues to help Bob return to where he came from.

 

Read-alikes

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce

Cursed by Bruce Coville

 

 

What’s New in Storytime?

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Recently I began a new phonological awareness program with the kids in Smart Start Story Time. This program is from the curriculum adopted by Greenwood Schools by Michael Heggerty, PhD and is the pre-kindergarten component. Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. This is one of the most important skills that predict reading ability. So, if you hear the familiar refrain of, “It’s rhyming time, it’s rhyming time, it’s rhyming time, OH YEAH!!!!” That’s one of our new warm up exercises in story time. We will be doing, “Take 2 words and put them together” for compound words and lots of work on the first and last sound you hear in a word. Research has shown that playing with words in this way helps develop their expertise in isolating sounds. According to the website, Reading Rockets, here are some things you can do at home:

  • Help your child think of a number of words that start with the /m/ or /ch/ sound, or other beginning sounds.
  • Make up silly sentences with words that begin with the same sound, such as “Nobody was nice to Nancy’s neighbor”.
  • Play simple rhyming or blending games with your child, such as taking turns coming up with words that rhyme (go – no) or blending simple words (/d/, /o/, /g/ = dog).
  • Read books with rhymes. Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs.
  • Practice the alphabet by pointing out letters wherever you see them and by reading alphabet books.
  • Consider using computer software that focuses on developing phonological and phonemic awareness skills. Many of these programs use colorful graphics and animation that keep young children engaged and motivated.
  • Follow this link for more information on phonological and phonemic awareness: https://tinyurl.com/39jekm3

Below is a wonderful video on a classroom that uses this method:

 

 

The Quest to Read

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By Anne Guthrie and Cheryl Clemens

As a parents one of our most common concerns is that our children are taught to read proficiently. October is Dyslexia Awareness Month so we have prepared a display of the plethora of resources we have accumulated to help parents and teachers with this momentous task. Research (NIH and Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity) shows that to some degree, nearly 20% of the population are affected by dyslexia.

What is Dyslexia?

It is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.  These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.  Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge

Few children are identified.
Less than one-third of the children reading below their age, ability or grade level receive appropriate services for their specific reading difficulty. (Connecticut Longitudinal Study)

Or dyslexics are identified too late.
When dyslexia is identified, it often occurs past the optimal age for remediation. (Shaywitz, Gaab)

Reading failure is preventable.
Research shows that 95% of reading failure is preventable by using appropriate reading systems and well-trained teachers. (Shaywitz)

Warning Signs:

  • May have a family history of dyslexia: Between one quarter and one half of children born to dyslexic parents will also be dyslexic. If one child in a family is dyslexic, almost half of his siblings are also likely to be dyslexic.
  • Delayed speech: The child may not speak words until 15 months and phrases until after 2 years
  • Mispronounces familiar words; Persistent baby talk
  • Difficulty learning colors
  • Trouble Learning Common Nursery Rhymes
  • A lack of appreciation of rhymes

Early Intervention is Critical

When intervention is delayed, it takes four times as long to intervene in fourth grade as it does in late kindergarten because of brain development and because of the increase in content for students to learn as they grow older. (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

 

Please stop in and check out the wonderful resources we have about this important topic!

Dyslexia Books and Resources @ GPL

Books for Parents:

The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning by Ben Foss

The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall

When Your Child has Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall

The Dyslexia Checklist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers by Sandra F. Rief and Judith M. Stern

Dyslexia Advocate! How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia within the Public Education System by Kelli Sandman-Hurley

Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at any Level by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.

 

Instructional Books:

Recipe for Reading: Intervention Strategies for Struggling Readers by Frances Bloom and Nina Traub

Toe by Toe: A Highly Structured Multi-Sensory Reading Manual for Teachers & Parents by Keda Cowling and Harry Cowling

The Gillingham Manual: Remedial Training for Children with Specific Disability in Reading, Spelling, and Penmanship by Anna Gillingham and Bessie W. Stillman

Get Ready for the Code: A Primer for the Explode the Code Series by Nancy Hall

Explode the Code: Essential Lessons for Phonics Mastery 1 and 2 by Nancy Hall

Blast Off to Reading! A Complete Reading Program: 50 Orton Gillingham Based Lessons for Struggling Readers and those with Dyslexia by Cheryl Orlassino

I Can Read: Reading & Writing Lessons with Worksheets by Cheryl Orlassino

A Workbook for Dyslexics: Systematically Walk Your Child Through the Process of Learning to Read and Write by Cheryl Orlassino

Dyslexia: A Practitioner’s Handbook by Gavin Reid

 

Books on Dyscalculia:

The Dyscalculia Resource Book: Games and Puzzles for ages 7 to 14 by Ronit Bird

The Dyscalculia Tool Kit by Ronit Bird

 

Controlled Vocabulary Phonics Readers:

Abrams Learning Trends Phonics Readers

EPS School Specialty Primary Phonics

Scholastic Phonics Ready Readers

SRA Open Court Reading Decodable Books

 

Movie:

The Big Picture Rethinking Dyslexia: The Myths, the Stigmas, the Truths, Revealed

 

Let the Kids Play!

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As a nation we are known for competition and achievement. I’ve been told that when the great French child development specialist, Jean Piaget, unveiled his research on the four stages of cognitive development (https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html ) that it was only the Americans who inquired how they could get children to go through the stages faster.

Especially with the onset of full day kindergarten our preschools have been pressured to restructure their curriculum to focus more and more on academics. Now teachers and therapists are noticing an alarming trend: Children are not emotionally or physically prepared for school! Children are falling out of their chairs, they don’t know how to share, and they are exhibiting anxiety and sensory issues. The cause for these maladies the experts say is that children are not allowed to simply play anymore. With the emphasis on academics we have misguidedly neglected the skills that children naturally developed when allowed to have unrestricted play.

Articles of interest on this topic:

If you notice GPL’s new play area you will see that the designers have provided a plethora of opportunities for your child to experience exciting and imaginative play. There are games that will teach your child how to wait their turn, costumes and play spaces that will help your child engage in cooperative play with new friends, and building toys that will help with fine motor coordination. So come and enjoy! Let the children PLAY!