Hi All,
In regards to making connections, here is what I do. First I spend some time
introducing schema and how readers activate, grow and revise their schema when
reading non-fiction. We I do turn it over to fiction reading, we talk about how
we all of life stories. Our life stories would take up way to many pages to
write them all down, so we keep them in our schema. (That's why it is
important for students to understand what schema is first.) I tell them that
sometimes authors tell stories that turn on or trigger my own life stories. I
then model reading aloud and showing how I stop and recognize what life story
was turned on. I model stopping and telling that life story. I believe that
my calling it a life story instead of terming it connection at this point helps
to avoid the standard "I have a connection, I've had a birthday part before; or
I have a dog too."
The following lesson I invite the children to listen to see if there life
stories are turned on when we read (I try to purposely find a book they can
connect to.) After we have had practice recognzing when a life story has been
turned on, I demonstrate linking the "author's story' with my "life story"
using puzzle pieces to represent each. I show them that when we connect the
pieces, we have a better understanding of the whole picture or idea in the
story. We call this making a connection, because we are connecting the two
stories.
Many of my ideas mentioned above have been altered from the book "REading
Power." I have learned from my own failures and successes that expecting them
to understand the concept of making a connection without the scaffolding of
instruction was unfair. I had so many kids that could spit out the definition
of "text to text" "text to self" and "text to world" but really didn't have an
understanding about why, how or when good readers do that.
I created a 3 week scaffolded unit on Schema/Connections based on a compilation
of resources (strategies that work, Mosaic of Thought, Comprehension
Connections, etc.) If you are interested in seeing it it, let me know and I
will email it to you.
Stacy Cervone
http://www.teacherweb.com/FL/McDonaldElementary/MrsCervone
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