Family Literacy Instruction Through Reading Activities Featuring Home And School Ann Gianola ESL & Family Literacy Instructor San Diego Community College District Presented at the 2004 CASAS National Summer Institute

Goal To integrate literacy skills with with meaningful interaction around common concerns that parents have about school and home related issues.

How? Offer opportunities for discussion, critical thinking, and problem solving while building vocabulary and practical comprehension skills.

Skills Grammar Subject/verb agreement Writing questions Comparative adjectives Punctuation Listening Listening discrimination Listening for and transcribing information Writing Spelling Sentences Vocabulary Matching words with pictures Identifying words from story Matching sentences that mean the same Pronunciation Vowel and consonant sounds Stressed syllables

Topic Examples Don’t Miss the Bus An Eye Exam A New Student at School Breakfast at School Read More at Home A Classroom Volunteer Test Next Week Soccer Registration Fighting at School Too Tired For Homework Listen and Follow Directions It’s Bedtime Expensive Shoes Crossing the Street Absent From School He Can’t Be Late My Head Itches She Wants to Be Friends Don’t Throw Away Your Food A Contract with the Teacher The Field Trip The Report Card After-School Care Hurt Feelings at School He Can’t Do Multiplication She Talks Too Much Invitation to a Friend’s House The School Dress Code Playground Safety She’s Always Absent

Lesson Structure 1. Reading Pre-reading Story Comprehension

Lesson Structure 1. Reading 2. Comprehension and vocabulary development Categorization Putting phrases in own words Cloze story Choose word Unscramble sentences Match the sentence that means the same Check the sentence that means the same

Lesson Structure 1. Reading 2. Comprehension and vocabulary development 3. Recap/broaden issue Putting events in order Who says that? Check feelings, items Write a list

Lesson Structure 1. Reading 2. Comprehension and vocabulary development 3. Recap/broaden issue 4. Dialogs Practice appropriate language Adapt appropriate language Practice problem solving

Dialog Assign each person a role Role-play the dialog What else might you say as a parent? What else might your child say or do? Role-play the dialog again, incorporating new language for parent and child

Lesson Structure 1. Reading 2. Comprehension and vocabulary development 3. Recap/broaden issue 4. Dialogs 5. Realia Expand/explore another part of the issue Comprehension activities Relate to own experiences

Realia Answering machine Ads/brochures Personal information forms School menu Telephone recordings Letter from school School handbook Homework schedule Spelling test Book reports Permission forms Report cards Teacher comments from parent/teacher meeting Absentee note

Lesson Structure 1. Reading 2. Comprehension and vocabulary development 3. Recap/broaden issue 4. Dialogs 5. Realia 6. Critical Thinking Ideas for problem solving Integrate information from lesson with own experiences Discuss own experiences and solutions with others

Shopping Share experiences shopping for shoes or clothes with children. Discuss your budget for shoes and clothes. How much will you spend? How often do you buy new shoes or clothes? Why do you buy new clothes or shoes? Discuss how peers at school influence children

Dress Code What are the dress code policies at your child’s school? Are dress codes a good idea? Why or why not? Is it easier? Is it Cheaper? Other benefits or drawbacks? What would you let your child wear/not wear to school? Share experiences where your child wanted something another child had.

Activity In your small group Discuss the pre-reading questions at the beginning of the story Read the story

Activity In your group: Think about school issues that parents encounter with their children Make a list You have 5 minutes