N is for, #AtoZchallenge
N is for Novels(and other reading materials)!
I've gone full steam ahead with FreeChoice Reading in my classes levels 2 and up. Self-selected reading allows students to read about things that are interesting to them and helps cultivate their vocabulary as well as their imagination.<-Click to Tweet!
“There is massive evidence that self-selected reading, or reading what you want to read, is responsible for most of our literacy development. Readers have better reading ability, know more vocabulary, write better, spell better, and have better control of complex grammatical constructions. In fact, it is impossible to develop high levels of literacy without being a .dedicated reader, and dedicated readers rarely have serious problems in reading and writing.” ―Read more here about Pleasure Reading, The Benefits of FCR, & Free Voluntary Reading
I was doing FCR(or FVR, really I use the terms interchangeably) as the "Do Now". After attending my most recent CI workshop, I will be implementing it during the Reading Workshop time of the daily framework after having done the preliminary Reading Workshop lessons delineated in Stepping Stones Beyond Year One.
Because I teach 2 languages, I have 2 libraries. Green bins for Italian and Blue ones for French(This is how I differentiate everything by langugae in my classroom to avoid confusion on the part of my students).
The bins are from DollartTree. If I were to do this over, I think I might use bookbins instead.
My French #freechoicereading library just got bigger 📚 pic.twitter.com/J0NFQRvFjR— 𝒫𝓇𝑜𝒻. 𝒟'𝒜𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓇𝑜 👩🏻🏫 (@DAlessandroCH) July 8, 2019
I never deny my students access to any material based on their 'level'. They can pick whatever they want.
Here's what my library holds:
- For beginners, a restaurant menu or a bus schedule is a simple enough reading material. I also have board books and other children's books.
- Magazines
- Store Circulars
- Comics & Graphic novels are always appealing because the pictures aid in comprehensibility. My students love the old advertisments in the Topolino comic books from my childhood.
- Student created readers using the template from here
- CI non fiction readings from ProfeElote's database(consider contributing something of your own!)
- Vikidia articles
- Books students love that are translated into the target language, like the Wimpy Kids series
- Graded readers from textbook publishers
- Free Readers from TPT French
- PDF print outs from Italian elementary schoolds.
- How-to booklets like this chess one in Italian
- French readers from A-Z
- Reading created from Shared Writing
New additions to the Italian 🇮🇹 #freevoluntaryreading classroom library #cherryhillwl pic.twitter.com/EYTLpSWdqY— 𝒫𝓇𝑜𝒻. 𝒟'𝒜𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓇𝑜 👩🏻🏫 (@DAlessandroCH) May 13, 2019
Where to find books now?
Abebooks often has great deals and they have many bargains foreign language books.
WL teachers who are retiring :)
Schoenhof's Books
Library used book sales
Libreria Pino
Rizzoli NY
Need more guidance? Mike Peto has an extensive guide on his blog.
Where do you find resources for your library?
A presto,
p.s. Join my our #virtualPLN on Facebook!
#AtoZchallenge
