Lisa Orchard's Blog - Posts Tagged "encouraging-reading"
The first Questions for September!
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m here today to answer some questions from Megan from http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/.
The questions that I’m answering today are: What is your first memory of reading as a child? Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you? And, do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?
So here we go!
What is my first memory of reading as a child?
I would have to say it is the first time my mother brought home a Bobbsey Twins mystery for me. I was SO EXCITED! You see, it was the first gift that I can remember getting for no reason and I didn’t have to share it with my brother or sister. It was just for me! It was also the first chapter book that she had ever bought for me and I was consumed by the story. I kept the bag that it came in and I would get on my bike and ride around the neighborhood with that bag clutched in my hand as I gripped the handlebars. It would sway in the breeze and I felt sooo grown up! You see, I was pretending to ride my bike to the book store and buy the book on my own. Yeah, I had a very active imagination (still do!). But from there, more books arrived and I would sneak out of my bed at night and hide in the upstairs bathroom and read by the night light. The next series that I became interested in were the Trixie Belden series and Nancy Drew series. My life was complete as long as I had a book to read.
Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you?
I don’t have specific memories of them reading to me at bedtime but I’m sure they did, otherwise where would I have developed my love of reading?
Do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?
Absolutely! I started reading to both boys when they were babies and they would love to cuddle with me while a read before their nap or bedtime. We’ve made it a habit to read together almost every night. However, it’s changed since they’ve started school and reading on their own. Now, they read to me and it’s so much fun seeing what their interests are and how they’re developing as readers.
I also feel very strongly that reading helps youngsters develop self-esteem and it’s instrumental in helping develop social and analytical skills. And it’s my firm belief that the more a child reads the better he/she will do academically.
So if you have a tween/teen who you'd like to develop an interest in reading. Check out my new Super Spies Mystery/Thriller Series! They'll keep the young reader on her toes! The Amazon links are below! :) Thanks for stopping by!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007...
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Sch...
The questions that I’m answering today are: What is your first memory of reading as a child? Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you? And, do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?
So here we go!
What is my first memory of reading as a child?
I would have to say it is the first time my mother brought home a Bobbsey Twins mystery for me. I was SO EXCITED! You see, it was the first gift that I can remember getting for no reason and I didn’t have to share it with my brother or sister. It was just for me! It was also the first chapter book that she had ever bought for me and I was consumed by the story. I kept the bag that it came in and I would get on my bike and ride around the neighborhood with that bag clutched in my hand as I gripped the handlebars. It would sway in the breeze and I felt sooo grown up! You see, I was pretending to ride my bike to the book store and buy the book on my own. Yeah, I had a very active imagination (still do!). But from there, more books arrived and I would sneak out of my bed at night and hide in the upstairs bathroom and read by the night light. The next series that I became interested in were the Trixie Belden series and Nancy Drew series. My life was complete as long as I had a book to read.
Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you?
I don’t have specific memories of them reading to me at bedtime but I’m sure they did, otherwise where would I have developed my love of reading?
Do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?
Absolutely! I started reading to both boys when they were babies and they would love to cuddle with me while a read before their nap or bedtime. We’ve made it a habit to read together almost every night. However, it’s changed since they’ve started school and reading on their own. Now, they read to me and it’s so much fun seeing what their interests are and how they’re developing as readers.
I also feel very strongly that reading helps youngsters develop self-esteem and it’s instrumental in helping develop social and analytical skills. And it’s my firm belief that the more a child reads the better he/she will do academically.
So if you have a tween/teen who you'd like to develop an interest in reading. Check out my new Super Spies Mystery/Thriller Series! They'll keep the young reader on her toes! The Amazon links are below! :) Thanks for stopping by!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007...
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Sch...
The Second Question for the September Children's Book Event
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m here today to answer the second question for the Children’s Event that is being hosted by Megan at http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/.
So, here’s the question: What was your favorite book as a child and why?
This is a tough question because I don’t remember the title, only the series. I’m sure some of the more mature (wink) authors out there remember the Boxcar Children series?
I loved those books. I would go to the library and check them out and then race home so I could start reading them right away.
Looking back, I realize the reason I liked them so much was because they were stories about four siblings. I could relate to that because I was the oldest of four siblings. Two brothers and a sister just like the Box Car children. I loved their independence and camaraderie!
I loved how they worked together to make a home out of an abandoned boxcar. At that age, I thought it was so cool that they could function without adult supervision. :) I don’t remember the stories now, but I do remember that they always left me with a sense of my own abilities. They filled me with confidence. If the Box Car children could do it, I could too! :)
And I feel that’s what reading should do for kids, fill them with confidence and provide role models for them. :)
So there you have it! :) Thanks for stopping by and reading my post and let’s help support Megan in her quest to encourage children to read. :) Stop by her blog http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment or enter one of her giveaways! :)
So, here’s the question: What was your favorite book as a child and why?
This is a tough question because I don’t remember the title, only the series. I’m sure some of the more mature (wink) authors out there remember the Boxcar Children series?
I loved those books. I would go to the library and check them out and then race home so I could start reading them right away.
Looking back, I realize the reason I liked them so much was because they were stories about four siblings. I could relate to that because I was the oldest of four siblings. Two brothers and a sister just like the Box Car children. I loved their independence and camaraderie!
I loved how they worked together to make a home out of an abandoned boxcar. At that age, I thought it was so cool that they could function without adult supervision. :) I don’t remember the stories now, but I do remember that they always left me with a sense of my own abilities. They filled me with confidence. If the Box Car children could do it, I could too! :)
And I feel that’s what reading should do for kids, fill them with confidence and provide role models for them. :)
So there you have it! :) Thanks for stopping by and reading my post and let’s help support Megan in her quest to encourage children to read. :) Stop by her blog http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment or enter one of her giveaways! :)
Megan's Question for the Third week of September for Megan's Children's Book Event
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you today! I’m still participating in Megan McDade’s Children’s Book Event. You can find it at her blog at http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ . So take a moment and stop by and check out all the giveaways and fun stuff that’s going on over there. :)
The next question that I have to answer is: What was your favorite fairy tale or classic book and why?
Well…the answer to this question is a toss-up between “Cinderella” and “Snow White”. And the reason for this is very simple.
I enjoy stories where the underdog wins. :) In both of these fairy tales I identify with Cinderella and Snow White. Let’s analyze this a little bit. Both women are targeted by stronger females who are in a position of power. In Cinderella, she’s victimized by her evil stepmother, and in Snow White she’s persecuted by the wicked Queen.
I love it that these two innocent victims win in the end. They win by not being manipulative or conniving. I think that’s great! What a great example to set for our children. A person can win by just being themselves! What an awesome message!
So, there you have it. My answer to Megan’s question for this third week in September, so let’s help Megan in her quest to encourage children to read! Stop by her blog and enter one of her giveaways http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/
And if you have a tween/teen who you're trying to turn on to reading, check out The Super Spies series! I've been told that teens will turn off the TV to read these books! (wink) :)
Thanks for stopping by!
The next question that I have to answer is: What was your favorite fairy tale or classic book and why?
Well…the answer to this question is a toss-up between “Cinderella” and “Snow White”. And the reason for this is very simple.
I enjoy stories where the underdog wins. :) In both of these fairy tales I identify with Cinderella and Snow White. Let’s analyze this a little bit. Both women are targeted by stronger females who are in a position of power. In Cinderella, she’s victimized by her evil stepmother, and in Snow White she’s persecuted by the wicked Queen.
I love it that these two innocent victims win in the end. They win by not being manipulative or conniving. I think that’s great! What a great example to set for our children. A person can win by just being themselves! What an awesome message!
So, there you have it. My answer to Megan’s question for this third week in September, so let’s help Megan in her quest to encourage children to read! Stop by her blog and enter one of her giveaways http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/
And if you have a tween/teen who you're trying to turn on to reading, check out The Super Spies series! I've been told that teens will turn off the TV to read these books! (wink) :)
Thanks for stopping by!
Improving our Libraries will Improve our Literacy Levels
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! Last year I did a post on Literacy and it’s a subject that’s near and dear to my heart. And at that time I had the thought that e-books might be one of the solutions to our literary woes. But then I started working on a grant proposal for an organization (more about that later) and I did some research and found out something very interesting.
In all communities lack of funding or poverty is the number one cause of low literacy. By providing the tools (e-readers, e-books, and paperbacks) needed to fight this issue we are having a direct effect on it. Wan (2000) reviewed multiple reports to find the positive impacts of reading to children. Some experiments Wan reviewed involved reading aloud with individual students while others combined alone and group storybook readings to a class. Wan’s findings showcased that reading to children was vital to personal and school achievement. Even Stephen D Krashen author of “The Power of Reading” and Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California said, “In my opinion, the place to focus is the library, both the school and public library. Studies show a positive relationship between library quality (school and public) and the amount read, as well as a relationship with reading competence. Better libraries mean more literacy development for younger readers as well as for high school students.” Therefore, successful approaches to reading including read-aloud programs and setting aside time for reading. The first way to do this is to improve the amount of books on the library shelves.
So the gist of the last paragraph is that if we improve our libraries (school and public) we’ll have a positive effect on literacy levels. Here are some statistics that support this claim.
Information Brief: Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement by the New York Comprehensive Center
State Impact Studies
Collaboration between Teachers and the School Library
Collaboration between teachers and the school library through cooperative planning, identification of educational resources, and imparting information literacy skills, positively impacts teacher effectiveness and promotes student growth.
• Colorado: A study conducted in 2000 showed that students in elementary schools with highly collaborative relationships between teachers and school librarians scored 21% higher than students with less collaborative relationships on the Colorado Student Assessment Program, or CSAP (Lance, Rodney, & Hamilton-Pennell, 2000).
• Indiana: A 2006 study showed that when principals put an emphasis on in-service opportunities for collaboration between teachers and school librarians, there was an increase in test scores of 29.5% compared to those who placed a lower emphasis on such activities. Additionally, collaboration in curriculum design and delivery of instruction resulted in a 7.8% increase in test results. It should be noted that these relationships were evident in both the elementary and high school grade levels (Scholastic, 2008).
• Illinois: A 2005 study involving high schools showed that American College Testing (ACT) scores were highest for 11th graders when there was a high degree of collaboration between school librarians and teachers across a range of activities such as identifying materials, planning lessons, and motivating students to read.
• Oregon: A study indicated that schools with the best Oregon Statewide Assessment reading and language scores had teachers who were twice as likely to collaborate with school librarians. Furthermore, students in such classes were over 3 times more likely to visit the school library (Scholastic, 2008).
Access for Students
Providing access for teachers and students to school library facilities and resources, including through flexible scheduling, helps support students and has a positive effect on retention, work performance, and grades.
• Delaware: A study noted that teachers and faculty placed high value on school libraries due to their role in providing students with technology access, as well as ensuring information source quality and diversity. The study concluded that teachers believed that such access helped them perform their responsibilities and duties better (Todd & Heinstrom, 2006)
• Illinois: A study involving schools that provided increased access to the school library through flexible scheduling found that fifth grade students performed 10% better in reading and 11% better in writing on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) compared to those schools with less access. Similar results were seen in high school, where there were 5% differences between schools on the ACT (Lance Rodney, & Hamilton-Pennell).
• Michigan: A study demonstrated that teachers and students in schools with the highest reading scores on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) were four times more likely to have access to the school library on a flexibly scheduled basis than those in the lowest scoring schools (Rodney, Keith, & Christine, 2003).
These statistics demonstrate that the more teachers work with their library and the more resources a library can provide this has a direct effect on literacy levels of the students. This also applies to public libraries as well.
Without a variety of books to choose from a public library will attract very few readers. So, the more books a library has the more young people will be using its facilities.
A low cost alternative is the e-book. E-readers can hold approximately one thousand e-books. And e-books are less expensive and more durable than paperbacks. So, let’s help our libraries. We can donate our books and our time to them. I said it before and I’ll say it again! E-books are one of the solutions to our literacy issues!
Thanks for stopping by today and reading my post! Leave a comment and share your thoughts! I'd love to hear from you!
In all communities lack of funding or poverty is the number one cause of low literacy. By providing the tools (e-readers, e-books, and paperbacks) needed to fight this issue we are having a direct effect on it. Wan (2000) reviewed multiple reports to find the positive impacts of reading to children. Some experiments Wan reviewed involved reading aloud with individual students while others combined alone and group storybook readings to a class. Wan’s findings showcased that reading to children was vital to personal and school achievement. Even Stephen D Krashen author of “The Power of Reading” and Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California said, “In my opinion, the place to focus is the library, both the school and public library. Studies show a positive relationship between library quality (school and public) and the amount read, as well as a relationship with reading competence. Better libraries mean more literacy development for younger readers as well as for high school students.” Therefore, successful approaches to reading including read-aloud programs and setting aside time for reading. The first way to do this is to improve the amount of books on the library shelves.
So the gist of the last paragraph is that if we improve our libraries (school and public) we’ll have a positive effect on literacy levels. Here are some statistics that support this claim.
Information Brief: Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement by the New York Comprehensive Center
State Impact Studies
Collaboration between Teachers and the School Library
Collaboration between teachers and the school library through cooperative planning, identification of educational resources, and imparting information literacy skills, positively impacts teacher effectiveness and promotes student growth.
• Colorado: A study conducted in 2000 showed that students in elementary schools with highly collaborative relationships between teachers and school librarians scored 21% higher than students with less collaborative relationships on the Colorado Student Assessment Program, or CSAP (Lance, Rodney, & Hamilton-Pennell, 2000).
• Indiana: A 2006 study showed that when principals put an emphasis on in-service opportunities for collaboration between teachers and school librarians, there was an increase in test scores of 29.5% compared to those who placed a lower emphasis on such activities. Additionally, collaboration in curriculum design and delivery of instruction resulted in a 7.8% increase in test results. It should be noted that these relationships were evident in both the elementary and high school grade levels (Scholastic, 2008).
• Illinois: A 2005 study involving high schools showed that American College Testing (ACT) scores were highest for 11th graders when there was a high degree of collaboration between school librarians and teachers across a range of activities such as identifying materials, planning lessons, and motivating students to read.
• Oregon: A study indicated that schools with the best Oregon Statewide Assessment reading and language scores had teachers who were twice as likely to collaborate with school librarians. Furthermore, students in such classes were over 3 times more likely to visit the school library (Scholastic, 2008).
Access for Students
Providing access for teachers and students to school library facilities and resources, including through flexible scheduling, helps support students and has a positive effect on retention, work performance, and grades.
• Delaware: A study noted that teachers and faculty placed high value on school libraries due to their role in providing students with technology access, as well as ensuring information source quality and diversity. The study concluded that teachers believed that such access helped them perform their responsibilities and duties better (Todd & Heinstrom, 2006)
• Illinois: A study involving schools that provided increased access to the school library through flexible scheduling found that fifth grade students performed 10% better in reading and 11% better in writing on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) compared to those schools with less access. Similar results were seen in high school, where there were 5% differences between schools on the ACT (Lance Rodney, & Hamilton-Pennell).
• Michigan: A study demonstrated that teachers and students in schools with the highest reading scores on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) were four times more likely to have access to the school library on a flexibly scheduled basis than those in the lowest scoring schools (Rodney, Keith, & Christine, 2003).
These statistics demonstrate that the more teachers work with their library and the more resources a library can provide this has a direct effect on literacy levels of the students. This also applies to public libraries as well.
Without a variety of books to choose from a public library will attract very few readers. So, the more books a library has the more young people will be using its facilities.
A low cost alternative is the e-book. E-readers can hold approximately one thousand e-books. And e-books are less expensive and more durable than paperbacks. So, let’s help our libraries. We can donate our books and our time to them. I said it before and I’ll say it again! E-books are one of the solutions to our literacy issues!
Thanks for stopping by today and reading my post! Leave a comment and share your thoughts! I'd love to hear from you!
