Appendixes

Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E | Appendix F | Appendix G

Appendix C

Sample Curriculum Handbook

The following appendix includes an introduction to the handbook and classroom curriculum that I created, along with its own appendix. It all appears in its original, unaltered, and what was thought to be ideal state. Once put into practice, however, the lessons and appendixes themselves went through multiple evolutions, especially since I could not obtain sufficient copies of most of the books the lesson plans were based on. The name of the class was also not as ideal as originally thought. Since the acronym PACT  (Parents and Children Together) exists other places in family literacy literature, I cannot keep the title as originally planned. The lesson plans I created did, however, serve as an excellent guide to begin the Wave One and Wave Two classes, but once underway, due to attendance and time constraints, student interest and suggestions, and my desire to incorporate detailed information provided for me in Spanish by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, each class session took on its own unique shape amidst a simple, flexible classroom routine.    

Reading Side by Side: Parents and Children Together (PACT)

Session One: Class Introduction

Objectives: 

1. Students (from now on the parents will be referred to as students since they are the students of this program) will learn each other’s names, the teacher’s name, and be able to identify each classmate by name and face.
2. Students will be able to explain why other classmates are participating in this program, tell about other classmates’ children, and express pre-conceived ideas about the program in a non-threatening environment.
3. Students will be noticeably excited about reading picture books with their children.

 

Materials:

• 10 (one per student) student notebooks prepared for them to take home
• 10 (one per student) 1^st day interview sheets
• Visual aids/props to use to introduce yourself as their teacher
• 10 (one per student) of your favorite picture books to share
• 10 (one per student) conversation sheets

 

Potential Vocabulary:  interview, picture book, children’s literature, reading log…additional vocabulary will come from any books you choose to share as an introduction, and from class discussion (get used to this!!!). Have students keep track of new vocabulary in part of their student folder.

 

Lesson Outline:

Begin the class with introductions. There are many ways to go about doing this.  Here is one option.  Allow each student to take a turn and present himself or herself by name, and share something about their family. Also ask them to express to the class what they think this course will be like. Use as much English as possible, but be sure the students also feel comfortable. Encourage students to not only state their own name as they present, but also the names of all the other students who have presented themselves. When the students finish, the teacher will present himself/herself using the props that he/she has brought. Be creative!!!

 

Explain the notebooks that you have brought, page by page, allowing the students to follow along in their individual notebook.  Be enthusiastic about each aspect – the books they will read, the vocabulary they will learn, and the logs they will keep as they read with their child(ren).  Invite them to go home and begin their logs by reading to their child(ren) in Spanish this week. 

 

Pass out some of your favorite picture books and allow the students to look through them, read or familiarize themselves with them, and share them with others in the class. Pass out “conversation sheets” to each student and have them get to know one person in the class more personally by going through the questions on the sheet. As they do this, take each student aside and carry-out a 5-10 minute interview with them using the provided sheet. Instead of doing a personal interview, students could also fill out the sheets simultaneously on their own; do whatever you prefer. Results should be written down. Once all the interviews have been completed, remind everyone of the time and place of the next class (at the Public Library), of their assignment, and thank them for their attendance. NOTE: Many libraries require a proof of identification and current address (as in a utility bill addressed to that person) in order to receive a library card.

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Session Two: Public Library Visit

Objectives:

1.     Students will become familiar with the Public Library and learn how to access books by using the computers.

2.     Students will leave with their own library cards, if they don’t already have them. Also, they will be given time to check books out.

 

Materials:

·         Library Guide, Library schedule

·         Librarian (previous plan for the tour made with him/her)

·         Student notebooks (always!)

 

Lesson Outline:

As the teacher, go ahead of time to the Public Library and decide how YOU want to carryout the library tour. Talk with the Librarian(s) and see if they have a bilingual (Spanish/English) tour guide who would be able to give the tour.  Express to them your desires for your students to feel comfortable in accessing books for their young children, and for themselves. Plan this lesson and tour in a way that makes you feel most comfortable and excited about this library visit.  Keep your objectives in mind.

 

If you want to make a quiz or questionnaire for students to fill out as they receive the tour that may help them focus their listening. This could also later serve as a reference for them when they return to the Public Library and find themselves with questions.

 

Potential Vocabulary: card catalog, computer search, subject, call number, to checkout, due date, shelf, hardcover, paperback…and much more!

 

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Session Three: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.      

Objectives:

1.     Students will listen to the story out loud several times to better understand what it’s about and identify any new vocabulary words.

2.     Students will see modeled, and practice, strategies for creating an

     appropriate atmosphere for reading aloud with their children.

3.     Students will practice identifying the author and illustrator from the book cover and first page, and share that information with a partner, as if they were their child.

4.     Reading aloud with partners will allow the teacher to go around and listen to individuals and students will receive two-on-one help with these strategies.

 

Materials:

·         Boom box or radio

·         Telephone

·         Any other items to help create typical home-distractions

·         10 (one per student) copies of Brown Bear, Brown Bear

·         Student notebooks (always!)     

 

Lesson Outline:

Follow-up: Begin by reviewing last session’s Public Library visit.  Ask about who has been able to go since your last class session. Discuss. Challenge more to attend.

 

Vocabulary Revisiting: Create the habit of having students open their notebooks to their vocabulary logs and sharing with the class when during the week they have heard or used any of the words from previous sessions. Have each person be responsible for sharing at least one word with the class, as well as a creative way to help remember that word and its English meaning.

 

Introduction/Lesson Body: Show the students the book and begin by presenting the title and the names of the author and illustrator.  Discuss these terms, then pass out the books and invite students to practice this small part of sharing a book. Have them pair up and quickly practice presenting the title of the book and who the author and illustrator are. Go around (always as they practice) and listen to students, offer any suggestions to help them improve.

 

Continue by asking a volunteer to come up and take the role of the child as you model a not-so-good reading of the book to the class. Have the boom box playing, and pretend that the phone periodically rings, and you answer it, etc (add any other distractions you can think of). Don’t finish reading the whole book that way; stop and ask for student response and feedback. What was wrong with that situation? Try again with another student volunteer as the child, and do the opposite. Have them right by your side so that they can see the book, turn off the boom box, and maybe even turn off the phone.  Create an atmosphere that models how parents can best be reading to their children at home – comfortable, safe, personal. Model a reading of the book with these positive aspects. Again, stop and ask for student response and feedback.  What was good about that situation?    

 

Read the book aloud one more time, this time with the students following along in their books. Have them repeat aloud any difficult words. Periodically stop to discuss vocabulary that may be new. This requires the teacher to be especially attentive to students’ reactions. Be alert and aware. Encourage students to be willing to ask questions about meaning, but also limit it so that every single word is not being questioned. As the course continues, more discussion about context clues will occur. 

 

Practice: For the duration of the class period have students reading to one another in pairs, as if one were the parent and one were the child. Encourage them to focus on creating this appropriate atmosphere. If they are too close to another partnership (so that it is a possible distraction), have them spread out. If they are not allowing the “child” to see the book and its illustrations, help them do so. Go from pair to pair observing, and giving feedback about those things they do which are positive, and those that need improvement. Always help with words and pronunciation as needed. 

 

Take-home: Parents will be responsible to take this book home (after it is checked-out in a fashion or manner which the teacher designs) and read it at least once daily to their child. Remind them to be reviewing their vocabulary.  Invite two students individually to be prepared to read (part of) this book to the class in the next session.

 

Potential Vocabulary: author, illustrator, goldfish, sheep, frog, atmosphere, lap, side-by-side…and much more!

 

Why this book?

This book can be a great place to start because it is most likely one that children have been exposed to already in the school year. It has a minimal number of words on each page, and a very repetitive manner so it will allow these adults to have a successful experience in a short amount of time. It includes a number of common colors and animals as its main vocabulary, ones that students may already be familiar with. Also, the repetitive nature of the question and answer format makes it possible to practice these phrases enough to gain confidence about them. Also, this is a book that is predictable, which is something that is very appealing to young readers (and often even to older readers!). 

 

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  Session Four: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

 

Objectives:

1.     Students will practice using voice inflection and facial expressions to make the story reading even better. This will be explained as one of the ways to help children maintain interest in the books read to them.

2.     Students will practice guessing what a book is about by only looking at the cover (and practice how to do this when they are reading the book to someone else).

 

Materials:

·         10 (one per student) copies of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

 

Lesson Outline:

Follow-up: Begin by asking students to share how it went reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear with their children. Encourage students to share reactions that they have written in their At-Home Reading Logs. Remind them that those will be collected at the end of this session. Invite the two students previously invited to each read half of that book for the class. In a friendly way, allow the other class members to give feedback about what they did to ensure that the atmosphere was appropriate for reading the book.

 

Vocabulary Revisiting: Divide the class into two groups and write ten words from the previous sessions on the board.  After three minutes, the group that can best define and use in a simple sentence the most words, “wins.”

 

Introduction/Lesson Body: Enthusiastically say that you want to share this great book with the students (before passing out their copies). Then, as you read do so without facial expressions, without a change in voice, and without attention to their reactions. Then ask the class what was wrong with that reading.  Help them identify vocabulary associated with this discussion. 

 

Continue by passing out the books and asking students to guess from the cover what this book might be about. Have each student tell his/her neighbor what he or she thinks. Next, present the words listed in the “potential vocabulary” section and discuss them in order to build some background knowledge before reading. Then, read the book with great attention to facial expressions and voice inflection. Stop periodically to discuss with the students the difference between this reading, and the first reading. 

 

Practice: Begin by having students practice with a partner asking, “What do you think this book is about?” before they open the book and begin reading. Have each one do that three times (until they feel comfortable). Then, with this same partner, they will read the book together taking turns reading the pages. The focus is on making it interesting with their voices and their facial expressions.  As with every practice, be attentive to each partnership; go around and listen, coach, and help as needed.

 

Take Home: Parents will responsible to take this book home (after it is checked-out in a fashion or manner which the teacher designs) and read it at least once daily to their child (focusing on today’s skills). Remind them to be reviewing and writing down their vocabulary words. Invite two different students to be prepared to read half of this book to the class during the next session. They will especially be focusing on making the reading interesting through their face and voice. 

 

Potential Vocabulary: probably, straw, napkin, milk mustache, to trim, nail scissors, to get carried away, to fix up, crawl, to fluff, crayons, to hang, Scotch tape, remind, facial expressions, voice inflection...and much more!

 

Why this book?

If you know this book, it has to be said, “why not?” Numeroff has written a predictable book (which is a great follow-up to our first predictable book) that is fun for children and adults alike! Children will enjoy trying to guess what will happen on each forthcoming page and adults will feel successful as they ask a few simple questions to spark conversation about what could possibly happen next. Also, the pictures depict what the text says in a way that makes it easy to follow.

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   Session Five: If You Give a Pig a Pancake

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

 

 

Objectives:

1.     Students will see and practice reading books by authors they are already acquainted with.  They will learn, and share with a partner, why this is important to children.

2.     By using a predictable book, beginning questioning skills will be

     taught. Students will be able to ask two or three questions relative to

     predicting, as they read this story.

 

Materials:

·         10 (one per student) copies of If You Give a Pig a Pancake

 

Lesson Outline:

Follow-up: Begin by asking students to share how it went reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie with their children. Encourage students to share reactions that they have written in their At-Home Reading Logs. Return the ones previously collected, at the end of this session. Invite the two students previously invited to each read half of Numeroff’s book for the class. In a friendly way, allow the other class members to give feedback about what they did to ensure that their facial expressions and voice inflection created interest for the listeners.

 

Vocabulary Revisiting: Ask for volunteers to share moments since the previous session when they were able to hear/use some of the vocabulary highlighted.  In groups of two or three, have each student share three words from their vocabulary log. Go around and listen as they share, correcting and helping as needed.

 

Introduction/Lesson Body: Partially as a review, hold up today’s book and ask students to share what they think it will be about. This should be much more natural since they were practicing this at home with their children. Then ask what they most notice about this book just from the cover. Many ideas are possible – accept them all. Be sure that the idea that this is another book by Laura Numeroff comes up in the discussion. Ask them why they think reading more than one book by the same author would be important. Decide on one or two reasons as a class, and then have each student share those reasons aloud with a partner.  Have them record these reasons in their notes. These will need to be revisited periodically.

 

Continue to begin a reading of the book. Demonstrate along the way the concept of predicting and asking them questions about what will happen next.  Don’t discuss what you are doing as you go along, but discuss any difficult vocabulary. Always be willing to discuss vocabulary and contribute to a better schema for each student.  After completing the book, then discuss what you were doing by asking prediction questions along the way. Why would this be important?

 

Practice: In different partnerships now (it’s important to keep changing partners so that students get to learn from as many of their classmates as possible), have students brainstorm three possible prediction questions from this book (after you have demonstrated one or two). Have them write them in their student notebooks, then make a list of about five on the board. Students need to practice these aloud as they take turns reading the book with a partner. One partner will read the first fourteen pages aloud, and the second partner will then finish reading the book aloud. Along the way they will be responsible to ask at least two prediction questions to their partner. The questions each partner asks cannot be the same. As with every practice, be attentive to each partnership; go around and listen, coach, and help as needed.

 

Take Home: Parents will responsible to take this book home (after it is checked-out in a fashion or manner which the teacher designs) and read it at least once daily to their child (focusing on today’s skills). Remind them to be reviewing and writing down their vocabulary words, as well as filling out their At-Home Reading Logs. Inform all the students that they will be sharing one of the three books read up to this point with a small group during the next class session.

 

Potential Vocabulary: to predict, pancake, maple syrup, sticky, bubbles, rubber duck, homesick, suitcase, tap shoes, to wear, to take a picture, stamps, mailbox, tree house, hammer, nails, to decorate, glue, ...and much more!

 

Why this book?

The joy and excitement that comes from revisiting authors is hard to explain.  Often children (and adults) feel as if they have made a friend once they read more than one of an author’s books. If the books are well received, they make reading seem like less and less of a task, and more and more like fun. This book is, again, fun, predictable, and exciting for children to participate in as their parents read the book aloud. It also has a familiar format to parents (if they’ve previously read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie) which gives them more confidence to ask their children questions periodically as they read.

 

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  Session Six: Revisiting the first three books

(NOTE: A review lesson of this nature will be found for about every three books read and presented.)

 

Objectives:

1.      Students will complete a vocabulary quiz, highlighting vocabulary

     taught and discussed in class.

2.      Students (as a collective whole) will create a list of the skills that they

     have learned so far to help them as they read aloud to their children.

     This list will be transferred to their notes.

3.     Students will feel an increased confidence with these three books.  They will successfully read one of the three to a small group, applying the principles taught in sessions three through five.

 

Materials:

·         Copies of each of the three previous books (Brown Bear, Brown Bear..., If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and If You Give a Pig a Pancake)

 

Lesson Outline:

Follow-up: Begin by asking students to share how it went reading If You Give a Pig a Pancake with their children. Encourage students to share reactions that they have written in their At-Home Reading Logs. Remind them that those will be collected periodically.

 

Vocabulary Revisiting: Create a vocabulary quiz for the students (NOTE: grades are not given in this program, other than attendance; in order to receive a certificate of completion students must attend 80%+ of the sessions.) incorporating words highlighted in class previous to this session. Make it a fun activity, and not a high-stress test. The goal is to be continually revisiting important vocabulary words so that they become a part of the students’ vocabulary. A prize may be brought for the “winner(s)”.

 

Introduction/Lesson Body:

This lesson is mostly an opportunity for the students to show-off how their abilities have improved since session one. Begin this portion by asking each student to write down on a sheet of paper one skill previously discussed in class, related to reading aloud with their children. Have students come to the board to create a list of these skills/techniques. Encourage them to copy these ideas into their notes as a review.

 

Practice: Divide into groups of three or four, each student having a different book in the group (groups of four will have one book show up twice). Explain to them that this activity is like reading to a larger group of children. Have them imagine taking 10 minutes to sit and read a book with their child and his/her friends. The challenge is to incorporate as many of the skills previously taught into their reading turn. Each member of the group will have the chance to read, and then the others will share with them all of the good things they did while reading. Continue, as the teacher, to go around (even take notes) and listen; correct pronunciation and grammar as needed. Congratulate students for their improved abilities, especially those who wouldn’t normally be open enough to read in front of a group (especially in English). 

 

Take-Home: As a preview for session seven, students are to go home and think of simple activities that they could do while reading these books to make it even more exciting for their children (i.e. draw a rainbow of all the colors mentioned in Brown Bear, Brown Bear..., bring a bag of cookies to share while reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, make a pancake breakfast or lunch after reading If You Give a Pig a Pancake)

 

 

Potential Vocabulary: to review, repetition, skills...and much more!

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Curriculum Appendix A

 

Sample Invitation/Explanation Letter to the Parents

 

 

Queridos Padres,

      

Estamos tan animados para anuciar un programa nuevo que estamos ofreciendo especialmente a Uds., los padres de nuestros alumnos. Estamos siempre pensando de maneras de ayudarles a seguir progresando y ayudando a sus hijos. Queremos invitarles a participar en un programa de la lectura, dos veces cada semana. Cada clase durará una hora a una hora y quince minutos, y vamos a enfocarnos en mejorar sus habilidades de leer en inglés con sus hijos, específicamente enfocando en libros que sus hijos están usando en sus clases. Sabemos que es muy importante leer con ellos en casa en español. También, sentimos que es importante que Uds. tengan una buena experiencia al leer en inglés con ellos. Para facilitar su progreso y éxito en esto, queremos que participen en este programa.

Esperamos empezar en _________(mes) y tener dos clases cada semana hasta fines de _________(mes). Cada clase estaría en ______________(lugar) y les beneficiaría mucho la participación. Vamos a hacer hincapié en estrategias para leer en inglés, y el vocabulario en inglés de los libros que se usa con estas actividades.  Es un programa gratis y queremos que sea una clase de diez participantes. Tenemos dos horarios posibles, y queremos preguntarles cuál les conviene más.

 

______ Sí, estoy interesado(a) en participar en este programa que me ayudará aprender a leer con mi hijo(a) en inglés.

 

______  Me conviene más los lunes y miércoles en este horario: 1:15–2:30pm

 

 

______  Me conviene más los martes y jueves en este horario: 6:30–7:45pm

 

         Esperamos su respuesta anciosamente. Regrese esta forma a la escuela con su hijo(a)  el _______________(día, fecha) o mándela por correo a _____________________(dirección aquí). Esperamos sinceramente su participación.  Si tiene preguntas, llame a ___________________(persona para contactar).

 

 

                                                                        Con sinceridad,

 

 

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Curriculum Appendix B

                                                     

Padres, vengan a participar en “PACT”

 

PACT es un programa para ayudarles aprender a leer en inglés con sus hijos.

·         empieza el __________________

·         nos reunimos los ________ a las ____________en _______________

·         el costo es $15 cada estudiante

·         vamos a practicar con los libros que sus hijos están leyendo en la escuela

·         las clases terminan el _______________

·         con preguntas, llamen a _____________

 

 

                                                           

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Curriculum Appendix C

Description of Student Notebooks

 

        These notebooks are meant to serve to help students organize the material they are learning; they are to be presented to the students on the first day of class. In each notebook there should be at least twelve copies of the At-Home Reading Log, at least five copies of the New Vocabulary sheets, and a copy of the List of Books Read. These sheets are to be filled in by the students and should be periodically checked by the teacher (more often in the beginning to help develop the habit). 

 

        These notebooks also should include paper for students to take notes during class discussions. Any additional information that you deem necessary (i.e. Public Library handouts, family literacy pamphlets, storytelling information) may be added to each notebook.

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Curriculum Appendix D

 

Participant Survey/Interview for the First Day of Class

 

 

Name/Nombre: _____________________________________________________

Son/daughter’s name/ Nombre del hijo(a): ___________________________

 

 

Why did you decide to participate in this class? (¿Por qué decidió Ud. participar en esta clase?)

 

 

 

Do you read to/with your children at home in Spanish?  How long per day/week? (¿Lee Ud. con su hijos en casa en español? ¿Cuánto tiempo cada día/semana?)

 

 

 

Do you read to/with your children at home in English? How long per day/week? (¿Lee Ud. con su hijos en casa en inglés? ¿Cuánto tiempo cada día/semana?)

 

 

 

How would you describe your ability to communicate in English? (¿Cómo describiría Ud. su habilidad de comunicar en inglés?)

 

 

 

 

What percentage of time is spent in your home speaking in English?  Spanish? (¿Qué porcentage de tiempo pasan Uds. hablando inglés en casa? ¿Y en español?)

 

 

 

 

What do you hope to learn by participating in this class? (¿Qué espera aprender por participar en esta clase?)

 

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Curriculum Appendix E

New Vocabulary (vocabulario nuevo)

New word (palabra nueva)	What it sounds like (como se dice)	What it means (qué signifíca)

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Curriculum Appendix F

1st Day Student Conversation Sheet

Ask another student these questions. (Pregúntele a otro estudiante estas preguntas).

 

1.     How many children do you have? (¿Cuántos hijos tiene Ud.?)

 

 

2.     How long have you lived here? (¿Por cuánto tiempo ha vivido aquí?)

 

3.     Why did you want to take this class? (¿Por qué quería tomar esta clase?)

 

4.     What is something you like to do during your freetime? (¿Qué le gusta hacer en su tiempo libre?)

 

5.     Invent your own question here...(Invente su propia pregunta aquí...)

 

   

 

1st Day Student Conversation Sheet

Ask another student these questions. (Pregúntele a otro estudiante estas preguntas).

 

1. How many children do you have? (¿Cuántos hijos tiene Ud.?)

 

 

2. How long have you lived here? (¿Por cuánto tiempo ha vivido aquí?)

 

3. Why did you want to take this class? (¿Por qué quería tomar esta clase?)

 

4. What is something you like to do during your freetime? (¿Qué le gusta hacer en su tiempo libre?)

 

     5. Invent your own question here...(Invente su propia pregunta aquí...)

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Curriculum Appendix G

         At-Home Reading Log

 

Date (la fecha):

Time Spent Reading (tiempo que leyeron):

Book Title (título del libro):

Reaction to the book (reacción al libro):

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

Time Spent Reading:

Book Title(s):

Reaction to the book(s):

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

Time Spent Reading:

Book Title(s):

Reaction to the book(s):

 

 

 

 

Date:

Time Spent Reading:

Book Title(s):

Reaction to the book(s):

 

 

 

 

Date:

Time Spent Reading:

Book Title(s):

Reaction to the book(s)

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Curriculum Appendix H

List of Books Read in Our Class

A.      Title	B.      Author	C.     Illustrator	D.     Notes

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Curriculum Appendix I

 

Participant Survey/Interview for the Last Day of Class

 

 

Name/Nombre: _____________________________________________________

Son/daughter’s name/ Nombre del hijo(a): ___________________________

 

 

Do you remember why you decided to participate in this class? (¿Se acuerda por qué decidió participar en esta clase?)

 

 

 

How much time do you now spend reading to your children in Spanish? Daily/ weekly? (¿Cuánto tiempo pasa ahora leyendo con sus hijos en español? Diariamente? semanalmente?)

 

 

 

How much time do you now spend reading to your children in English? Daily/ weekly? (¿Cuánto tiempo pasa ahora leyendo con sus hijos en inglés? Diariamente? semanalmente?)

 

 

 

 

How would you describe your ability to communicate in English now? (¿Cómo describiría Ud. su habilidad para comunicarse en inglés ahora?)

 

 

 

 

How has the amount of English spoken in your home changed, if at all?  (¿Cómo ha cambiado la cantidad de inglés que Uds. hablan en casa, si ha cambiado?)

 

 

 

What do you think you have learned by participating in this class?  (¿Qué piensa que ha aprendido por participar en esta clase?)