LEARNING A NEW READING STRATEGY

Hi again!
Today I want to show you the reading strategy which my group and I analyze the other day in class.

It is called “The four square retelling” and here you have the video where you can see how a teacher uses this strategy with their students in class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dq5rfPRSc&list=PL5178787DB725559D&index=10

 

As you can see, this strategy allows that children can organize the main ideas of a text or a chapter that they or their teacher have read before. Through the Four Square chart which is organized by the succession of the main actions (with these words: First, Then, Next, Finally) they can continue the sentences and build the story summary.

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Then they have to draw each scene. I love this part because I think it is an interesting way to know how they are imaging the action, the characters and the spaces. Moreover it is perfect to motivate them because most of the children like to draw and paint.

 I think that a good way to use this strategy in class would be do it in two sessions. In the second session students could cut their drawings and interchanged them with their partners. Then they could organize the actions and see the differences with the drawings they have done.

I say this because I think one of the best things about reading is everyone imagine things differently when is reading the same book. Maybe it describes perfectly some character or some landscape but I think that none would imagine it exactly equal. This is the main point that differentiates reading of cinema or theater so I think it is important to give them the opportunity to discover how special it can be read.

Furthermore this strategy is designed for children who are in the first cycle of Primary Education so it is a good way to structure the events and reinforce their sense. I think that it can help them to understand and encourage the reading of other texts or books.

I hope you like this strategy and help you as future teachers! :)