using book clubs to engage readers and writers
DESCRIPTION
Jan Turbill Wendy Bean University of Wollongong, Australia. Using Book Clubs to Engage Readers and Writers. What were our beliefs in starting these projects? What was the research that underpinned our thinking?. Reading-writing connections. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
USING BOOK CLUBS TO ENGAGE READERS AND WRITERS
Jan TurbillWendy BeanUniversity of Wollongong, Australia
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
READING-WRITING CONNECTIONS
What were our beliefs in starting these projects? What was the research that underpinned our thinking?
We can read without ever having written but we cannot write without having read (Butler & Turbill 1984)
Reading - writing connections (Elbow 2004)
Children must read like a writer, in order to learn to write like
a writer (Smith 2003)
Every writer is a reader. … To teach writing we must
teach reading. (Donald Murray 1984. 2004)
Text is a two sided mirror …with readers and writers … gazing upon the reflections of their own minds (Frank Smith, 1982)
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
And so we introduced Book Club
• Wendy worked with a suburban school 90mins south of Sydney
• Windang Public School is considered below average on the Social Education Advantage Index
• Windang receives additional government funding for Literacy and Numeracy
• Jan worked with a school in farming area 2 hours south of Sydney
• Berry Public School is considered to be above average on the Social Education Advantage Index
• Berry receives no additional funding
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Different schools – different needs
Windang Book Club’s focus was to engage children in:
• reading for enjoyment• reading a wide range
of authors• reflecting and
discussing books• improving reading and
writing skills
Berry Book Club’s focus was to engage prolific readers in:
• reading, reflecting and critiquing books
• exploring the writing devices of the authors they read
• reading like writers and thus improve their writing
Book Clubs: Reading for enjoyment
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Book Clubs• Status: application to
join
• Lunchtime every 2 weeks in library
• Quality texts
• Special guests
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Book Club activities
• Author visit 2011 (Sandy Fussell)
• Boys Only Club Terms 3 and 4 2012
• Year 6 runs own Book Circle with Year 2 in 2012 (own initiative)
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Writing connections in Book Circle
edmodowww.edmodo.com• Secure• A place to ‘talk’ about books between Book
Club meetings run fortnightly• A place to publish newsletters and author
websites
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Book Club Reading Journals
Students all have a reading journal. Here they record:
• Books read• Books recommended• Notes or ideas while reading
And we loved collecting ‘delicious words’
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Book Club Evaluation
• Next slide
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Other events and outcomes
• Increase in reading for enjoyment (Premier’s reading challenge 85% participation
2012)• Purchase of quality literature and texts for the
library• Kindergarten orientation: two picture books in
welcome pack• Parent workshops on reading• More involvement in literacy national events
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
• Class libraries: regularly changed and more book promotion by teachers
• Book recommendations by children for children
• Individual book boxes for students• Mystery readers (prize a book trailer and
popcorn)
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
In summary
• We had enormous fun• The children thought they were very special
and were proud of their participation• Parents were thrilled
• AND reading was in the spotlight!
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Berry Book ClubHow do we teach children to get
inside the author’s head?Peter Burney – Principal
Sue McAuliffe – Year 5/6 TeacherDi Hill - Librarian
Setting up Book Club at Berry Public School in 2011
• Purpose was to acknowledge and encourage avid readers and to get them thinking about author’s craft
• Year 5 students were invited to participate in pilot of Book Club and become leaders for others
• Eight students chosen from applications after negotiation with teachers
• Book Club held during lunch periodWendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Book Marks
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Author’s role in children’s writing
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Our Writing Day- late Term 4• Book Club members had a Writing Day with Jan using White Crane
by Sandy Fussell as a ‘mentor’. All had read the book.• Children reread Ch1. and asked to consider how Sandy introduced
characters, plot and setting.• Using a mind map, brainstormed in 2 groups what Sandy needed to
know to write the first chapter. • Each child brainstormed in her journal things she knew ‘a lot about’.• Shared their list then chose one and brainstormed words, phrases
about that ‘one thing’.• Shared the ‘story’ that could now be written.• Asked to write without stopping for 3 minutes on that one thing –
activity became known as POWER Writing.
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
• Each girl shared this first draft. • Author Sandy agreed to share via Skype on IWB
after lunch. BIG excitement!• Girls asked questions of Sandy, then read the
beginnings of their story. • Sandy listened and responded to each one.• Girls rapt!!! And wrote all afternoon. • Drafting continued in class with teacher and finally
edited pieces were emailed to Sandy who had agreed to read and respond.
• We will hear from the girls what they learned from this interaction with an author, a fellow writer, a teacher.
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Jackie French’s
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Collaborative roles of teacher and author in the teaching of writing
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Jackie Frenchhttp://www.jackiefrench.com/index.html
Wendy Bean and Jan Turbill 2013
Contact us - Wendy Bean -
www.effectiveschools.com.au
Jan Turbill – [email protected]