Description/overview of Storytime as an instructional strategy, how it can be used in various lessons.
The Instructional Plan:
The instructional routine for Story Time:
Read book slowly and at key points, stop and model asking questions, sharing comments. Encourage children to join in, asking: “Who else wants to know? Who is that? Who else is thinking ‘Uh-oh’ ____?.” Then provide opportunity for children to share, comment or ask a question with AAC tools. (Need video) Continue to model and encourage children to relate content to something they know.
Offer the children opportunities:
At the end of the week the children participate in a Reader’s Theater where they have a chance to act out part of the book. The teacher announces that it is time for Reader’s Theater where they get to be actors. Three high interest parts of the book are presented and students choose what part they want to play and then pick a costume from the classroom costume rack. (Include a picture here of the costume rack with a child picking a costume). Sometimes multiple children will play the same role. Children can also choose to be the narrator, or the person who tells/reads the part of the story. The teacher may encourage students to look at the illustrations in the book when choosing what role to play or what props to use. Students have a chance to practice acting out the part of the book, then they call Storyfriend to come be in the audience. Other adults can be asked to sit in the audience if the students choose. The children go “onstage” and act out the part of the book. When they finish the audience claps and everyone takes a bow. (Reader’s Theater is a little hectic looking getting ready, but maybe we could film parts of it and put it together, or at least splice the parts together- teacher announces, students pick a part to act out, students pick a costume, students practice, students perform, students take a bow- and cut out the extra stuff).
Below is an example of activities, roles and responsibilities assumed during StoryTime.
The students play an active role in StoryTime by answering questions, relating concepts and experiences to their knowledge and skill base, naming objects, repeating familiar words and repetitive lines in the story, and acting out roles or actions of the characters.
Teacher takes children on a picture walk of the book being introduced. Teacher builds on prior learning by providing an opportunity for each child to share their individual experiences.
Families often send in photos of experiences for children to share. Teachers compile photos in beginning communication books. Teachers look for opportunities for children to share at specific times such as dramatic play centers, sharing time, writers workshop and story time. In story time we often model ” ______ knows about that” and cue children to share when they have something related to the topic or theme to share.
Teachers read Dot the Fire Dog during the Community Helpers theme. Teachers draw attention to the dog who lived at the fire station. Teachers asks, “Who knows about dogs?” This photo shows 3 different low-tech communication books from 3 children who had pets. Teachers encouraged them share about their dogs and things their dogs do.
These photos were sent in for Sharing Time with a pumpkin to share. Teachers were able to refer to this child’s experience during the Fall Harvest theme when teachers read the story Apples and Pumpkins.
Children also trial complex SGDs in Story Time. Teachers input photos from home and record digitized messages or program contents into devices.
Example of a child’s personal photo imported into customized page on complex SGD, A DynaVox V/Max.
Example of a customized page with general vocabulary for participating in story time routine. The 2nd button says “I know about that! let me show you one of my stories!”, then links to a page with the child’s relevant personal photo and story.
Teacher reads the book pointing out characters, repeated lines, phrases and words
Teacher continues to read or re-read the book reinforcing concepts, language and actions
Teacher and students act out the story or act out specific pages. Pay particular attention to when characters are introduced, the problem situation (house on fire-cat lost) and the solution. Ask children to identify their favorite part? Their favorite character?
Props (Jet)
Show and pass out props, try them on when named in story:
Hold up prop when named
Point out match to graphic symbol/picture
Pass out for firefighters
Sound Effects (Adam)
Play specific sounds for all to hear, the _____ says:
Activate switch to play sound when cued in story
Children gain experience telling other parts of a story, such as playing sound effects using simple SGD, like this CheapTalk 8, recorded with names of the animal and animal sound.
This child plays recorded sound effects during story reading using an iPad with the Sounding Board App.
Activate switch to play sound
Select sound given 2 choices
Story friend (Jackie)
Hold Story-friend; help show Story-friend the pictures
Hold Story-friend; show Story-friend pictures and label vocabulary words
Hold Story-friend; help Story-friend ask questions: What’s that?
Play a part
Characters (Abigail)
Hold up dog and tell repeated line: “Go Dot Go”
Listen for Dot’s name activate switch to tell repeated line; if it’s about Dot, show dog to everyone.
Children learn to actively participate in interactive story time activities by telling repeated lines using simple SGD with single messagel. Preschool children often use Big Mac or Step By Step switches to tell repeated lines as they are introduced to the StoryTime routine.
Same
Pick a part to play