Appalachian State University / Boone, North Carolina



TEXT TALK ASSIGNMENT

[pic]

The purpose of the Text Talk Read Aloud Assignment is to give you practice in reading to children in a way designed to enhance language comprehension by giving “full attention to the linguistic message” (Wells). Text Talk questions are, for this reason, of a particular and open-ended kind. An additional goal is the careful selection and detailed exercise of relevant vocabulary from stories read.

This assignment consists of multiple parts, so please read the directions carefully.

1. I will model a Text Talk lesson. After we discuss it, please read the article Text Talk: Capturing the benefits of read-aloud experiences for young children by Beck and McKeown (2001).

2. You will plan a Text Talk lesson for the book Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Marshall, 1998). Pattern your lesson after the model and the criteria contained in the Beck and McKeown article. Make sure you include a summary/extension question at the end. Also, add a vocabulary mini-lesson using at least 3 words from the story. I will collect these lesson plans.

3. Select a book and design your own Text Talk lesson using the guidelines we have discussed in class. Feel free to choose a book from the Beck, McKeown, & Kucan bibliography or another book that is APPROVED BY ME. You may not choose a book that has already been used.

4. You will present your Text Talk lesson for the class at a scheduled time. You will need to turn in your written lesson plan (typed).

Grading Criteria:

Grade of A-/A

( All of the elements for your Read Aloud follow closely the Text Talk style questions provided to you. You have avoided questions that lead to one-word answers, simple recall, or that organize the information for the listener. Remember, there are no prediction questions in Text Talk.

( All of the elements are complete including the Text Talk questions, follow-up questions, and vocabulary activities including a final review of the words.

Grade of B-/B

( All elements are complete but differ in several instances from the principles laid out in Text Talk.

( All elements correspond to the model but in a couple of minor instances are not complete.

Grade of C-/C

( There are multiple instances (3+) in which questions; vocabulary, etc. do not correspond to the model.

( There are multiple instances (3+) in which elements are not complete.

Non-passing Grade

( There are multiple instances of both vocabulary and questions that do not correspond to the Text Talk model.

TEXT TALK STYLE QUESTIONS:

1. So, what’s going on here?

2. What does this tell us?

3. Now what do we know?

4. What are they doing this time?

5. Oh, no! Now what is happening?

6. What did we just find out?

7. What is the big problem here?

Follow-up Question: What did the character teach us? What do you think about ----- the action ----- here?

Text Talk Lesson Example:

Beware of the Bears

Written by Alan McDonald

Illustrated by Gwyneth Williamson

Copyright 1998

Summary: Goldilocks and the three bears, from the well-known story bearing their names, are the main characters in this tale. The bears, which are angry that Goldilocks make herself at home in their place, decide to follow her and behave in the same bad-mannered way in her house. They have a ball trying out the different types of cereals until they find just the right one. They sample all of the bathroom products and make a terrible mess with the bubble bath. They have a grand pillow fight which is interrupted by Goldilock’s return. The bears jump out and surprise her, telling her that they just wanted to return the pleasure of her visit. But she informs them that this is not her house. They all look out the window to see the owner of the house, the Big Bad Wolf, making his way up the walk. They all run out the back of the house, leaving the wolf to puzzle over the mess they have made.

Focus: A focus for understanding is to see how this story picks up where the well-known “Three Bears” story ended, taking the tale to new and amusing lengths. Another focus is the unexpected turns – that the house does not belong to Goldilocks aft all, and the appearance of the Big Bad Wolf.

Teacher Comments and Questions:

Cover

Show cover and read the title. Ask children what happened to the bears’ house in the original version of the three bears. You might also want to ask how the bears must have felt when they came home and saw the mess Goldilocks had made in their house – showing them the picture on pages 1 and 2. Then begin reading the story.

Page 5

So, what’s going on? (The bears are really mad at Goldilocks for making a mess of their house.)

What does this tell us? (Maybe Papa Bear wants to go to Goldilock’s house and make a mess to get back at her.)

Page 8

What do you think Papa Bear means when he says, “Let’s see how she feels about having uninvited guests?” (They are going to go to her house and mess it up the same way Goldilocks messed up their house.)

Page 10

“What do you think the bears are up to right now?” (They got into the house and are pouring cereal all over the place.)

Page 12

Launched means to toss something up in the air. It says “He launched a spoonful of Wheetos. They splattered all over Mommy Bear’s best blouse.” What does launched mean? (To toss something up in the air.)

Goodness! They are making a mess of things aren’t they?

Page 15

So, what were they up to this time? (They were dancing all over the house and they ripped curtains and broke the couch.)

Page 20

Oh, dear! What’s going on now? (They messed up the bathroom, and now they are having a pillow fight and feathers flying everywhere.)

Page 21

Gleefully means happily. So what does it mean when it says the bears were “watching Goldilocks gleefully?” (They were happy that Goldilocks had come home to see the mess they had made because that was what she did to their house.)

Page 23

It says Goldilocks eyes were large and she gasped and whistled and stared open-mouthed at what she saw. What does all of this tell us? (She was pretty upset and shocked by the mess she saw.)

Page 25

Astonishment means surprised or amazed. The book says “… and to the bears’ astonishment, she threw back her head and laughed and laughed until her hair shook like golden springs.” What does the word astonishment mean? (Surprised or amazed.)

What important fact did we just find out? (It turns out that this was not Goldilocks’s house after all.)

Page 27 & 28

(Show picture.) Uh oh! Now what do we know? (The house belonged to the wolf, and he is coming.)

Page 29 & 30

What do we see here? (The wolf is shocked because of the mess in his house.)

So what problem might the bears have now? (Now the wolf might want to get back at the bears for making a mess of his house.)

Follow-up

What do you think of what the bears did? (Let children consider that the bears may have caused themselves more problems because now the wolf might want to get back at them. But also consider that Goldilocks should not have done what she did to the bears’ house, and it was understandable that they were so angry.)

(The teaching materials related to Beware of the Bears developed by the Text Talk research team are included here, with modifications.)

Vocabulary Lesson Example: Beware of the Bears

Launched: The bears were playing and throwing cereal. Papa Bear launched some spoonfuls of cereal in the air. (Launched means to toss something up in the air fast.) “Say launched.”

Could you launch…

A rocket or an elephant?

A paper airplane or a tree?

Fireworks or a house?

“Tell me our word.”

Gleeful: The bears gleefully watched for Goldilocks’ reaction. They were very happy that she was going to find her house a mess. (Gleeful means you are so happy that you feel silly or giggly.) “Say gleeful.”

Let’s think about what might make us feel gleeful …

You went to a party or had extra homework?

Took a trip to an amusement park or to the dentist?

Your best friend moves away or comes to spend the night?

You get to stay home from school sick or for a snow day?

“What is our word?”

Astonished: The bears were astonished when Goldilocks started laughing at the big mess. (Astonished means surprised that the mess made her laugh – surprised and shocked.)

“Say astonished.”

Would be astonished if…

You met someone from Charlotte or from Mars?

Your cat said ‘hello’ or your cousin said ‘hello’?

Your Mom gave you cereal for breakfast or an ice cream cone?

What would be some things you might be astonished to see in the sky?

“What is our word?”

Review: launched, gleeful, and astonished:

-Could you launch a kite or a car?

-If the teacher made you feel gleeful, how would you feel?

-Would you be more astonished finding a bird’s nest or a space alien?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download