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Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books Franki Sibberson Choice Literacy February 2009 Reading visual elements of texts is not easy for me. I am not a visual person. I cannot see the undertones in paint colors. I buy most of my outfits straight from the mannequin, confident that they must match if the salesperson put the pieces together. I do not often notice when a friend gets new glasses. Because of my own struggles with reading and interpreting visual cues, I have never known quite what to do with wordless picture books. To me, words are at the heart of any story. I never had the patience to “read” the illustrations in a wordless book in order to make meaning. In the past, I kept a few of these books in my classroom but they were buried and seldom used. The only thing I read about that I considered doing with them was to ask students to write words to go with the story, but that never felt right from a writing perspective. Recently I have been learning a great deal from Katie DiCesare about picture reading and wordless books. Following Katie’s lead, I have been sharing more wordless picture books with primary students in the library to begin conversations about picture reading. I have started to love wordless picture books and have been adding several wordless books to my collection. Strategies for Teaching with Wordless Picture Books I have learned to spend more time on the pictures and to reread these books several times. These books have all of the elements of good literature. More than anything, I have learned that I can always discover something new about the book when I listen to students’ thinking. For all readers, no matter the age or level, I have come to realize that wordless books can provide much support in becoming more thoughtful and sophisticated readers. IN T HE N EWS: EDC Publishing 1

Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books · Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books Franki Sibberson Choice Literacy February 2009 Reading visual elements of

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Page 1: Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books · Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books Franki Sibberson Choice Literacy February 2009 Reading visual elements of

Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture BooksFranki Sibberson

Choice LiteracyFebruary 2009

Reading visual elements of texts is not easy for me. I am not a visual person. I cannot see the undertones in paint colors. I buy most of my outfits straight from the mannequin, confident that they must match if the salesperson put the pieces together. I do not often notice when a friend gets new glasses.

Because of my own struggles with reading and interpreting visual cues, I have never known quite what to do with wordless picture books. To me, words are at the heart of any story. I never had the patience to “read” the illustrations in a wordless book in order to make meaning.

In the past, I kept a few of these books in my classroom but they were buried and seldom used. The only thing I read about that I considered doing with them was to ask students to write words to go with the story, but that never felt right from a writing perspective.

Recently I have been learning a great deal from Katie DiCesare about picture reading and wordless books. Following Katie’s lead, I have been sharing more wordless picture books with primary students in the library to begin conversations about picture reading. I have started to love wordless picture books and have been adding several wordless books to my collection.

Strategies for Teaching with Wordless Picture Books

I have learned to spend more time on the pictures and to reread these books several times. These books have all of the elements of good literature. More than anything, I have learned that I can always discover something new about the book when I listen to students’ thinking. For all readers, no matter the age or level, I have come to realize that wordless books can provide much support in becoming more thoughtful and sophisticated readers.

In The news:

EDC Publishing 1

Page 2: Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books · Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books Franki Sibberson Choice Literacy February 2009 Reading visual elements of

When sharing wordless picture books, I have found that students naturally:

• Supporttheirthinkingwithevidenceinthepictures• Noticewaysinwhichillustrationsgotogether• Thinkaboutcolorchoicesandmood• Sequenceeventsintheplot• Makepredictions• Gobackandrereadtomakesense• Ponderthebigmessageortheme

These skills will serve them well throughout their reading lives. By helping students value wordless books, they can learn the sophisticated skills necessary for all reading. These books also encourage students to work together, no matter what their reading “level.”

One of my favorite wordless books includes:

Yellow UmbrellabyJaeSooLiu

This is the story of children walking to school in the rain, with colorful umbrellas filling the pages. The book comes with a music CD designed to be played as the book is shared. This adds a different dimension to the wordless picture book experience, as students think about the ways that the illustrations and the music work together to create meaning.

EDC Publishing 2