Language Experience

Major Approaches to Reading (Ekwall & Shanker, 1985)

Basal Reader Approach Language Experience Approach Individualized Reading Approach Although each approach has its distinctive features, most teachers use a combination to teach reading.

Language Experience
Used for beginning or remedial reading instruction Recognizes that a childs oral language background can be used to develop reading skills Teacher transcribes childs own words to create stories that are then used as the childs first reading material

Language Experience
Involve individualized and personalized instruction Skills taught as they become necessary rather than in the basals sequential fashion Components include dictation, story writing, & reading Remember, children learn to read by a variety of materials & methods!

LEA is an Oral Language Activity

What I can think about, I can talk about. What I can say, I can write. (or someone write for me) What I can write, I can read. I can read what others write for me to read.

Strengths of LEA
Highly motivating to students. Lang exp matches students interest with learning activities Enjoyable & satisfying for most teachers Children are reading early success built-in

Strengths of LEA
Approach is individualized. Children progress at own rates, less stigma for slower readers Integration of all the lang arts listening, speaking, reading, & writing Approach does not require expensive materials

Weaknesses of LEA
Time demands on teacher. Teacher must organize instruction, take dictation, plan individual programs, & monitor No daily lesson plans provided No preplanned scope & sequence of skills No control of initial vocabulary presented Limited number of commercial programs available to assist teacher

I. Key Vocabulary Approach

(Veatch, 1979 & Ashton-Warner, 1971)

Elicit words from child that have special meaning (emotional value) What is your
favorite word? or What is your scariest word?

Print the word on a piece of tagboard Child traces word Actively engage child with the word drawing
a picture, copying it on chalkboard, etc.

 Review words with child Child regularly brings

words to the teacher & pronounces them as they are flashed. No effort should be made to sound out the words. Words not instantly recognized should be discarded on the assumption that they are not sufficiently important to the child yet.

Store words (folders, ring files, word banks, etc) Word activities story telling, classifying words,
acting out words, typing words, etc.

II. Group Experience Chart (whole class dictation approach)

Motivation teacher stimulates interest of students
(reading aloud, showing object, recalling exciting event, etc)

Discussion give children time to discuss before

dictating. Encourage oral contributions of all students.

Dictation Story Writing - individual students

contribute words, one sentence at a time, to compose the story. Teacher prints words on chart (so class has permanent copy), modeling reading each word as she writes. Usually, student repeat the words after each sentence is written.

 Reading Completed Story - teacher may first

reread entire story using a hand or pointer, then the entire group or individual may do another reading. Children enjoy repeated readings! Remember, student may not be actually reading, simply repeating words memorized with assistance of visual cues.

Follow-Up Activities - skill work or applications.

Skills may include, auditory discrimination, visual discrimination, sequencing, sight vocabulary, phonics, context clues, or comprehension. Applications might include illustrations, reading to friends, acting out the story, etc.

Typical Examples
The Duck Pond
We went to the duck pond. It was fun. Rolando fell in. He got wet. The teacher was mad. Ha-ha-ha. The End

Our Day
Today we had P.E. We played kick ball. It was fun. James got to second base. The blue team won. The End.

III. Individual Descriptions of Illustrations Done in Group Setting

Motivation Teacher motivates children & leads
brief discussion on topic Sample Topics: Happiness is. . . Sadness is . . .A friend is. . .I feel afraid when. . .If I had a million dollars. . .

Children Illustrate children complete the

sentence by illustrating. Teacher circulates & writes down the childrens words, such as A friend is my Daddy. or A friend is a big yellow zebra. The teacher writes down the exact words the student says.

Make a Class Book - include all student pages

IV. Individual Experience Story

Most common LEA Stories are individually dictated Demands the most time from teacher Teacher often enlists help from other adults Most powerful of all LEA! One on one contact between teacher & child is pronounced

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Teacher motivates child to describe a certain event Teacher writes down students dictated words Child & teacher read story together Child rereads story orally Child recopies story (if possible) Child illustrates recopied story Teacher does something special w/ story (binds into book form, displays, mini-scrapbook, etc.) 8. Children encouraged to read each others books

V. Individual Experience Stories Using Tape Recorder

Variation of individual experience story Student dictates into tape recorder Teacher listens & transcribes into printed form Requires less direct contact time Lacks intimacy of person-to-person dictation Not often used with beginning readers

Your Assignment
Practice an Individual Experience Story with a child. Follow the directions listed on slide #17. You may motivate a child into recounting a recent experience or you may plan an outing with the child. Bring the complete project to share with the class on the assigned due date. (50 points) This would be an excellent artifact for Comp. 2!