| Literacy Training: Making Reading Games |
Context: |
| Children become successful readers and writers through the development of a wide range of skills and strategies. When literacy skills are presented in game form, children who have been struggling will often be able to tackle the task. Additionally, making reading games together gives tutors the opportunity to discuss the learning needs of children and share ideas for games and other tutoring strategies. All tutors working with children will benefit from this activity, which may occur several times a year in order to meet the various needs and abilities of all children. |
Goals: |
- To share strengths and areas of concern about students
- To create games that can help reinforce the skills children are learning
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Materials/Preparation: |
| Everyone can bring materials for making the games (i.e., file folders, glue, markers, colored pencils, pictures from magazines or old workbooks). Notify participants in advance, so that they can bring adequate supplies. |
Activity: |
| Give tutors the opportunity to discuss one child with whom they are working. Have them talk about the child's strengths as well as areas in which the child needs additional support. Think about what kind of game would give the child the opportunity to practice and reinforce his or her skills in these areas (see www.nwrel.org/learns/trainingopps/games for ideas and examples of games). Have tutors create games based on the ideas generated. In a follow-up session, ask tutors to share how children responded to the games, what they learned from playing the games, and possible next steps. |
Key Questions and Points to Remember: |
| Children need a variety of ways to learn and practice the skills with which they are having difficulty. In the context of a game, children are often willing to engage in learning that they might otherwise resist. It is also important that we bring as much variety as possible to tutoring sessions, and games can help us do so. |
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Developed by LEARNS, a partnership of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (1-800-361-7890) and Bank Street College of Education (1-800-930-5664). For additional activities or assistance, please call. |
