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learning together is fun!
leahrenrinisg fun! toget Learning English through sharing picture books Foreword Getting involved in your child’s learning can have a positive impact upon both their attitude and the speed at which they learn. When parents help their children outside the classroom, there are rea l benefits for children’s achievement inside the cla ssroom. Jim Knight, the UK’s Ministe r of State for Schools and Learners: ‘Parents have six times more impact on the learning of primary age ch ildren than teachers do.’ There are some simple ste ps you can take to encoura ge your child and build their confidence in using English. British Council educationa l experts have developed new LearnEnglish Family products and services in order to support parents. We hope you enjoy using these products with your child. After all, learning tog ether is fun! Child learning The global experience of the British Council tells us that ch ildren have more chance of being succes sful with their learning when teachers and parents work together. Teacher www.britishcouncil.org/parents Parent 2 Picture books Every year thousands of children’s picture bo oks are published in the UK. Ch ildren’s corners in book shops offer a bewildering choice of new and old favourites, illustrated by some of the best art ists working in Britain tod ay. Native-speaker children have many opportunit ies to enjoy these picture bo oks; there is no reason why young children learning Engli sh as an additional langu age should not enjoy them, too. What shall we do with the Boo Hoo Baby? Cressida Cowell and Ingr id Godon (Macmillan Children’s Boo ks, London, UK) Bear About Town Written by Stella Blac kstone, illustrated by Debbie Harter (Barefoot Books) Reproduced by kind agreement with Barefoot Books Ltd (www.barefootbooks .com) 3 The advantages of beginning early glish, uction to listening to En From the very first introd oks. ully selected picture bo children can enjoy caref picture a of k up the short text Young learners soon pic ngs the d with an adult who bri book, if initially it is share pages alive. There was an old lady who swallowed a fly ced by kind permission © M Twinn 1973. Reprodu rved. ional) Ltd. All rights rese of Child’s Play (Internat www.britishcouncil.org/parents a very iliar with stories. From Children are already fam gh narrative style. It is throu young age they talk in y define y experiences that the their stories of everyda emotions their ideas, hopes and themselves: expressing tive play. in drawing and imagina in language as well as ries dy used to decoding sto Many children are alrea me ho ir evision or film in the and information from tel ed the may have already enjoy language, while others ren, ild ch picture book. Most interaction of sharing a nsfer their on work out how to tra if guided by a parent, so picture lls to get meaning from individual decoding ski books in English. g up is not only about pickin Sharing picture books ren a wider also about giving child another language, it is ided by their parents. window on the world, gu oks gives on of sharing picture bo The one-to-one interacti ically at nities to develop holist children added opportu 4 rents el, knowing that their pa their own speed and lev and more As children share more m. the g gin ura co en are n often be ence develops. This ca books their self-confid sh and proach unfamiliar Engli seen in the way they ap new experiences. h an parents and children wit Picture books provide guage lan me hing from their ho obvious reason for switc nce in rents who lack confide to speaking English. Pa ok is a ed text of a picture bo English find that the fix and share, providing text to read useful prop. Apart from , which the basis for interaction a picture book can be eds, ir child’s developing ne parents can adjust to the nts. interests and attainme ing concerned that introduc Some parents may be ol in with their child’s scho picture books will not fit an is aring a picture book syllabus or text book. Sh nds families ng experience that bo additional English learni sh lise that speaking Engli and helps children rea sh ilies enjoy slipping Engli at home is fun. Many fam day ery picture books into ev phrases picked up from rd’ is ations. ‘Not now, Berna home language convers quite a favourite! 5 rd Not Now, Berna David McKee ) (Random House Learning from picture b ooks It takes time to build up a child’s readiness to tal k about picture books in English . Children’s silence, howe ver, does not mean that they are not listening and learni ng (see the British Council book let How children learn En gli sh as another language). Child ren usually understand more than they can say in wo rds and, if the book ex pe rience is focused and fun, the y usually want to pick up the new English at their own sp eed. Children are busy ex ploring their world and most are keen to find out somethi ng new, particularly if it is presented in an encoura gin g and attractive way. Do Your Ears Hang Low ? Caroline Jayne Church 2002 Parents can underestim ate their children’s ability to pick up more text each tim e a picture book is share d. Ma ny are surprised to see ho w keen their children are to joi n in ‘reading’ if they are enco uraged to finish off a se nte nc e or say a stressed word like ‘No’ each time it oc cu rs. Once children work ou t how to join in, they gra dually extend their skills to pic k up whole short sente nces until, eventually, they can rec ite most of a text as the y turn the pages to match it to the illustrations. Many a bu sy parent purposely skipping a litt le text has had their ‘m ist ake’ pointed out by their ch ild! 6 Young children’s bored om threshold differs fro m adults’. Many may ask for the sa me book to be read an d re-read. Parents need to respond positively to these requests as re-readings provide the natural rep etition children may need for making meaning or pic king up new language as well as co nfirming and refining lan guage they have already acquired. Picture books, sometim es referred to as ‘real bo oks’, to distinguish them fro m graded text books, ex pose children to a range of lan guage structures and vocabulary familiar to native-speaker children . Illustrations in real pictur e books are not merely supporting understandin g of language, as migh t be the case in many text book s. The different styles of artwork naturally broaden child ren’s visual experiences . One of the delights of sharing picture books with child ren is that, on first viewing, children tend to look at an illustr ation as a whole but with rep eated reading of the bo ok, details and subtleties us ually emerge. The illustrations may be by well-known artists, pic tures may be photographs or the books may contain 3D novelty paper sculptures. How exciting it is for children to hold art in their hands. There is no doubt that exposure to picture books increases visual decoding skills and over time influences creativity an d the ability to apprecia te design and illustration. Hippo Has A Hat Julia Donaldson and Nick Sharratt (Macmillan Children’s Boo ks, London, UK) 7 www.britishcouncil.org/parents within their children find meaning Picture books also help tions re over emotional situa own life. Children can po relieve to e books that may help contained within pictur citing they can encounter ex personal frustrations, or own ir nces way beyond the and imaginative experie power ir dreams. Imagine the environment or even the says, d an e firmly shuts a book a child feels as he or sh ‘GOODBYE Giant!’ Selecting picture books Picture books may be: ple story text including • story bookons –anshdorrhyt sim me conversati t h short explanatory tex • information books, wit uce one story rhyme oks, which might introd bo me hy r • thology of poems or an an sculpture ort text and 3D paper novelty books, with sh g s, with an accompanyin character series book et. character doll or pupp and feel they books that they enjoy Parents need to select ! Before enthusiasm is infectious can read confidently – they are they need to plan how they introduce a book, read, follow and, each time they regoing to read the text pick up find it more difficult to the same plan. Children differs each time. language if the reading • • Monkey and Me Emily Gravett ks, London, UK) (Macmillan Children’s Boo www.britishcouncil.org/parents 8 h short vital to select books wit In the early stages it is essfully and pick up language succ texts, if children are to ure their tes. Children can meas in a way that self-motiva adult praise, together with merited own success and this, feeling about sharing contributes to a positive English picture books. rally slightly longer, it is gene Where a simple text is al story t reading to the essenti advisable to limit the firs tions can understood, the descrip language. Once this is e (see the ing parentese languag be gradually added us ur child). Speaking English with yo let ok bo cil un Co h itis Br selected to include some Most books should be , a child’s level in English language a little beyond d m familiar language an so the child can start fro language. move on to some new essfully, ared several books succ Once children have sh ily in ether regularly in the fam the habit of ‘reading’ tog tablished. English is likely to be es rases that lude some words or ph Ideally a book should inc sh, so giving ildren’s everyday Engli can be transferred to ch transfer use their innate skills to them opportunities to uations. language to different sit 9 Next Please Junge Ernst Jandl and Norman (Random House) In selecting books paren ts need to think about gender and include some book s that appeal to both bo ys and girls, so children have some common story ex pe riences to exchange. Some boys find it easie r to relate to information books rather than story book s. CD-ROMs and DVDs Dear Zoo Rod Campbell (Macmillan Childr en’s Books, Londo n, UK) Some story books are sold with an attached CD -ROM or DVD. These offer child ren a different, less intim ate and more passive experienc e than sharing picture bo ok s. For profound learning, it is best to share the book un til children know most of the text by heart before exposin g the m to either the CD-ROM or DV D. Apart from the wealth of all-round experiences that come from sharing, children may not be ready, befor e they are familiar with the text, to cope with a voice and even accent that is different from the ir parents’. By this time children are likely to have found ou t how to enjoy the picture bo ok, and may even want to read by themselves. 10 Book time For successful sharing it is important to set the scene for regular book times . Children need to know that this is when they can snug gle up to parents and fee l confident that their parents will foc us only on them and sh aring the book. Book time may be a sin gle session or part of a larger English session (see the British Council booklet Speaking English with your child ) which includes other ac tiv ities in English. Ideally there needs to be an ‘English book time’ every day or at least ev ery weekday at about the same time, as frequent short exposure is more effec tive than fewer, longer sessions. Length can vary from ten minutes to longer periods to ma tch children’s readines s to learn and mood on the actua l day. Regularity gives a feeling of security and somethi ng to which children ca n look forward. Pass the Jim, Jam Kaye Umansky and Mar garet Chamberlain (Random House) 11 www.britishcouncil.org/parents be read, the choice of books to It is a good idea to share language may hide emotional or as children’s requests ren st introduced once child needs. A new book is be lly. sfu es the other books succ are beginning to ‘read’ for a day book should be saved Presentation of a new children ‘feel good’. when both parents and ing Parents’ role in introduc new books the ren are dependent on In the initial stages child picking eraction for input and parent’s reading and int up language. share a ges as children begin to The role gradually chan reases, inc children’s reading ability little of the reading. As dually diminishes. the role of the parent gra d are ow the text by heart an By the time children kn es book aloud to themselv capable of ‘reading’ the phrasing t’s role is reduced to reor to others, the paren successes. mistakes and praising parent is managing the Throughout this time the t what into their child to find ou experiences and tuning added ed and where they need stage they have reach ok eats each time a new bo support. This cycle rep the sh gli ildren learn more En is introduced, but as ch cycle takes less time. Can You Spot the Spotty Dog? John Rowe (Random House) www.britishcouncil.org/parents 12 Book browsing y ere children enjo a form of play wh is g sin ow br e ok Bo rning th pages their own time, tu in s, lve se em th important books by ated play, it is an iti in lfse l al ke Li . when they want revisit what s children time to ve gi it as , ng ni ar own level part of le r learning at their ei th e at id ol ns co they want and nt. t that of the pare and speed and no to ‘read’ to ed opportunities ne so al n re ild ch to Young for them to want ily, as it is natural ay. pl of the extended fam rm a fo evements; it is also hi ac r ei th te ra st s demon nfirm in children’ te and help to co ily m fa Successes motiva e what th book in English is a g in ad re at th minds please their children want to g un Yo n. fu ds fin expects and th them. share fun times wi parents and also e library Building up a hom ll need to be stored n already know we Books that childre feel like it, they so that, when they e ac pl e bl la ai av in an selves. At this ’ it aloud to them ad ‘re d an ok bo can take a of silent reading. n are not capable re ild ch t os m e stag cover facing ed with the front or st be ld ou sh s Ideally book is less likely to at a book’s spine g in ok lo – ds ar outw g at this age. motivate browsin 13 Rosie’s Walk Pat Hutchins ) (Random House Books should not be ad ded to the home librar y before children know quite a lot of the text language. If children find they ca nnot read a text of a bo ok in the home library, the y are most likely to be demotivated. Keeping the feeling ‘I can’ is impo rtant in the initial stages. An y ‘I can’t’ feelings take tim e and encouragement to chan ge. Sharing reading The amount of parentes e language parents ne ed to use depends on children ’s language level in both their home language and En glish. In the first few sharing s of a new book, paren ts need to remember the follow ing: Make sure that children are close enough to se e how the parent’s lips mo ve to make sounds and how the eyes and face, as well as body language, convey the ex citement and emotions which facilitate underst anding. • Susan Laughs Jeanne Willis and Ton y Ross (Random House) • Read at the children’s pace, letting them look at the picture for as long as the y need. Young children are used to getting vis ual information to facilita te understanding. They oft en indicate that they ha ve finished looking by tur ning their faces to look at the parent. www.britishcouncil.org/parents 14 • Dramatise the story reading and if possible includ e some physical gesture, as physical involvemen t helps in memorising languag e. • Use different fun voices for animal noises and ch aracters like ‘a cross Grandma’, as you read the story. Ch ild ren love to imitate characterisati on and transfer it to the ir ow n ‘reading’ aloud. • Point to each word as you read so that children de velop better left-to-right eye movement, and become co ns cious of the shape of words. • Encourage joining in by letting children finish off or make the noises of animals or transport. sentences • Once the reading is finished, close the book and stay silent for a few seconds. Child ren may be in their ow n im aginative world and need time be fore they are ready to leave it. Asking too many ques tions about the book ca n spoil the magic. Families who en joy books together oft en find that children, when they are ready, talk to them abou t the shared English books in their ho me language. If children use a home language word or phras e while talking English, it is generally be cause they have not ye t acquired the word in English or have forgotten it. Make no mention about the mixture of lan guage and repeat back to them the whole phrase in English . They will notice and ge nerally pick up the English, ready to use it at some later sta ge. • • 15 Stomp, chomp, big roa rs! Here come the dino saurs! Kaye Umansky and Nick Sharratt erstand? How does the child und undings Look Out! It’s the Wolf! Emile Jadoul (Evans) rro decoding their own su Young children are busy often ich wh ir home language, and making sense of the king about guage, if they are not tal includes a lot of new lan rstanding are very good at unde daily routines. Children to it. Unlike to them and responding the gist of what is said do not other language, children many adults learning an rds they word. They pick out wo wait to understand every m context rest of the meaning fro understand and fill in the facial body language, eyes or clues and the speaker’s can get picture books, the child expressions. In sharing picture. additional clues from the g, parents te quicker understandin Initially, in order to facilita However, lating a word or phrase. may feel happier trans er that once only, using a whisp it is better to translate text. Children ion and not part of the indicates it is a translat y know a quick translation. If the easily understand from lations each to continue giving trans that parents are going ire the make the effort to acqu book time, they do not English. Cultural content ists tend d by British-trained art Picture books illustrate ical of and cultural habits typ to reflect environments m the fro se are very different British society. Where the e added ed to be prepared to giv ne ts ren pa , rld wo ’s ild ch language. explanation in the home 16 Learning to read can ed when children who Parents may be concern code me language want to de already read in their ho g might din Parents think any rea words in picture books. e of ol’s structured programm interfere with the scho ding rea sh. Formal teaching of learning to read in Engli of reading d with the experience should not be confuse erest in ure. If children show int picture books for pleas courage read, parents should en teaching themselves to lp them informally. their enthusiasm and he of the ucing the small letters They can begin by introd mes. unds, not their letter na alphabet using their so the are t) (for example b, d, m, The consonant letters sounds, know some of the letter simplest. Once children rds, at the beginning of wo point out these letters sounds (dog). stressing the initial letter letter re familiar with the small As children become mo uce the d simple vowels), introd sounds (consonants an eating e of the small letters, rep capital letters by the sid their sounds. simple recognise the shape of Children soon begin to , and know the text by heart words as they already m to look to look for them. Ask the therefore know where expand er parts of the text and for the same word in oth this game. 17 r, What Do You See? Brown Bear, Brown Bea Bill Martin Jr/Eric Carle (Puffin) www.britishcouncil.org/parents Many children who are already reading in their home language soon underst and how simple decodin g works and continue by thems elves to recognise oth er short words in the text. To he lp their decoding, howe ver, parents need to tell them how to read short, but diffic ult words to decode, like ‘the’. Silly Suzy Goose Petr Horác̆ek (Walker) Cover illustration © 200 6 Petr Horác̆ek From Silly Suzy Goose by Petr Horác̆e k. Reproducd by perm ission of Walker Books Ltd, London SE11 5HJ If parents sing an alpha bet song, explain that let ters have a name that is different fro m the sound it makes an d in most alphabet songs we sin g the names of the letter s. Some children teach the mselves to read a text they already know orally, es pecially if it is rhyme. Th ey use a number of strategies to decode the text and a little guessing to fill in until they know the text by he art . Many children have been using these strategies from an early age to ‘read’ logos of we ll-known products. Pra ise the ir efforts to read the text, but realise that this is res tricted reading based on a tex t they know orally. 18 www.britishcouncil.org/parents However, being able to read a text motivates an d is an important step on the journey to becoming a flu ent reader. Any reading done in an enjoyable, non-pressured way at this young age, when life long attitudes are being for med, is likely to contribute to a later love of languag e and books. ‘He who reads widely, owns a gifted pen.’ From Head to Toe Eric Carle (Puffin) Chinese saying 19 www.britishcouncil.org/parents One of a series of booklets commissioned by the British Council to support parents: n How children learn English as another language n Speaking English with your child n Learning English through sharing picture books n Learning English through sharing rhymes Written by Opal Dunn, Author and Educational Consultant from the UK and founder of RealBook News © British Council 2008 The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).
