REALBOOK NEWS
for
adults helping children
learn
English as a foreign language
or
additional language
May
and November distributed free download Issues from www.realbooks.co.uk
From the Editor - Opal Dunn
After publishing REALBOOK NEWS for 7 years, it has become evident, from reader’s response and the success of new publications, that picture books now have an accepted place in a many young learner’s classrooms and also in many Teacher Trainer courses. As a University Professor commented, their use is beginning to reach a ‘state of critical mass’. With this in mind, REALBOOK NEWS decided to gather a few REALpictureBOOK enthusiasts together at the Brighton IATEFL Conference and propose to them that it was timely to plan a REALBOOK CONFERENCE. The aim of the Conference would be to act a catalyst to collect recent empirical research as well as review latest methodology and suggest ways forward in early years EFL programmes. The result of this meeting follows with the Prelim Notice on the enclosed yellow handout.
A Conference - Using Picture Books to support early English language acquisition will be held November 19 -21 2004 at the International Youth Library, Schloss (Castle) Blutenburg, Munich, Germany. This Conference – the first of its kind – will be based on Methodology, results of recent research, and aspects of writing, illustrating and publishing. The Conference will be supported by IATEFL, The International Youth Library in Munich, Munich University, London Metropolitan University, REALBOOK NEWS and some publishers who will be sending their authors and illustrators. Further information can be obtained from Leonora Froehlich Ward on office@picturebooks.org .
Some of you may wonder why the term REALBOOKS is not used in the Conference title in place of picture books. REALBOOKS or authentic books is a common ‘genre name’ used in UK and is not widely understood elsewhere. It is used to differentiate authentic picture books from graded readers, which are used to teach reading to native English speaking children and also, in some cases, children acquiring English as a foreign or additional language. These graded picture books make up the various steps of Reading Schemes which tend to introduce words graded according to readability. Since there are 44 sounds in English and only 26 letters of the alphabet, the selection of words is generally based on a grading of sounds (phonics). This selection, or grading, results in texts using more written style language than the spoken language used by young native speaking children. It is also different from the spoken language most young children are used to hearing and pick-up in the EFL classroom. The text in most REALpictureBOOKs written for young children is authentic spoken language or story language.
The British Council, Warsaw, Poland has organised a one day Conference – Real Books in the Classroom: Using authentic children’s literature in ELT at The Teacher’s Centre, Warsaw on Saturday, January 31, 2004. I shall be there to give the Plenary Introduction and will be followed by speakers from all over Europe including Anneta Sadowska, whose work I mentioned in Issue 13. The British Council will at the same time be holding an interactive exhibition called Imagine showcasing the best of British Children Book Illustrators.
REALBOOK NEWS now includes an additional grading indicating if the book content is suitable for Nursery (N) - up to the age of 6 years, or Primary (P) Level or can be used with either (N/P). In the beginning stages of learning, selection is important if children are to be successful and thus motivated.
The Feature Article discusses Parent participation – underutilised benefits for teachers and children? Children want their parents to participate in what they do and value what their parents say and think. Research now shows the benefit of parent participation. Perhaps we should question whether we give children sufficient, well selected, enjoyable opportunities to share at home with their parents. REALpictureBOOKS, that have been read in class, are a natural way to share participation in English.
What ‘home’ says or even thinks about how a child is achieving at school is important to the child’s self-esteem and consequently his self-motivation. Many children spend most one-to-one time at home with their parents, siblings and members of the extended family and like to please them and hear their praise for what they do. ‘Sasha’s in the school play and he has to say something in English. He’s getting very good in English,’ mother told grandpa over the phone within Sasha’s hearing. Imagine how proud Sasha felt and what affect this has on his attitude to English at school. Conversely if parents are not pleased with the way English is being taught at school, their criticism can be felt by the child, even if it is not actually verbalised in front of them.
Good liaison between the school and home is very important if participation is to be successful and beneficial for the child. Many parents show more interest in English and the way it is taught than in other subjects like History or Music. This could be because many parents are innate language teachers who have already successfully taught their children to speak their ‘home’ language. Some parents who began English in Secondary School, and learned through grammatical analysis methods, may expect their young children to learn in the same way and initially may be sceptical of Primary School language acquisition methods.
Pre-Participation
Before children start learning English as a foreign language it is useful for parents to have some brief explanation, either in the form of an English News Letter or through an informal meeting, about the following:
1) How young children pick-up English Young children pick-up English using many of the same skills they used when their parents were teaching them how to speak their home language. Much of what children say in English initially will be single words or blocks of language. Girls may be quicker than boys to use English and it is not helpful to make comparisons (Issue 11). At this stage parents should not expect them to know anything about the grammatical rules of their utterances or even how many words they comprise. (eg What-are-you-doing?)
2) Parents’ participation Support at home in English should be similar to that which parents gave when they were helping their children to begin to speak their home language. Support can take place at regular time in the day (eg an English Time or English Book Time) or at any time when the child shows he wants to speak English (eg the child starts a rhyme and mother and child go on together). It should always be a fun time and not be associated with formal Homework tasks.
3) Links to activities There has to be some logical reason for the child to use English instead of his home language; an English language based activities can provide this. Using English language to communicate is only part of the learning that takes place whilst participating in activities. Activities can also broaden the child socially, cognitively, emotionally, creatively and even in some cases physically. In any English based activity there is usually some cultural content that naturally leads to comparisons of differences and similarities. Learning English for the young child is not ‘a subject’ like Geography or Maths; it is about communicating in another code and broadening at the same time.
Types
of participation
The degree of participation allowed by Education Authorities or Individual Schools varies from country to county. In some countries the system of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) is not allowed.
Even if formal parent participation is restricted, some form of sharing between the child’s two worlds of home and school is natural for the child and, if positive, can also be beneficial. Parents often encourage sharing by asking, ‘What did you learn in English today?’ The parent should not be disappointed if the child replies ‘played a game’ in home language, as it difficult for the child to repeat odd new phrases in English that are not linked to an activity or some action that is going on.
Bringing home Realpicturebooks-
.
Allowing and encouraging parents to participate in natural ways should be a benefit for the teacher in that another older person is spending one-to-one time to hear the child use English, discuss his interests and encourage him. It also provides the parents with an opportunity to participate in something the child is doing at school and show him that they, too. like to learn English. Young children whose parents are involved in their learning make significantly more progress than those who are not. Dr Maria Evangelou and Professor Kathy Sylva* The parent’s role model in sharing English picture books may do more than support; it may be inspirational creating a life-long love of English, art and books.
C Opal Dunn
*Bringing
it home - Farren and Smith published by CILT ISBN 1-904243-19-3 £9.00
*The
effects of Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) on Children’s Developmental
Progress - Evangelou and
Sylva - Dept of Educational Studies, Oxford University
12 BOOKS for Nursery and Primary (front cover)
Imagine If
you could go anywhere, where would you go? Imagine you get into a balloon
and fly on top of the world. Where would you go? You choose.
Let’s
go to the jungle! says the boy in the balloon and
the girl adds I want to see the city!
What would you choose from the large selection which includes a desert, a
popping off volcano and sandy beaches and so on, each with their own
atmospheric, funky pictures to catch your attention? The choice is yours! Turn
over to the next spread Who would you
like for family and friends? Faced with over 70 different fun-to-count minimal
portraits it is difficult to decide, but again the boy and girl start you off talking
I want her for my friend. Can he be my
grandpa?
Over 12 spreads you are asked to think
about what kind of home you would
choose, what clothes you would like, what you would like to eat, and even
what sort of bed you would like to sleep in. This book is like a fun pictorial
themed dictionary, and is best introduced one spread at a time. Not surprising
that it took Nick Sharratt 2 years to complete his lively illustrations. This
book sparks the imagination of most children who soon have something to say as
they make their choices. A natural follow-up is to make individual My Choice Books answering all or some of
the questions and adding illustrations. This is a great book for browsing over
individually or with family. Each time you read it, you can let you imagination
fly as you select yet another choice when You
choose!
Fish Go Woof Author- Illus: Miranda Maxwell-Hyslop N/P Level 1a
Hodder
Children’s Novelty/Hardback ISBN 0-340-87338-8 £10.99p
www:madaboutbooks.com
Teaching animal noises in English
is always a little difficult and to some young children it may not seem logical
that, although the animal is marking the same noise, we say it differently in
English. Here is a book that apart from being great fun helps you over this
problem. At first glance you might think it is just another mix and match
novelty book where the pages are cut into three sections, but it has much more
to offer. On the inside back cover there is a pictorial index identifying all
the animals and their noises that can be used as a start-off point and later as
a self-check for any child playing the game that this book can be made into. So
tigers go roar! Look at the cheeky tiger licking its lips and nearly
winking at you in spite of being cut into three sections length wise, with one
word on each section. Fit one tiger section together with a section from donkeys
go hee-haw and another from fish go blub and you have tigers-go-blub
– what a laugh! Once children know the 15 animals and their sounds, they
can play by themselves for hours making nonsense animals or self-correcting
until they get an animal right (a Montessori-like activity). The lively animal
illustrations are complimented by patterns on the reverse sides which match
when you have got the 3 parts of the animal together correctly; yet another
feature of this cleverly constructed novelty book. Ideal for book corners and
as children browse, they’ll naturally enjoy making the animal noises in English!
Next
Please Author Ernst Jandl Illustrator Norman Junge N/P Level 1a Red
Fox Paperback ISBN
0-09-943933-6 £4.99
www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
First published in Munich in 1970 this book
still remains a favourite with children. Set in what is a common experience - a
Doctor’s waiting room, the Doctor turns out to be a Doctor who specialises in
toys and the five waiting patients are all toys! One by one the toys file in to
see the Doctor Next please. One goes in. (Turn
the page.) Two waiting. (Turn the
page.) and the door shuts.
But Door
opens. One comes out .and he looks so much better and happy, too. Going to
the Doctor might be a good thing to do after all! (Turn the page.) Next, please. One goes in. and so it
continues until Next please. Last one
goes in .and the reader can finally see the Doctor who is making all the
toys better! The illustrations are set in the same waiting room which enables
the reader to count the sorry-looking patients whose faces show remarkable
feelings as they wait patiently. The last toy to go in is a Pinocchio-like boy, who has broken his nose. Can the
Doctor fix this? Most of the story is carried in the detailed pictures making
this a good book for the first lessons in English.
Find-a-Saurus
Author Mark Sperring Illus A
Steele-Morgan
NP/Level 2
Chicken
House Hardback ISBN
1-903434-94-2 £10.99
www
doublecluck.com
This book by a new author and illustrator
will appeal to any child interested in Dinosaurs. Marty is crazy about
Dinosaurs and says he wants to go for a
stroll with a Stegosaurus … have burger and chips with a Brachiosaurus and
watch TV with a Tyrannosaurus! Although his mother has told him that
dinosaurs no longer exist, Marty feels
there must be some dinosaurs somewhere. I think they’re just in hiding. So
Marty started to look everywhere under
the bed, in the bathroom cabinet, under the table, in the lily pond, in the
garden shed, then he found an enormous footprint. Whose was it? Well it
wasn’t a dinosaur’s. May be one day I’ll
find one ….. I just know I will said Marty. A tale about never giving up
accompanied by vibrant colourful illustrations including a fold-out dragon
spread.
In
the Dark, Dark, Wood Illustrated
Jessica Souhami N/P Level
1a
Frances
Lincoln Paperback ISBN 0-7112-1692-4 £5.99
A shortened version of the
traditional rhyme illustrated with colourful, clear illustrations that are
likely to stimulate children’s imagination and creative ideas.
I’m going to tell you a really
spooky story, so listen carefully to me …….
In the dark, dark wood,/ There was a dark,
dark house, Hoo-hoo-hoo! Haa-haa-haa! Although you
cannot open the front door, lift-up-flaps make it possible for the reader to
open the ground floor, first floor and attic windows and see the frightening
animals waiting for them! Turn the page and you are into the dark, dark room and then turn
over again to the
dark, dark cupboard, then the dark, dark shelf and turn again to find the box on that shelf and finally on
the last page you find the ghost who lives in the box. Watch out for the scary hand that
beckons you on each page. Children enjoy joining in the chorus Hoo-hoo-hoo Haa-haa-haa from the first time you read it aloud and soon pick up
the repetitive language. A fun book for browsing over and short enough for
children to copy to make their own books, with or without the flaps, but with
the scary white hand that beckons you on each spread.
Rosie’s
Walk Author- Illustrator Pat Hutchins N/P Level 1a
Mini
Treasures Paperback ISBN 0-09-945673-7 £1.50
www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
This is a
mini-picture book edition of the well-known classic by award-winning Pat
Hutchins. First published in 1968, this children’s pocket sized book costs only
£1.50 – less than many birthday cards…… This is the story of Rosie, a beautiful brown and yellow hen. Rosie, the hen went for a walk. (Turn the
page) across the yard, (turn the
page) around the pond ….over the haystack
….past the mill….through the fence …..under the beehives and all this time she
was so confident she never looked round
to see if any one was following her. On each spread a sly old Fox manages to gets
closer to Rosie and the reader might think that on the final spread Rosie will being
gobbled up by the Fox, but no! Rosie got
back in time for dinner. The very detailed illustrations show what really
happened. This easy-to-pick-up text, rich in prepositions of place, makes this
a great story for children who know about country-life and bees!
My
nose, your nose Author-Illustrator Melanie Walsh N/P Level 1a
Picture
Corgi Paperback ISBN 0-552-54766-2 £5.99
Melanie Walsh
introduces the reader to children of about the same age but from different
racial back grounds comparing sensitively their differences and similarities and
making readers appreciative of their own individuality.
Arthur’s hair is brown and straight. Kit’s
hair is black and curly. But…. they both hate washday! showing
them side by side with their hair full of shampoo.
Arthur’s nose turns up as Arthur
sniffs a piece of cake. Agnes’s nose turns down. But….. they both like the smell of chocolate cake!
– showing them by a chocolate birthday cake.
Agnes has blue eyes. Kit’s eyes are brown. Arthur
has grey eyes. Daisy’s eyes are green. But …..they all close their eyes when
they go to sleep and the final spread shows all 4 children fast
asleep in the same bed. A sensitive introduction to the names of parts of the
face and body, which children enjoy.
I
know a Rhino Author-Illustrator
Charles Fuge N/PLevel1b
Gullane
Children’s Books Paperback ISBN 1-86233-485-4 £4.99
A fun, animal adventure in easy-to-pick-up
rhyme by an award-winning illustrator. This is a story of a child who has his
own fun with a selection of animals including a rhino, a pig, an ape, a hippo,
a dragon, a giraffe, a bear and a leopard.
I know a Hippo and when she’s not bus,/We spin round
and round until we get dizzy
I know a Leopard who loves fancy dress,/A suit and a tie and a top hat looks best. But how does he know them so well?
These are my friends I know them, you see/ I know them quite well ….and we see them all going up stairs and then turn the page …. Because they live with me and there they all are asleep with him but instead of being real animals that were going up the stairs, they are the little child’s soft cuddly toys!
Many younger primary children’s soft toys are still to be found on their beds….. this could be why this story appeals to them, too!
Go
Away Mr Wolf! Author Mathew Price Illus
Atsuko Morozumi N/P Level 1b
Mathew
Price Paperback ISBN 1-84248-052-9 £4.99
Two original interactive stories for young children in the same book. The first with doors to be opened tells a new version of the Three Little Pigs. Anyone for ice cream? said a furry friendly voice from outside the door. Open the door and you find Mr Wolf standing there disguised as an Ice cream seller. Go away, Mr Wolf, said the three little pigs. And they quickly shut the door. Next time Mr Wolf appeared as a driver with a smart car and so the story unfolds until there is a different voice at the door, An body home? and the three little pigs open the door to find their father standing there.
The second is an action counting story about The Old Alligator who snapped up three little ducks, one by one. However, an elephant passing by, dealt with the alligator in a most amusing way. Appropriate hand actions accompany this easy-to-pick-up fun story ideal for a class show.
Super
Dooper Jezebel Author/Illustrator Tony
Ross N/P Level 1b
Anderson
Press Paperback ISBN 1-84270-096-0 £4.99
www:andersonpress.co.uk
Her name is Jezebel but she is called Super
Dooper Jezebel, because she does everything super dooper perfectly. May be you already know a super
dooper child?
Jezebel was always super doper
neat. She always keeps her room tidy. At school, she was the best at
everything. She could do up buttons and tie up real bows on her lace-ups. She
ate up all her meals AND she never picked her nose (See Dirty Bertie Issue 13)
Jezebel told other children not to
do things …. because it was nice to be perfect. But one day the other children saw danger
when Jezebel did not. Although they called out to her, Come on, Jezebel… She replied You
mustn’t run, it’s against the rules! I ALWAYS walk nicely! And she
continued on her way.
A crocodile has escaped from the
Zoo the children shouted
as they ran away. CLUMP! It was too
late and now there was no more Super Doper Jezebel to tell children how to
behave. This soft approach to good
manners and bad behaviour supported by humorous outline drawings provides a useful
lead into discussions on ways of doing the same things, but in different
cultures. `
The Animals went in two by two. Illustrator Jan Pienkowski
N/PLevel1b
If you don’t know
this traditional song, which has been slightly adapted, it’s worth learning it
from the words with music on the back cover. You’ll have great fun singing it
together whilst playing with the flap-ups,
pull-downs, wheels and paper sculptures that make this an exciting
interpretation of the story of Mr and Mrs Noah and their crew of animals who all went into the Ark for to get out of the
rain. The story is not just about getting into the ark. Once the animals are on the ark what did they
do? The
animals went in four by four. The great stegosaurus stuck in the door and
how did Mrs Noah cope with that situation? The
animals went in six by six. The bears and the monkey played all sorts of tricks
and pull down the flap to find the monkey guzzling bananas, whilst Mr Noah
slips on a banana skin and a camel watches with a wry smile wearing a cute hat
made out of a banana skin. There is so much to this book from identifying which
four animals went into the Ark together to finding out which animals hung up their socks to dry on the line. A
great book, Hoorah! Hoorah! and If you want any
more you can sing it again. Ideal for a puppet show or an end of term concert.
Conjuror
Cow Author Julia Davidson Illustrator
Nick Sharratt NP/Level Ib
Puffin
Novelty/Paperback ISBN
0-14-056848-4 £4.99
www.penguin.com
Everyone’s waiting. The lights have gone low. So open the curtains…. (turn the half flap to add suspense) … and on with show! Join the animals in the audience and wait for Conjuror Cow’s magnificent magic show to begin. Abracadabra and Rat-a-tat-tat! I can make a white rabbit…. (turn the half page)…come out of this hat. But oh dear, no white rabbit popped out of the top hat, but a bunch of flowers instead. Abracadabra excuse my mistake. I’ll make that white rabbit ……turn the half page) come out of this cake! But no white rabbit! Twice more Conjuror Cow tried and finally the audience shouted Open your cloak Conjuror Cow. Yes! Open it now! And Conjuror Cow did and guess what was inside. Lots of white rabbits taking a bow! A delightful well rounded story told in easy to understand rhyming language by award- winning Julia Davidson. Nick Sharrat’s fun illustrations create the feeling of theatre showing how the animal audience reacts to each scene. A wonderful beginning from which individual or class drama can develop naturally, if encouraged with a few simple props.
12 BOOKS for Primary (back cover)
Animal Fair Author- Illus: Anthony Browne
P/Level 1b
Walker
Novelty/Hardback ISBN
0-7445-8829-4 £12.99p
The Award-winning artist Anthony Browne has enriched this traditional story rhyme with every known trick in paper engineering giving the reader all sorts of humorous surprises making the story come alive.
I went to the
animal fair./The birds and the beast were there/.The big baboon by the light of
the moon/ Was combing his auburn hair. The monkey fell out of his bunk/ And
slid down the elephant’s trunk,/The elephant sneezed Ahhhh Chooo!/And fell on
his knees,/And what became of the monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey……?
Music inside the front cover makes this into a song suitable for end of term shows or just having fun in class. This is an exciting book to play with and browse over the detailed colourful illustrations that give the atmosphere of a traditional Fair Ground with the usual rides. The short text makes it ideal for older Primary children beginning English and especially those who may find not being able to speak English slightly frustrating. (Issue 10) A word of warning – the paper pop-ups, turn rounds, pull outs need careful handling as they are fragile, but they are great fun.
Skeleton
Hiccups Author Margery Cuyler Illus: S.D/Schindler
P/Level 1a
This story is about a skeleton who had hiccups hic, hic, hic hiccups and wanted to get rid of it. He brushed his teeth, hic, hic, hic. Carved a pumpkin, hic, hic, hic .Played with a ghost. Ghost told skeleton, Hold your breath. Eat some sugar. Drink some water But still the skeleton could not get rid of his hiccups. Then the ghost got clever. Found a mirror. Held it up and guess what happened and how? A great book if skeletons are acceptable in local society and you yourself are into skeletons. Simple text in narrative past, frightening, clear spooky illustrations that are likely to please boys and make them feel that learning English is cool after all!
The Hairy Book Author-Illustrator Babette Cole P/Level 1a
Red
Fox Paperback ISBN
0-09-943425-3 £4.99
www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
Award winning Babette Cole gives us another
taste of her special ludicrous insight to life. Her humorous text supported by
her detailed outline drawings are sure to amuse most Primary kids and especially
boys as it is a little boy who recounts his encounters – nice and peculiar –
with hair.
Hair,
hair, all kinds of hair. Hair on your head… and hair elsewhere……. And so
he lists and records through hysterically detailed illustrations all the funny and
unexpected places in which he encounters hair or hairy things.
Hairy socks and hairy shirts, Hairy nice and
hairy scary…….Hairy fruit and hairy bread…. Hairy things beneath the bed, Hairy
big and hairy small and after all that he sums up his own hairy
situation taking off his little woollen hat to show that he has no hair at
all. Read it to see if this made him glad or sad! A great book for
stimulating dialogue and creativity.
Let’s look at families Author Barbara Hunter P/Level 1a
Heinemann
Library Paperback ISBN 0-431-16258-1 £4.99
You may find that older children find that having to learn names for members of their family slightly boring. This book cleverly relates family names to famous paintings and sculpture introducing families from around the world. Through the dimension of photographs of art children can broaden their interests and creativity. The simple text encourages the reader to look more carefully at the painting.
This Mummy and child is
carved out of stone. (Maternity by Henry Moore 1924)
This family asked the artist to paint a picture of them. (The Capel
Family by Cornelius Johnson c 1640) There were no cameras when this was painted.
A good book to have in a Book
Corner as children will enjoy returning again and again to browse over the
pictures.
Colours in Nature - Red Author
Lisa Bruce P/Level 1a
Heinemann
Library Paperback ISBN 0-431-17235-8 £4.99
A wonderful cross curricular
experience that should stimulate creativity! Through exploring the natural
world in photographs the reader is exposed to Red food, Red for danger, Red
in Autumn, Red in Winter ,Red flowers, Red rocks, Red sky and Changing colour-
strawberries changing from Green to Red
This series also covers Blue,
Green and Yellow. The beauty of the photographs is impressive and should make
children more conscious of their environment. A good way for older children to
learn colour names, which often they find boring.
The
First Day at School Author-Illustrator
Yvonne Jagtenberg P/Level 1b
Originally written in Dutch then translated into
English, this book about a boy’s first day at school will help children relive
some of their own experiences. The outlined crayon drawings convey great
feeling in their simplicity. Children find them easy to decode and many may
want to copy them.
The
teacher introduced him. This is Leo. He’s new. All the children looked at Leo.
Leo thought he would like to go home. A girl took him by the hand. Leo wasn’t
sure about this.
Then
it was time for gym. They had to get undressed. Leo wanted to keep his clothes
on.
Then they sang Little Red Riding Hood. Today Leo can be the wolf.
And
Little Red Riding Hood sang: I’m not afraid of the big, bad wolf, I’m not
afraid, I’m not afraid!
But They were all afraid of the wolf. All except
Leo. He wasn’t afraid. Although Leo wanted to be the wolf again, the other
children wanted to play with Leo and not the wolf. Through this story you can
get inside a classroom and see what happens and discuss the similarities with and
differences from your own situation. Make sure that children know the story of
Little Red Riding Hood in their home language before you read the book.
Groovy animal a b c bang on the door NP/Level 1a
Oxford University Press Paperback
ISBN 0-19-279121-4 £4.99
Groovy illustrations introduce an ABC of animals. But naming the animals in alphabetical order is not all. There is something more to say about each animal. This is a fun way to get over the difficulty of learning ABC when you are an older Primary School child.
Inside Mary Elizabeth’s House