GATEWAY TO GRAPHIC READING

Graphic reading has been a nightmare for teachers. Some suggestions are given here. Please read and reflect..

Sukhadan.K.N

Reading process
1.Trigger
2.Interaction to motivate reading
3.Individual attempt
4.Collaborative reading
A With peer group
B Between groups
C With glossary
D With teacher
RP initiates a discussion on how the process of graphic reading is different from that of organic reading.
RP points to the fact that individual reading will not take place smoothly as children are unaware of the letters of the alphabet.
So how can a teacher help reading without teaching alphabet?
So the third step is to be elaborated as follows.
1.Interacting using the picture given.(Using structural spirals)
2.Eliciting the text with proper interaction. (The exact text should be elicited. So teacher has to frame questions to get the text as answer.)
3.Translating and mega phoning children’s responses. (Translate if needed)
4.Saying aloud and writing the elicited text on the BB or Chart
5.Teacher reading the whole text with proper voice modulation
6.Giving chances for the children to identify words/phrases/sentences, etc.(Different strategies can be planned )
7.Giving chances to compare BB with TB(Different strategies can be planned to avoid monotony)
8.Encircling words/phrases they could identify
9.Reading aloud the words they could identify
10Teacher presenting the text as if presenting a narrative.
RP justifies the relevance of each step.

Graphic writing
Children do not know how to write. They do not know letters. How can they write?
The following may be the steps. (Taking conversation as example)
1.Interaction to channelise thought.
2.Eliciting possible initiations. (Children may come up with different expressions, but the ideas will be more or less the same. How ever four or five expressions can be expected. The teacher has to attend them one after another. Children may say in malayalam. Teacher has to mega phone them in English. She writes them on the BB /Chart. She reads them aloud as she writes.)
3.Now there will be four or five different initiations on the BB. Give chances for them to identify the expression which they have coined. Let them read it graphically.
4.Let children copy their idea (the expression) in their note book.
5.Let groups select the best initiation
6.Children scribble responses to the selected initiation individually in their own text books ( If space is provided. They may scribble them in their own ways. Remember the fact that children can tell you what they have written if you have a rapport with them )
7.Steps 2 to 4 can be repeated to get it copied to their note books.
8.Groups select the best response.
9.Prepare group products.
10.Edit when you think editing is needed.
11.Ensure they are copying the expressions they have coined in their note book
12.Keep the text book intact as an evidence for individual progress.