Reading Strategies....Recipricol Teaching

Day 29 of 31 days...

It is important that our kids not just read the Word of God, but that they begin to understand or comprehend it, so that they can apply the truth they are consuming to their lives.   But how do we help them to comprehend?  Reading is a complex process, but research has shown there are a few strategies that can improve a student's reading immensely! If used regularly children can grow 2 grade levels. So why aren't we connecting these strategies to the reading of God's Word?  We can and should!

Once the children are reading the text smoothly (around 2-3 grade typically), a process called Reciprocal Teaching can be modeled for children and they can easily learn to use independently.  Sometimes these are called the Fabulous Four (predicting,questioning,summarizing,clarifying)  or the Super Six:  (add evaluate and connecting). 

Here are some printable posters that I love to use! Here are some letters for parents that explain the strategies!

Here is a video for primary children that might help you see what it looks like...

here is another one with older students (who are leading it a bit more independently). 

Once you are aware of the strategies to think about and model. It is easy to use them as you read your Bible.  I actually find that if I have a bookmark with the strategies, I find them helpful in my own personal Bible study.  (tomorrow an example!) 

Lovely Links

As I've been writing this blog, and searching for resources, I keep finding them even when I'm not looking...I'm inspired that this topic that I am so passionate about ...sharing God's Word with your kids, in fun, engaging, higher level thinking ways.... really is on many other people's hearts and minds, and just this spring several blogs and books have been published on different facets.  

When You Rise... just a few weeks ago a reflection on reading regular Bibles with your kids... inspiration for me! (and she connected me to a new book and the blog below)

AnEverydayMama...she wrote a BOOK about reading the Bible with your kids that was just published this spring... she answers here can YOUNG kids read and understand the Bible.  I say YES! and am intrigued by this book... on my wishlist! She also blogs here about how she handles some of the more graphic elements of the Bible with her young children.  

Impress Your Kids  I follow this blogger who is a former Children's Ministry director, now Mom, and last fall published a book of ideas to celebrate advent with your young children with great Biblical integration .  She lead me to a new book that intrigued me, and was just published this spring.

I love that our library lets you recommend a book and then they let you read it first!  So I just finished reading it on our way to New York.   It's called Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord and it is a parenting book, so it highlights many dimensions of parenting more than a how to motivate kids to read the Bible, but it was worth your time read in my humble opinion!  I'm waiting to see if they ordered An Everyday Mama's book for me as well!  

I've also just finished reading a book that Moody Publishing sent me to review entitled: Beyond Bathtime by Erin Davis, a book and a blog, to encourage Moms in the ministry and calling of Motherhood.  You can read my amazon review here.  It is more focused on the joy and sacred role mothering is.  Her purpose is that YOU need the Lord's help.  But if you take her advice, she inspires you the Mom, to live the truths of God's Word before you children, and survive/thrive through the Holy Spirit's help, which requires you to be in the Word so it is all connected. 

Holy Bible motivator

I need to get back into regular blogs, but time keeps evaporating... I'm writing lessons to share with you as I can get them 'publishable' and we are testing them this week at Pine Bush Bible Camp on teens/college age students, and elementary age boys (officially the hardest age to reach and motivate!)  But until then, I will share some of my favorite resources...

This is a Holy Bible Coloring Book published originally by Dock Haley Gospel Magic

Their store link:  Gospel Magic Bible

Every group I have ever used it with is in AWE and the point it drills home about people looking at the same book.  Some seeing a blank Bible, some seeing a coloring book uncolored, and others find the Bible is a book with living color illustrations. It's a great tool to build relevancy and make kids/adults think about why we read the Bible!   (and it is simple to learn to use-- you just need to practice it about 10 times the first time, and I had it down!)