Joy-filled Reading

Learning to read is difficult work.  There are 26 letters, each having one or more sounds.  Reading is blending the sounds into words to make meaning.  It is a long and slow process.  And I recall many faces filled with joy as they read their first words and sentences  It was a complete light of satisfaction upon young faces.

Now, imagine the task of learning to read and your first language is not English.  In fact, English is your third language.  French is your first and Spanish is your second language. At home, you speak only in French to your father and speak only in Spanish to your mother.  English speaking is saved for school and a little television watching on weekends. Suffice it to say that learning to read and write in English is an uphill task requiring stamina and a lot of heavy lifting.

This is the task of Amelia, one of our Kindergarten students this year.  She is learning English and learning how to read all at the same time.  Good thing she has an unlimited supply of  spunk and spirit.  She will need these in the coming months.

Last week, when I visited Amelia’s classroom, I found her sitting on the rug with an Ipad listening to a story without headphones.  I suggested she put the headphones on so only she could hear the story, but she didn’t like the feel of the headphones.  She turned off the sound and started to tell the story by looking at the pictures.  

She looked up at me and said, “No listen.” 

I smiled at her and said, “You don’t want me to listen to you?” Amelia shook her head.

“But you are doing such a good job.  I like how you are telling the story.” She frowned at me.

“Okay, you keep telling the story, and I’ll come back in a little while,” I said.

However, I sat close enough to hear, and she was indeed telling story that made sense.  I made sure I included this achievement in my observation notes.

After I walked around the classroom and helped a few other students, I came back to Amelia.  She was looking for another book to read on her Ipad.  We looked at the choices, I read the titles aloud, and she chose a book with lots of animal characters.  

“Would you like me to read this to you,” I asked, pointing at the book on the screen.  Amelia nodded her head.  I was happy she was willing to sit and read with me.  As I read, Amelia started to read with me aloud, trying to match my words.  That was an interesting strategy she was using, which I would include in my notes. She had transferred the routine of chorally reading poems with her classmates in the morning to reading a story with me. I asked Amelia to just listen to the story.  Then I asked her questions.

 “Where is the fox?”  

“In the grass,” she answered. 

“What color is the fox?” 

“Yellow,” she answered.  

“The fox is red,” I said.  The barn is red,” I said, pointing to the pictures. 

“Red,” Amelia said with a smile.

Then I pointed to each of the animals. When I pointed to the dog, Amelia shook her head.  

“Dog,” I said, “Say dog,” I directed.  

Amelia shook her head again.  

“Dog is perro in Spanish and chien in French,” I said. 

“Perro,” Amelia repeated.  

“Yes – perro, dog,” I said.  Then I pointed to the pig.  

“Peppa,” Amelia said jumping up. 

“YES!” I said, “Peppa is a pig.” 

This animal is a pig.  Is it Peppa?”  

“No!” said Amelia, “PIG!”  

Then I pointed to the mouse.  

Amelia smiled and shouted, “CHEESE!”  

I laughed.  “Yes,” I said, “You are right.  He eats cheese. He’s a mouse. Say mouse, Amelia.” 

She shook her head again.  

“In Spanish he’s ratón,” I said.

Amelia nodded, “Yes, ratón!” 

“Say mouse, Amelia,” I said pointing to the picture.  

“Mouse,” Amelia whipstered.  

“Good job, Amelia.  You worked hard today.”  

“Read again,” Amelia said pointing to the story.

There are moments like these that remind me why I went into teaching: the hard work and the eventual joy it brings. I am in awe of Amelia.  She will be fluent in three languages.  I am only fluent in one.  And I am thankful that I retained a little bit of high school Spanish to help me connect with Amelia.  Her demand, “Read again,” was music to my ears. I am joy-filled at the prospect of returning every week to Kindergarten to watch Amelia grow into a reader, writer, and English speaker.

Books that Celebrate Cultural Diversity

• Abdul’s Story
• Alma and How She Got Her Name
• Amira’s Picture Day
• Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao
• Do you Speak Fish?
• Gibberish 
• I’m From 
• Lailah’s Lunchbox
• Leila in Saffron
• Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala
• Spanish is the Language of my Family
• That’s not my Name 
• The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name
• The Many Colors of Harpeet Singh
• The Name Jar
• Where are you From? 
• Yefferson, Actually
• Your Name is a Song