Project Update

This semester, our Colloquium assignments have changed slightly. Instead of checking off a list of specific campus activities, we only have 3 assigned adventures: community service, and any 2 of the qualifying events from last semester’s list. Most of the work we do this semester will be on a project of our own choice.

My project is to write some really basic children’s books, designed for kids who’ve just learned to read, and to put them online for anyone to download and print.

I am supposed to invest at least 25 hours into this project. So far, I’ve spent about 7 hours. Most of that was spent learning things, and a little of it was actually spent writing.

First, I met with a local reading specialist, Lynette D’Avella. She is a previous elementary school teacher, and she now works as a reading tutor. Mrs. D’Avella knows significantly more than I do about reading, and I wanted to get a better idea of how to write these stories. What, in short, are the aspects of crafting a story that are most helpful to someone who’s just learning to read?

According to Mrs. D’Avella, children are more successful readers when they are involved in a hands-on and personal way. Pictures are useful. It’s also great if a kid can write or draw on a book. Contrived books are not helpful, because a kid can tell they’re contrived, and will lose interest quickly.

Length is important. Books that are too long will intimidate a kid and wear him out. Skill level is also important. The ideal book is not too hard and not too easy. Here, Mrs. D’Avella pointed out the usefulness of reading levels. The “ideal skill level,” varies, of course, from person to person. If a high-quality levelling system is used to identify a book’s skill level, it is much easier for a teacher to tell whether the book’s difficulty matches her student’s ability.

Including accurate reading levels in the books I write will be quite challenging, but I hope I’ll be able to include them nonetheless. I have spent several hours researching some different leveling systems already, and I would like to keep looking and learning. Mrs. D’avella sent me to several websites with information on different leveling systems.

http://bjh.dadeschools.net/assets/fry_complete_1000.pdf

http://www.readabilityformulas.com/free-readability-formula-tests.php

http://www.readabilityformulas.com/graphics/raygorgraphLG.jpg

https://www.fandpleveledbooks.com/

The font you choose can affect how readable your piece is as well. The ideal fonts are round, simple, friendly, and have a one-story “a” and “g,” since that’s most kids learn how to write a lowercase “a” and “g.”

Comic Sans is great for this.

There have also been several fonts designed for people with dyslexia. These fonts seek to reduce the symmetry between letters like “d” and “b,” or “q” and “p.” They also make the bottom of the letters thicker, as if to weigh the letters down, and keep them from swimming around the page.

Stories with accompanying audiobooks help kids read out loud, because hearing someone else read a book aloud helps the kid learn to read with a smooth cadence.

Finally, most of a kid’s success when reading a book depends on the way it is presented. Prereading, or picture-walking, helps a child become acquainted with the story before they read it. Reflecting on the story afterwards helps with reading comprehension. Because presentation is so influential, when I put this project online, I will include tips and some resources for any parents who would like them.