Year 1 Bulletin

This week’s Bullletin focus is READING

Learning Intention:  To make a connection between the text and my own experiences

Comprehension strategy:  MAKING CONNECTIONS - TEXT-TO-SELF

Text:  Nannie Loves by Kylie Dunstan   

Learning Task:

Students read the story of Nannie Loves. Discussions were had around what Nannie and her grandchildren enjoyed doing together on the farm, including the emotions that are felt when sharing experiences with someone you love. Students were asked to make a text-to-self connection through writing and/or drawing pictures. They expressed what they enjoyed doing with a grandparent or other family member.

Text-to-self connections are personal connections that a reader makes between the text and their own experiences or life or, their prior knowledge. An example of a text-to-self connection might be, "This story reminds me of a time when my grandmother and I baked cupcakes together.” Another example of a text-to-self connection is when a student reads a book about a family moving house, and relates the text to their own experience of moving to a new home.

Making connections makes the story more meaningful and it can enhance the reader’s understanding of the text. Just because the story has a dog in it doesn’t mean to say that, if the reader also has a dog, this will help them to understand the story better. Therefore, asking questions is important such as, “Does that help you to understand the story better? Why? 

Student examples:

Strengthening the Home/School Partnership - What you can do:

When your child reads to you or with you, encourage them to make connections between the story events and the character’s feelings through asking questions and encouraging them to talk about a time they had a similar experience. Discuss your own connections to the text.

Discussion prompts:

What does this remind me of?

How is this similar to my life?

How is this different to my life?

Has something like this ever happened to me?

Do I know a person like this character?

How would I have acted or felt differently from the character? Why?

What were my feelings when I read this? 

Have I felt this way before?

On pages 36 & 37 of the Reading Journal, you will find a section on Making Connections in order to support your child with their reading comprehension.

Kind regards,

Angela and Gillian