Please visit a few of these websites.
- Locate and read several wordless picture books. What do you think? After reading the two articles (Cassidy and Reese) on wordless picture books, Ch. 3 in Best Practices, and the list of wordless picture books, think about how and why you might implement an instructional writing approach using wordless picture books. Do you see how the framework for authoring the text of wordless picture books could be a developmentally appropriate scaffolding technique for students’ story writing? Where might this approach “fit” with McKeough, Palmer, Jarvey, and Bird’s developmental framework for teaching story composition? As you ponder the utility of the wordless picture book approach to story writing, think about possible grouping configurations, the books you may choose, and your goals for this instructional approach:
Might your goal be:
• to help students see themselves as readers/writers
• to develop fluency in reading and writing
• to assist children in writing complete descriptive sentences
• to encourage students to develop longer, more creative, and more descriptive stories
• to carefully examine story elements or characterization
• to provide a springboard to writing for those students who have “nothing to write about” or for struggling writers
• to enhance vocabulary
• to stimulate oral and written communication and social interaction
• to foster problem-solving skills
• to promote critical thinking, creativity, etc.
