Wordless+Books

**Rationale:** I chose this strategy because I want my students to visualize what the pictures are saying. It also allows for the students to be creative while writing and allowing them to just write without there being specific requirements to consider or guidelines to follow. **Courses Implemented:** This strategy has been implemented with three second graders and one first grader. These students were ready for this writing activity and have the knowledge of sentence structure and paragraph writing. **Diverse Learners:** This strategy allows for the students to work at their own pace and be creative in their writing. The books show great visuals for the students to rely on when they are writing. Students are able to work on this strategy anywhere in the room as long as they are writing. I tell them go where the creative mind will take over. **Potential Issues:** Students may not write to their potential or be as descriptive as the need to be. Students may rush through the wordless book and just write anything down instead of thinking and being creative. Some students may have difficulty thinking of ideas to write down if they do not have the background knowledge or understand what the picture is saying. Teachers need to be careful with the directions given to students and remember to allow for creativity in this activity. **References:**
 * Wordless Book Writing **
 * Procedure: **
 * I introduced the wordless book to the students and showed them that there are in fact no words in the book and that they will be making up the story on their own.
 * I modeled what I might write on the first few pages and then as a class we write the next few pages together so that the students get a feel on what to do.
 * I gave them guidelines on how many sentences they need to write for each page depending on the individual students and their writing skills.
 * We talk about using descriptive words to make the picture "come alive." I tell them that I want to read what they have written and the description should allow me to pick out the page that they described.

Harvey, S, & Goudvis, A (2007). //Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for understanding and engagement//. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Pavelka, P. (2008, Nov 12). //Guided Reading.// Paper presented at the Roosevelt Elementary School, Peru, IL.