HELPING STUDENTS TO USE REFERENCE TOOLS THAT SUPPORT LEARNING

1. HELPING STUDENTS TO USE REFERENCE TOOLS THAT SUPPORT LEARNING Information books, Encylopedias, Dictionaries, Thesauri, Atlases and Maps

2. Information Books and Encylopedias • Copying and memorizing are not learning • Students need to learn • How to FIND information • How to UNDERSTAND information

3. Tools for Finding Information • Table of contents • Headings • Tables and figures • Index • Text Format • Map • Location of main ideas – first and last sentence

4. Understanding Information • Glossaries – key words, vocabulary • Pictures, maps diagrams all help with understanding. • Ask questions- to guide understanding • What is this part about? Topic • What facts are in this section? Details • What is the main idea in this section? Main Idea • Answer questions in own words – oral then written

5. Dictionaries • Many types. Most are complex and difficult to use. • Other strategies when you want to know what a word means or how a word is spelled: • Use context clues • Use word part clues (prehistoric) • Identify hard words before reading and talk about them • Ask

6. Study Skills They are: techniques for organizing Methods for reading and remembering information Help in test preparation

7. Mnemonics • Note-taking • Study every day • Make a list • Make a diagram • Practice

8. Example: Use context clues • Do the pictures help you understand more? • Amharic Hygiene Big Book • Does the text explain a concept? • The female lays a clutch, or group of eggs. • It is herbivorous, which means it is a plant eater. • Some sea turtles migrate almost 1000 miles to breed, nest and lay their eggs.

9. Atlases and Maps • Different types for different purposes • Visual information • Populations • Geography • Political

10. Silent Reading • Time set aside for quiet reading. • At least 15-20 minutes each day. • Everyone reads at the same time – even the librarian. • All types of texts are used

11. Value of Silent Reading • Increases enjoyment of reading. • Silent reading hels imporve comprehension. • Practice reading skills. • Helps develop language skills – reading in English for examples.

12. Keys to Success in Silent Reading • Read silently everyday – at home, school and library. • Uninterrupted time • Students need to choose what they want to read. • Students need to see their educators reading too. • Not a time for tests, or book reports….

13. A Visit to the Community Library • Plan with teacher for a group of students to come to the library. (Maybe 30 minutes) • First 10 minutes: (Choose one) • Read aloud a story • Share a Big Book • Teach a lesson on parts of a book (index, glossary etc) • Teach how to use a dictionary, atlas, map, encylcopedia etc. • Second part of the visit – Silent Reading for 20 minutes

14. Library Displays • Goals of Library Display: • Promote reading • Highlight materials in the library • Highlight books on a school subject • Increase circulation • Attract people to the library. • Books to use: • CODE-Ethiopia books • New arrivals in the library • Seasonal and holiday books • Books for girls/women

15. -- Remember: a display is not just books – use objects/images that relate to the books. • -- Be flexible – change things often. • -- Be creative – use your imagination. • -- Use any available resources • -- Let your space work for you • -- Get students and others to help you design the display. • -- Get others to look at it and let you know what they think of the display.

16. Displays