Section 5: Turning oral stories, poems and games into books

Key Focus Question: How can you support language learning by making and designing books?

Keywords: writing; illustrating; designing; book; cover

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will have:

  • used discussion to help pupils understand the similarities and differences between oral and written texts;
  • developed ways pupils can turn oral stories, poems, songs or games into written and illustrated forms;
  • explored how to produce books of stories, poems, games and songs for a class library.

Introduction

One important aspect of teaching is that your pupils see a real purpose to the tasks you set them. By helping pupils to make books for the class library, you will be giving them a reason for taking care with their writing and drawing. This will also encourage them to value their home languages and the classroom lingua franca or additional language. The books can be written in the pupils’ home language(s), a classroom lingua franca or an additional language. More than one language can be used in the same book. The books pupils make, with your help, will also give you extra materials for reading activities.

1. Showing that you value home languages