Television Teachers...part two

Picking up on the television as visual literature here is another way to use that time watching tv with your child to boost reading skills.  It is also wonderful if you have a child with learning disabilities that make reading a struggle.  This lets them work with literature concepts beyond their reading level abilities. 

TV Hint Two:  Characters and Description

Talk during commercial breaks about which characters are the "main" characters.  Who is the hero [for older kids... the protagonist]? the villain [antagonist]? What actors were just minor characters to fill out the story scene [ex: students in a school scene, diners in a restaurant, etc.] Ask them to pick a character and describe that character as many ways as possible... first physically, then by their behavior, their moods, their actions, etc. 

Older Kids:

Try to ask questions that might help them put the characters in a new situation. [Ex: a teen show... how would character X fit into your school?  If X were a new student at your school what kind of reaction would s/he get?  Would s/he be likely to fit in best with the sports kids, the drama club? where? ] Extend your child's thinking by exploring the what ifs.  If X had done Y instead of what s/he did in the show, how would the story have changed?

For Foster Care....

Foster children often struggle with reading and find themselves reading at a grade level below their peers.  But their interests and their thinking are often right with their peers. Using television as literature gives these kids a chance to explore and discuss concepts like plot and character at their grade level and thinking level instead of their lower reading level. Try it!