Prepared for WinkWorld 9-02 by Joan Wink, 8-25-02.

The following is adapted from:

Wink, J. & Putney, L. (2000). Turning transformative principles into practice: Strategies for English-dominant teachers in a multilingual context. In J. V. Tinajero & R. A. DeVillar (Eds.), The power of two Languages 2000: Effective dual-language use across the curriculum. Pp. 175-185. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Fernando Peņa of CSU Stanislaus MiniCorps was central to the initial project in 1995 and continues to adapt this project in various ways in the Central Valley of CA.

BIG BOOKS can be created in multiple ways with students and families. No ONE perfect way exists; rather there are many meaningful ways. In the following months of WinkWorld, we will continue with various processes of authoring and publishing books in the classroom and community. We chose to use the words, BIG BOOKS, because in our own experience, the books that teachers, students, and families create together often are written and illustrated on large pieces of paper.

One Way to Make Books

First, teachers write the language of the students or families on the chalkboard. Second, they transfer this story to a large piece of paper so that all students in the room can see the book. Third, teachers ask students to copy the story from the chalkboard to their own paper so they can read at home with their families.

An Example

The following example is how Dawn made BIG BOOKS with the students and families. At this time, she taught in a dual language program at the elementary level. She and the students made books almost daily.

First, Dawn generated a dialogue with the students about content which they were preparing to learn. She did this to focus the students on the ideas and language. It also provided an opportunity for her to assess and to build on the prior knowledge of the group.

Second, as the students talked, Dawn wrote their ideas on the chalk board.

Third, together the students and Dawn chose which sentences will go into the book-of-the-day.

Fourth, the students copied the new story onto their individual paper, as Dawn quickly copied the story on to large tag board. She used markers to decorate and/or illustrate the individual pages and quickly stapled ribbons to bind the book together. She discovered that she could make a book-of-the-day in about the same time that it takes the students to write the same story on smaller sheets of paper at their desks.

Fifth, when finished, Dawn read the story with the students as she held up the BIG BOOK for all to see. In the afternoon the students take their smaller copies home to read with families. The next day when the students entered the classroom, the larger book-of-the-day hung on a wooden clothes drying rack for students to read together on the floor during free reading time.

In the next issue of WinkWorld, we will continue with other ways of making books with students and families.