Entry #4 A text in a different language

      I selected a book written in Spanish called Que monton de Tamales. It is written by Gary Soto. My daughter read some of it to me, because there are pictures.  I recognized the word "tamales", "Maria" , "cocina" and "grande", and about two or three words off of all the other pages. I didn't understand what was going on at all, but I knew that tamales were being made in the kitchen, and Maria was one of the characters.
I got frustrated, laughed and took the book from my daughter, so that I could see the pictures as she read the words. Even then I guessed at what was happening on each page. I could tell there was a problem on one of the pages by the girl's expression, and then the way she looked at the tamales, I had a feeling she would have to eat them to solve the problem. All of the children helped, but they couldn't find what they were looking for, so the girl had to tell her mother what she did wrong. Then they all helped make more tamales. My daughter had to tell me that the girl, Maria, had lost her mother's ring, and thought that it was in one of the tamales.
I listened to my daughter read the story, and use some expression. Her voice helped me a little bit. If I had been trying to read the words, I wouldn't have known where to add expression. The illustrations were the biggest help. I could go back, and look at the pictures to piece together the story. If I had tried this exercise on my own, I would have drowned in the unknown! I needed someone to help me gain meaning, along with the illustrations. If I had to be alone for this, I would have shut down, which I imagine many students do when they are trying to listen to their teachers, without pictures or a friend who could translate for them.
     In Gibbon's book, Chapter 8, Reading in a Second Language, before, during and after reading strategies are discussed that show how to support 2nd language learners comprehension of texts. The checklist we created on September 9th, gave examples of supports and challenges in selecting appropriate texts, and how to make them more meaningful for ELLS.