Mental Images

Comprehension is key to the reading work we do in 2nd grade. We have spent the last few weeks working on visualizing. Visualizing is also known as creating mental images or movies in our brains. Visualizing a picture in our brains as we reads helps us connect more deeply with the texts we read and notice important details. We have spent quite a bit of time discussing our mental images and comparing them with our reading partners. We have also worked on using our schema to create mental images as we read. Our schema is made up of what we know; the knowledge we have & places we have been. We have noticed that many of our mental images are different from our classmates...this is because we all have different experiences and knowledge...It is what makes us unique learners! We will continue to work on building our comfort level with mental images and using them to help us build reading comprehension.

Excerpt from The Marshmallow Incident by Judi Barrett. Also the creator of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

How can you help your child do this while reading at home?

• Begin reading. Pause after a few sentences or paragraphs that contain good descriptive information.
• Share the image you've created in your mind, and talk about which words from the book helped you "draw" your picture. Your picture can relate to the setting, the characters, or the actions. By doing this, you are modeling the kind of picture making you want your child to do.
• Talk about how these pictures help you understand what's happening in the story.
• Continue reading. Pause again and share the new image you created. Then ask your child to share what he sees, hears, tastes, smells and feels. Ask what words helped him create the mental image and emotions. By doing this, you are providing your child with practice with this new skill.
• Are your images identical? Probably not! This is a great time to talk about why your images might be different. Perhaps your child went on a school field trip or had a school assembly that changed the way they created the picture in their mind. Perhaps experiences you've had as an adult influenced what you "drew." These differences are important to understand and respect.
• Read a longer portion of text and continue the sharing process.
• Once this is a familiar skill, encourage your child to use mental imagery when she is reading by herself. You can feel confident that these mental pictures will help your child understand the story in an important way. -- Reading Rockets 2009 This is a great resource for teachers & parents! Check out this site for more reading ideas!