| I have been working with a fourth grader for a number | | | | that he mispronounced or didn't know in the blank area |
| of months now. His parents speak English as a second | | | | of the composition book. Occasionally I pointed out a |
| language, and they are counting upon me to help him | | | | word he missed, or quizzed him on what a word |
| with his writing skills, reading comprehension, and | | | | meant as he read. After he finished the chapter, we |
| vocabulary development. Truth be told, keeping my | | | | talked about the words he didn't know. I asked him if |
| young student's focus was a constant struggle until he | | | | he could use them in a sentence. We also talked |
| introduced me to Captain Underpants. I have to admit | | | | about what happened in the chapter. Who was in it; |
| that when he first asked if we could read a Captain | | | | what happened; why did it happen; what was his |
| Underpants book, I was little uncertain. However, I am | | | | favorite part? |
| now 100 percent sold on using Captain Underpants as | | | | 4. Finally, I asked him to fill the bottom half of the page |
| a teaching tool. | | | | with an explanation of what happened in the chapter. |
| Now don't get me wrong. I know for a fact that when | | | | His first reaction was, "I have to fill all this?" However, |
| he reads these books by himself, he simply skips over | | | | he filled it easily, and his last sentence ran over to the |
| any words he doesn't understand. I have set up a very | | | | next page. |
| specific curriculum while working with these books, and | | | | I was also surprised by the quality of the vocabulary in |
| it seems to be working magic. If you have a fourth | | | | the books. On the first day, we learned putrid, |
| grader who doesn't like reading or writing, I urge you to | | | | suspiciously, deviously, anarchy, banned, preposterous, |
| try it as well. | | | | secretary, cosmos, and several more. I asked him to |
| 1. I use the book in conjunction with a fourth grade | | | | use as many of the the new words as he could while |
| composition book. Fourth grade composition books | | | | writing about the chapter. After a few promptings, he |
| have the top half of the page black for drawing, and | | | | started to do it naturally. |
| the bottom half of the page filled with lines for writing. | | | | I have been following this process for a half-dozen |
| 2. I began the first lesson by asking him to write one | | | | weeks now. My student reads to me; we discuss the |
| page explaining why he wanted to read the book. It | | | | chapter; and he writes about the chapter. After seeing |
| was the first time that I'd seen him excited about | | | | the results, I have become a big believer in Captain |
| writing. He happily wrote about how funny it was and | | | | Underpants. My student's writing is improving. His |
| carefully explained the "slam pages." He even drew a | | | | reading comprehension is improving. His vocabulary is |
| picture with directions and arrows to show me how it | | | | improving. Even his punctuation is improving. Best of all, |
| worked. | | | | for the past month he has been asking the question, |
| 3. Next, we read the first chapter together; or rather | | | | "Can we read now?!" whenever we get together. |
| he read the chapter to me. I jotted down any word | | | | |