Literacy

Information

Technology

Education

About Julie Coiro

Building Stronger Connections to Text
with Electronic Experiences

Text-to-Self

Text-to-Text

Text-to-World

Text-To-Author

 

Online Interviews with Authors

How does this traditional reading tool help develop strong readers and writers? Knowing how a certain writer composes his/her thoughts and becoming familiar with the topics that a writer is interested in can enhance a reader's understanding of others books written by the same author.  Readers can draw from their understanding to predict what a new book by the same author might be about or the style with which it may be written.  This type of knowledge can also assist readers encouraged to compare and constrast various texts or styles.  Drawing from knowledge across different authors can often help readers see how different people have different perceptions of the same topic.  Some traditional resources for connecting with authors include books that compile author mailing addresses and photos for students and Meet The Author type books (e.g., Cynthia Rylant, Gary Paulsen)

How does technology enhance this traditional reading tool?  Through the use of online discussion boards, interactive websites and well developed author biographies, students can interact with the author by emailing them questions, reading personal updates, exploring photo scrapbooks, attempting to compose text in that writer's style, or even taking part in surveys to title a new book. (Treehouse Classroom Club for teachers too!)  Magic Treehouse website  view updated photos, hear an author's voice, see an author video, and keep up with personal journals about new books coming  Jean Craighead George engage in real-time discussions and interviews with authors and access well developed companion resources Scholastic Online Author Interviews (e.g., Jerry Spinelli, Ann Martin)  Additional Resources Author Schema Interactive Board from Mosaics  The Literacy Web's Children's Authors and Graded Author Lists Index to Children's Book Authors and Illustrators

What types of connections are fostered with this online tool?  Text-to-Self Text-to-Text Text-to-World Text-to-Author