Books on Tape

Chapter 2 of Innovative Approaches to Literacy highlights the project Books on Tape for Kids, created by Gino Sangiuliano. This project looks fabulous! Check it out at http://www.booksontapeforkids.org/

The project began as a technology piece for the Rhode Island Foundation's Teacher Training Initiative. It grew into an interdisciplinary, authentic learning opportunity which fosters a love of literacy, a sense of community service, and many skills related to the new literacies. I am very impressed by this project and feel compelled to try it at my own school.

The idea of the project is to have students practice reading books to a point where they feel comfortable recording themselves on tape. (What a great way to develop reading fluency!) Students then record themselves and create artwork, an original story based on the book, a photograph of the children who worked on the book, a pen-pal letter explaining how the project was created and a reply/feedback postcard. The items are then put together in a package and sent to hospitals, libraries and other schools.