Words That Cook! Finding Inspiration for Writing

Teaching children literacy skills goes far beyond simply reading the occasional bedtime tale, but how can parents find the time and the means? Words That Cook!, an excellent 13-episode TV series, offers a goldmine of creative ideas to promote family literacy (their tagline is “parenting with children's books”). Each episode is hosted by friendly adults Martine and Monty, who visit classrooms and homes, interviewing teachers, parents, and kids to ferret out “recipes for success.” The eighth episode, Finding Inspiration for Writing, focuses on motivating children to undertake original, non-school-assignment writing, in order to gain valuable literacy skills through journaling, creative writing, and even bookmaking. Viewers meet a kindergarten teacher and her writing students, a mom who journals with her daughter, and a woman who demonstrates how to make a book out of household materials. All of the “recipes for success” are reviewed at the end of the program, and a suggested reading list is presented. Down-to-earth, affordable, and realistic, this is recommended for parents of elementary school-age children looking for ways to enhance their children's literacy skills and promote reading. Other titles in the series include Reading Starts with Interests, Writing Begins with Original Ideas, The Art of Storytelling, and Active Learning. Aud: P. (E. Gieschen)