This article discusses the value of wordless picture books for reading and as a springboard for writing original text. They challenge students to attend to details of illustrations to follow the storyline of the book. Students can be challenged to write words for the book. This gives them the support of a preexisting story line. Their job is simply to provide words for the story that the pictures are already telling. This strategy is sure to alleviate some of the anxiety felt by beginning writers who never know what to write about. Reese reported that in his use of this strategy he saw huge growth in his children as writers who had not been successful before.
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