How to use a Big Book

What is a Big Book?

A Big Book is an enlarged book, identical to a learner’s smaller reading book, to be used to demonstrate the skills acquired in learning to read. The Sunrise Readers Big Books are ‘next level’ in that they are bigger than most other Big Books – A1 folded to A2 . They are especially designed for the large classes our teachers work with in Africa.

Big Books are the ideal way to conduct shared or guided reading lessons. Learners can see exactly what the teacher is demonstrating. Each page in the Sunrise Readers Big Books is the size of an A2 poster or chart. They are perfect for talking about the pictures by drawing attention (through the use of skilled questioning) to the details. As we know, in the first stages of learning to read, the pictures tell the story!

Most available Big Books include only one story. Remember – the Sunrise Readers are story books, sometimes called “chapter books” by children. Each book contains at least 12 stories.

What’s in the Sunrise Readers Big Books?

• A set of flashcards/ word cards to use to introduce all of the new sight words (“snap words” – learned in a snap!) to the learners before they are given their reading books.
• A word list – on the inside front cover.
• An A2 Alphabet/ Sounds Chart on the inside back cover.
• At least twelve stories and two activity pages.

How to use a Big Book

First, follow the steps laid out at the end of our online teacher’s manual for introducing a book to the learners.

Sunrise Readers

Please refer to this user-friendly teacher’s manual to acquaint yourself with simple ways to teach reading.

Ideally, a classroom will have an easel on which to display the book. However, if no easel is available, a Big Book can be displayed on the chalkboard ledge or on a desk or bookshelf, against a wall. The teacher may ask a learner to hold one side of the book while she holds the other, to discuss the picture (Picture Power), or to read, running her finger along words or sentences (Pointer Power).

A Big Book is a busy teacher’s dream come true. She has a ready-made resource that enables her to demonstrate how to read to a group or the whole class.

Sunrise Readers Big Books have poster-size pictures!

The teacher uses Picture Power – the pictures – to bring each page/ story alive. She asks questions to ensure that the learners engage with the characters and get involved in each story. Encourage descriptiveness and empathy work! Over the past years, the Sunrise children have become best friends with generations of children. Ask questions like:

• Who do you see?
• What are they doing?
• Why are they doing this?
• Tell me about what else you see in this picture.
• What do you think will happen next? 

Sunrise Big Books come with Flashcards/ Word Cards

Use the flash cards/ word cards provided to introduce the words to learners. Ideally, in the first four weeks in Grade One, the teacher reviews all of the sounds the learners should have learned the year before. During this time, she introduces the words for Sunrise Readers Book 1 – Friends –to the learners using the flashcards. The class works through Book 1 Friends Learner’s Workbook 1. Use the Big Book pictures when introducing the names/ characters of Sunrise children and their dog Rex.

You can build a “word wall” to display the words, and to give learner’s the opportunity to keep reviewing them.

Big Books are ideal for demonstrating/ teaching/ reviewing/ consolidating reading skills including:

• Read words and sentences from left to right (use Pointer Power).
• Word work – the flashcards are bigger, but teachers can use the text on the page to draw attention to the letters in words, the sounds they make, syllables etc. (Sound Power). See a sample lesson below.
• Learning about sentences – even two words (page 3) make a sentence.
• When learners are ready talk about punctuation: Almost right away from Book 1, teach them that sentences start with capital letters and end with a full stop. (Don’t get bogged down with commas yet, unless the learners ask about them.) Big Books 2 and 3 are invaluable when teaching punctuation: commas, end marks ? ! and speech marks.
• The title/ heading of each new story is underlined. Tell learners that this means a new story is starting.

More tips for teachers using the Sunrise Readers’ Big Books and Learner’s Workbooks:

When learners have learned all 23 of the words for Book One, and completed Learner’s Workbook 1, they are ready to be given their reading book, Friends. Make a big fuss about this, like an award ceremony!

Read only one story at a time. While learners are reading Book One – Friends – they are working through Book 1 Learner’s Workbook 2 every day. In a completely separate lesson every day, you are introducing the Sight Words (Snap Words) for Sunrise Readers Book 2 – Work and Play, to get learners ready for that book when they have finished reading Friends.

Reading Lessons: Establish a pattern of a class reading lesson every day:  Each story is read at least 3 times.

• Teacher reads the Sunrise story to the class each day, progressing through Big Book 1 (e.g. Starting with Tatenda and David: pages 1 -6.). She uses Picture power for each page, using questions to drawattention to details and engage learners with the characters and their actions. Big Books are especially useful to demonstrate Pointer Power as she reads. Be careful not to interrupt the story to teach – understanding the text and enjoying the story is the focus at this stage.
• Teacher reads the story again, without stopping to look at the pictures.
• Shared reading: The whole class reads the story together, with the teacher leading. Do not interrupt this.
• Partner Power: Learners in pairs or groups read to each other. This is where more capable learners can assist those who may be struggling.
• Retell the story: Now the learners retell the story in pairs or groups of 3-4. They can use the cut out character cards from their workbook covers to retell or act out the story.
• Character Cards: Sometimesgive the learners the opportunity to play with the characters, making different endings for the stories, making up stories of their own etc.
• Busy Bodies: Have the learners been sitting for 20 – 30 minutes? A few minutes of stretching, singing, moving is important for young bodies and will improve concentration.
• Workbook: Now introduce the relevant workbook activity for the day.

Sample Lessons for Teachers and Parents:

Lesson One: Introducing Tatenda: (A sample lesson to follow throughout.)

1. When introducing the Sight Words (“Snap Words”), the first word is Tatenda. Display Big Book One page 1 for all the learners to see. Run your finger  (Left – Right) under the title on the page and read  Tatenda and David.
2. Who do you think this boy is? Tatenda or David? (Accept all of their suggestions, then point to the word below, slide your finger under the word and read it slowly Ta – tend – da. Tatenda.  So who is he? YES! Tatenda. Sound Power and Pointer Power!)
3. Hold up the flashcard. This word says Tatenda. Tatenda. Say it after me.

(Teacher – train the learners to respond to “I say” – point at yourself; “You say” – point at them. Lots of repetition is required in learning to read!)

• Display the word on the board.  Ask: How many letters in this word? Use your finger (Pointer Power) to count them together. 7. What is this first letter? T. Is there another T in this word? Run your finger along the word. Yes! There are 2 ts. Let’s read it again. Ta-ten-da.(Sound Power) Clap the word. (3 claps) Clap it again. What’s this letter?  a. Can you find another one? Let’s read it again. (Use Pointer Power) Tatenda. Follow this pattern with every word you introduce.
• Now – use the Big Book page One picture to talk about Tatenda, asking questions to draw details from the learners. What can you tell me about Tatenda?

(He’s a boy, he’s wearing…, he’s playing with …,  Ask more questions about him. How old might he be? What colour are his eyes? Long hair or short hair? What toys does he have? What do you think Tatenda likes? He’s obviously keen on transport toys!! How is Tatenda feeling today? How do we know this? Would you like to be Tatenda’s friend? Why or why not? – Remember the book is called Friends!

Sunrise Readers Teacher’s Manual

You will find many more specific and useful teaching tips in our Sunrise Readers Teacher’s Manual. (It’s currently being updated, but the available version is still relevant!)

Sunrise Super Six Reading Powers

Please see our website for more about the Sunrise Super Six Reading Powers!