[blindkid] Descriptive books??

[Carlton Anne Cook Walker]

Hi all,

Carrie's post got me thinking (as her wonderful posts always do).  The
need for descriptions in picture books is evident in the tests of the
Accelerated Reader (AR) program.

My second grader, Anna, just took an AR test this afternoon on a book
at the second grade reading level.  All but one of the five questions
on the test had to do with the PICTURES in the book.  Now, granted,
the book is a Caldecott Award winner and the pictures are nice, but
this is an Accelerated READER program, not an Accelerated Looking At
And Interpreting Pictures program.


We has this same problem with kindergarten AR tests -- I had hoped it
would have improved by now.



This is a book I brailled myself, it isn't available from NBP or
Seedlings (which might have had picture descriptions).  Even though
Anna has some vision, she could not interpret most of the pictures --
they were somewhat abstract and did not have terrific contrast.  I'm
REALLY glad I described the pictures for her as she read the book to
me -- otherwise, she would have received a poor score on the quiz.



Golly, when does it get easier (smile)?



Take care all!!



Carlton

-- 
Carlton Anne Cook Walker
213 North First Street
McConnellsburg, PA    17233
Voice: 717-485-3383