A

Guide
For
Parents

by
Noura Khamis & Yasmin Ibrahim


What is a Story sack?

Story sack is a cloth bag containing a picture book with supporting materials to
promote children's reading skills. To make the reading more fun, the story sack
provides a storybook, character's masks, nonfiction book related to the story, props,
games and activates. Additionally, some guided instructions for teachers and parents
of how to use the story sack.

The purpose of story sack is to give the parents and teachers the power and
confidence to enjoy reading books with children. In fact, the story sack contents offer
a multi-language skills approach from providing some opportunities such as:

1- Listen to the stories read aloud.

2- Extend vocabulary.

3- Read and retell the story.

4- Extend general knowledge by using nonfiction book.

5- Develop social and cognitive skills from interacting with the reader and answering
the reader's questions.

The Fiction Picture Book:

Here are some suggestion of activities and questions you might ask to ensure your
reading time together is a rich and beneficial experience for your child.

*Talk about the book. Discuss the cover, title, author and layout.

*Ask your child what s/he thinks the book will be about.

*If s/he has read the story before, what s/he can remember?

*Read the story aloud with using your face expression.

*While reading stop and ask questions about the illustrations to make a strong
connection between words and pictures.

*As you read, ask the child to act out with you by using the story masks and props.

*At certain points in the story stop and ask your child "what do you think will happen
next"?

*As you read, point to the words with your finger to show your child where you are
reading.

*Stop at some difficult words and explain the meaning.

*Focus on the letters and suffixes, ask your child what letter these words start with.

*Talk about the story character and ask your child to describe them.*

*While reading remind your child about the story events by linking the events
together.
*Once you have finish reading the story together, ask your child "what did you learn
from the story?" which was your favorite part of the story, why?

*Dont always ask too many questions to not lose your child's interest.

*You can reuse the story in different ways:

Sometimes just by read aloud the story.

The next time, spend more time enjoying the illustration.

Then focus more with retelling the story together.

Main characters masks and props:

-How can you use the masks and props to bring the characters to life?

Most of the children like handling props, soft toys, and masks, they find it very
enjoyable. However, they can be used to examine characters, promote vocabulary
and improve your child's understanding of the story.

Here are some suggestions for activities:

*Act out the story by using the characters masks and props.

*Interview your child some questions like s/he is the main character, and make
him/her wear the mask as well.

*Use the masks and characters for storytelling to allow your child picture the events.

*Suggest and create together other props could be useful for the story.
*Put the masks and props sequence they appear in the story to remind your child
about the story timeline.

The nonfiction book:

-Why do we include nonfiction book in the story sack?

Nonfiction book is not always a common choice for children to read. But, when
children read fiction books they will tend to know more about the storybook. In
this case, providing factual books related to the storybook can develop their early
reading experiences and differ between the storybook information with nonfiction
book.

What are the benefits of the nonfiction book about?

It is full of fascinate young children information.

It test and improves children's general knowledge.

It provides opportunities for questions and finding the answers.

It includes contents, photographs and diagrams that support the storybook.

The CD

There is a CD inside the story sack so the children can simply play the story again and
again. As a parent, you can use CD from time to time to promote your child listening
skills. Additionally, you can stop the CD and make your child guess the next event in
the story.

Game and activities

Games and activities are interesting tools for children to practice reading and writing
as well as learn vocabularies. In the story sack, they are designed to extend children's
experiences of storybooks concept. When playing or adopting an activity make sure
that you know the task concept and rules. Therefore, relate the task with the
storybook to help your child make connections like who is this? When did this
happened in the story?

Have Fun!