Exploring Shaun Tan’s The Arrival through the Vehicle of the Literature Cyberlesson

1. Exploring Shaun Tan’s The Arrival through the Vehicle of the Literature Cyberlesson NERA’s 61st Annual Conference Warwick Rhode Island Catherine Kurkjian. Ed.D, professor Maureen Billlings, M.Ed. grade 2 teacher Susan Lynch, M. Ed, Sixth year, grade 7 teacher Department of Reading and Language Arts Central Connecticut State University

2. FOCUS OF PRESENTATION This project explored Shaun Tan’s graphic novel on immigration through the vehicle of the Literature Cyberlesson across grade levels (graduate level course, grade 7 Remedial Reading and grade 2 classroom) What is a Literature Cyberlesson? What about the book? How did we scaffold comprehension across grade levels? How was the Literature Cyberlesson mediated across grade levels? GRADUATE LITERACY/LITERATURE COURSES GRADE 7 REMEDIAL READING CLASSROOM GRADE 2 CLASSOOM What was learned in the process?

3. WHAT IS A LITERATURE CYBERLESSON ? • Cyberlesson Template • Coined by Dr. Susan Tancock, Ball State, Indiana, definition modified to Literature Cyberlesson (Kurkjian & Kara-Soteriou) • Methods comprehension framework to guide readers through text BEFORE, DURING, AFTER comprehension strategies to guide students through text • Draws on Internet Technology and multiple sources of information • Literature Cyberlesson conveys that there is a focus on children’s literature (fiction and nonfiction) • Used in a variety of group settings • Used with varying levels of teacher support. • Internet Project Literature Cyberlessons: • http://www.reading.ccsu.edu/kurkjian/Internet%20Project/new_page_1.htm

4. WHAT ABOUT THE BOOK? • Described as an intellectual masterpiece with both realistic and fantastical graphics along with historical and futuristic Images. Taken together the book conveys a sense of place, but is placeless, and a sense of time which is timeless. • It involves the reader in the active construction of meaning relying on the visual images and background knowledge. • It is the story of an immigrant’s journey leaving home, his family behind and arriving and making his way in a very strange land.

5. HOW WAS THE LITERATURE CYBERLESSON MEDIATED ACROSS GRADE LEVELS? GRADUATE COURSE THE ARRIVAL LITERATURE CYBERLESSON GRADE 7 REMEDIAL READING CLASS THE ARRIVAL LITERATURE CYBERLESSON GRADE 2 CLASSROOM THE ARRIVAL LITERATURE CYBERLESSON Student Scrapbook

6. WHAT WAS LEARNED: • ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL • TEACHER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT STUDENTS AND CURRICULUM IN THE DESIGN • AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND THEIR USE • ROLE OF SOCIAL INTERACTION TO PROMOTE CONSTRUCTION OF MEANING ALL LEVELS • LEVEL OF TEACHER SUPPORT VARIES BUT STILL NEEDS TO BE THERE • BUILD IN AN ONGOING INFORMAL/FORMAL ASSESSMENT TO INTERCEDE IN A TIMELY WAY • STRATEGIES THAT HELP STUDENTS REVISION INITIAL INTERPRETATION:INTERTEXTUALITY • STRATEGIES THAT BRING THE IMMIGRATION STORIES TO LIFE: REAL EXPERIENCE/TEXT TO LIFE • BENEFITS OF THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL ACROSS GRADE LEVELS • BENEFITS ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS • DRAWBACKS ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS