RL.C.45 CHOOSES A PICTURE WHEN NAMED, CHOICE OF 9

This is an extension of earlier picture selecting skills.

It teaches the child to scan all over a page, and consider and discard many distractions, until she finds the picture she is looking for. This skill will help her to enjoy more challenging picture books, and later on she will use it when reading.

The problem of where to find materials is easily solved if you have a nine-piece lotto board showing familiar objects (see FM. I.106). Or you could divide a square of cardboard (about 20 cm square) into 9 smaller squares, and draw or paste a picture in each one. Alternatively, you could find a page in a picture book which shows many different objects – this could be used in an initial assessment to see if your child will need more structured materials.

How to Assess

Materials: As above.

Method: Place the lotto board on the table, and give your child a moment to look it over. Then say ‘Point to the .. .’. Repeat for each picture.

Score plus if your child selects at least 6 of the 9 pictures.

How to Teach

If your child has mastered RL.C.35 (choice of 4 pictures), but cannot select from a choice of 9, teach by building up the choices gradually. Your first objective might be ‘chooses picture, choice of 5’; your next might be ‘chooses picture, choice of 7’; and so on. Use your own judgment about how many in-between steps your child will need.

Home-made materials are really the only answer for these in-between steps. Your child is sure to like your drawings, however imperfect they seem to you, but if you’d rather not draw, look out for suitable stickers and transfers in news agencies and gift shops.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

Look through your child’s picture books to find those that suit her current picture selection skills. Perhaps she would enjoy helping to make her own picture boards, pasting pictures on to start with, and then selecting the ones you name.

Remembering and Extending

You will find plenty of opportunities to practise and extend this skill as you look at picture books together.