1. Claudia Diaz RED 4344 Methods of Teaching Reading

2.  When I was a very young child this was my favorite book. I can clearly remember reading this book over and over again and enjoying everything about it. At first my mom and my older sister would read this book a loud to me. Then, once I could sound out the words on the page I was able to read it to them. It was so much fun to be able to read the book aloud to my family.  This colorful book that relates the story of seven old ladies introduced me to the world of reading and writing. This book definitively holds a very special place in my heart. I still have the original book I read from, and I hope my future children will be able to read it too one day. By: Manuel Cofiño Early Years

3.  When I first moved to the US, I did not speak or understand a single word of English. This was the first book I ever read in English.  At first I was very nervous because I was scared of the words on the page. The words were strange and very difficult to pronounce.  I remember the first time I read this book. My sister and I sat down on the couch and tried sounding out the words and figure out their meanings. I remember feeling proud when I pronounced a word correctly or understood what it meant. As I kept reading more of the Clifford books, my pronunciation and vocabulary improved greatly. I love these books because I learned English with them. By: Norman Bridwell Elementary

4.  When I was in my early teens I read this book in Spanish and I absolutely fell in love with it. This book sparked my love for literature. I was mesmerized by the way the words would come alive and transport you into the different stories within the book.  I can still remember how much I enjoyed sitting in my back porch in the afternoon while I read this book. I’ve actually read this book several times in both Spanish and in English and each time I love it as much as the very first time I read it.  Last semester, I took an English class where we read this book and I had a lot of fun analyzing and writing my essay on this book. By: Isabel Allende Middle School

5.  I read this book when I was in high school and I really enjoyed it. I really liked how it told the story of the African American people particularly focusing on African American women. I like Hurston’s stories because she writes about the African American experience which was a topic I had not read a lot of and interested me greatly.  I remember when I first checked out this book from the library. I went to the library and as I was browsing some books this one caught my eye. I opened it and I read the first paragraph and I was instantly hooked. I could not put this book down. I love Hurston’s style of writing because it is very beautiful and poetic. I specially like this book because it was the first work I read of hers. By: Zora Neale Hurston High School

6.  I read this book last semester for one of my classes and it instantly became one of my favorite books. This book has left a big impression on me because it dealt with a subject that really interests me. It really opened my mind up and made me think about the way people interact with one another.  I feel that this book is very important because it illustrates how people can mistreat others and how hate can escalate into something much worse such as the dehumanization of a group of people.  This book is outstanding an I would like to read this book again. I like this book because it carries an important message. I feel that this book really prompts the reader to reflect and examine the world we live in. By: J.M. Coetzee College

7.  I believe that this graph accurately describes my learning styles.  I consider myself to be very musical. I can remember song lyrics and melodies easily. When I was learning English, I would write down the lyrics to my favorite songs and try to sing along. This activity really helped me with spelling, pronunciation and grammar.  I also like to study by myself. I like to sit in a quiet place and read, write and or draw. I keep a personal journal were I write down my thoughts and feelings regularly. I am also very organized, I like to write down everything I have to do in an agenda, so I make sure I can manage my time effectively.  I am not so good with math or physical activities such as sports. However, I enjoy nature, so I like to take walks around green areas and go to the beach.