This section of text refers to two key lessons…”Again and Again” and “Memory Moment”.  If you are new the book, a little background might help!  The text is geared toward teaching 6 “signposts” that are in depth lesson concepts that we can share with our students.  By sharing them, we can help “unlock” some traits of literature and can make deeper comprehension more accessible.  It’s as if we can help our students “speak literature”…and the lessons are beyond powerful.

So…what is “Again and Again”?  This “signpost” asks readers to tune into repeated words or phrases…and to consider that the author has used them VERY deliberately to help clue us in to important ideas!  Whether they lead to a deeper understanding of theme, plant a seed for something that might be coming, or help us understand a character or event more completely–a deliberate use of repetition in a text can help students focus on something that may be very important!  What WONDERFUL discussions can come from “noticing” repetition–and letting students discuss whether or not they feel that repetition is, indeed, important.  

As always, we need to remind our students to be on the lookout for IMPORTANT and relevant repetition (of course we will see character names repeated throughout a book…but does it deepen our understanding?).  

QUESTION:  Can you off the top of your head think of any texts that use repetition to really show importance–whether they be picture books or novels?  Share them below…let’s build a list!

So…the next signpost in the text is “Memory Moment”.  This is really one of my favorite signposts because students can so easily recognize them!  In a nutshell, a “Memory Moment” is a time in a text when a character thinks back to an earlier time–an important time–that is so important to the story that the author needs to clue us in to it!  Some of these memories are obvious and the character might even say, “I remember when…”, but at times they are more subtle and hidden.

Again–what is key to comprehension is not simply to IDENTIFY these moments in a text, but to reflect on why the author chose to share them…how do they help us deepen our understanding of the plot, the characters, or the theme?  

QUESTION:  Can you think of any texts where you have seen these “memories” planted into the text to really help the reader get a well rounded vision of the story line?  Please share your ideas in the comments to help us all with our own book selection and planning!

Want an example?  In the first pages of Cynthia Lord’s wonderful book, “Rules”, Catherine reflects back on her memories of summers past–and her last sleepover with her good friend, Melissa.  Catherine’s brother, David, who has autism races around Melissa’s house and Catherine is mortified. Why is this memory important?  It helps the author paint the picture of how David’s autism impacts Catherine and her friendships–and it is really one of our first clues as to how Catherine feels about having a brother with special needs.

So–chime in!  Let’s see if we can get some novels and picture books that we could use (either entirely or excerpts) to help model with our students so they, too, can begin to notice these signposts.  And what better way to do this than to practice it ourselves!  As you read this summer, see if you can clue into those two signposts!

Let’s hear it!  And if YOU blog about these topics, link up below!  Thanks for stopping by.  Need a copy of the book or want to read more about it?  Click below.