So many children’s publishers and writers have allowed librarians to share their books online. The librarian I work with has been posting read-alouds to our library’s website for students to experience. She pairs them with learning activities that all of our elementary students can complete at home. I know many others are doing this as well. Our public librarian has scheduled live read alouds. Of course, the question I’ve been asking myself as I tutor students over video chat is: how do we engage our young students through the screen? Novel Effect has some of the answers.
Novel Effect brings stories to life through your phone, computer, or other device. All you have to do is read a story aloud. The app follows your voice, playing music and special effects at the perfect moment. It’s suggested that a reader has their own copy of the print book or eBook that they want to read aloud. Set up your device nearby, press play, and start reading when you hear a little chime. Novel Effect has picture books like Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, by Mo Willems; Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena; and Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon. There’s poetry, including works by Shel Silverstein, Robert Frost, and Walt Whitman. There are also Spanish language titles and important speeches, like the Gettysburg Address. A number of their titles are currently usable for online read alouds and sharing.
Since I didn’t grab any books from my library before leaving, I tried reading with one of the available books on the application: Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter. As I read, the app did just as it said it would. When Mrs. Rabbit enters a shop, there is the sound of a bell when a store door opens. When Peter runs from Mr. McGregor, there is action music. In the woods, there are rummaging forest noises. Although, I don’t have actual children to read to, I can see them being really engaged because of the music and sound effects. It totally immerses listeners in the story. They would experience the same emotions as the characters and connect to their actions. I also noticed that the music and effects changed the way that I read. I wanted the moments where Peter felt scared to match the music. It made me go from just reading something aloud, to creating characters with my voices. I was reading more passionately and emotionally. I can see skilled story tellers really using this app to connect students to their read alouds.
I found using it very simple. It followed my voice perfectly. I can visualize using it with a picture book also going smoothly. The app itself is easy to navigate and very user friendly.
This app is something elementary librarians should definitely take advantage of. They should share this with teachers in their school as well. During this time, if families have access to technology, the librarian can also post tutorials about how to use the app and bring their read alouds at home to life. It would also be interesting to see students using this app to read aloud with. They could perform read alouds of their favorite books. Even fourth graders with reading buddies in kindergarten, could easily use this app and use while reading with their buddies. Students will love the special effects. If there is suspenseful music, they’ll feel the tense atmosphere. If there’s something funny happening, the special effects will bring the humor to life to catch student’s attention. The music can make a sad or somber moment resonate. By bringing these read-alouds to life, students can immerse themselves in the story. This could build their empathy, but also just help them to fall in love with reading.
There are ways to use this with secondary students as well. Whenever I talk with the students I tutor about English class, they tell me that poetry is their least favorite unit. Sometimes it’s hard to understand or relate to a poem. Students might connect with poetry more if they learned about it through Novel Effect. Share Walt Whitman with sound effects and immerse them in the experience. Bring the poem beyond the page. Speeches like the Gettysburg Address might also just motivate students to listen and interact with the words. This is why librarians should share this tool with any teacher or educator that needs it. If there are programs where secondary students read to elementary students, give them this tool as well, to connect with the students they read to.
Other outlets for read alouds might be https://www.storylineonline.net/ where celebrities read books as well. Changing to remote learning is a challenge, but librarians have all the tools to keep connecting with students.
Gabrielle Weiss Blog 