El Deafo

(Image taken from Google.com)

El Deafo

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. New York: Amulet Books.

Awards: Newbery Honor 2015 and 2015 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids (ages 8–12)

Suggested Delivery: Individual

Lexile Reading Level: GN420L

Age Range: 8-12 years

Grade Level: 3-6

About the Book: A young child named Cece became sick and partially lost her hearing. Despite being self-conscious and isolated from her classmates, Cece realized her hearing aids were a super power as they allowed her to hear the teacher when no one else could. She learns to use that to her advantage and navigate her way through adolescence.

Keywords: Diversity, Friendship, Acceptance, Confidence, Comical

Electronic Resources:

http://www.bitstrips.com/create/comic/

Students can create their own comic strip based on characters in the book or even of themselves using their own superpowers. They can provide the image as well as speech bubbles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_EmsguJMic

This video can be shown to the students to teach them about deafness, and how they can be of assistance to students they might encounter who are deaf.

Vocabulary:

-Audiologist: a person who studies hearing disorders

-Deafness: partially or wholly lacking the sense of hearing

-Hearing Aid: a compact electronic amplifier worn in the ear to improve one's hearing

-Meningitis: inflammation of the meninges caused by viral or bacterial infection

-Phonic: relating to speech sounds.

-Disability: lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; incapacity.

Reading Strategies:

-Before reading the text, a Guest Speaker (the librarian or a special education teacher) will come into the classroom to talk about bullying, those with special needs, or inclusion. This will not only encourage students to be friendly to everyone they encounter but will get them thinking about other people who are different which will prepare them for the text.

-During the reading of the text, students will have a Fishbowl Discussion. This is when students put chairs in a fishbowl shape to have an open discussion that can be observed by others on the outside of the fishbowl.  Students will question, respond to, and make meaning of a text and model small group literature discussions.

-After reading the text, students will complete an Opinionnaire form. The strategy allows students to begin thinking about a topic in depth and build background knowledge. Opinionnaires consist of controversial statements that students will think about and state their opinions.

Writing Activity:

After reading the author’s note, make notice of the fact that Cece Bell writes that being different turned out to be a strength and that “Our differences are our superpowers”. Have students write examples of how a difference could become a superpower.