John Gets Ready for School
Author: Joanna ZellwegerIllustrator: Andy Elliot
Themes: Cochlear Implants, Support, Family and Friends
Genre: Nonfiction, Disabilites
Grade: 2nd Grade
Summary: John is a young boy with cochlear implants. He is getting ready for school, but puts on a
wide range of different clothing such as a scarf and slippers. John keeps getting dressed until he is
dressed appropriately to go to school. This story is told from the perspective of his sister Caroline.Many children will have no idea what a cochlear implant is, as many of them will have never been exposed to them. But this is a good way to try and educate students a little on what it is and how it works. But also how peoples differences do not make them as different as people might think, They are regular people, they just might do some things in a different way.
Pre-Reading Activities: I would start with a discussion on people who are hearing impaired, and asking students whether they know anyone who has a cochlear implant or a hearing aid, such as a grandparent. I would then as the students who know someone who has one of these things, and ask them about their experiences with communicating with these people.
Post-Reading Activities: This book is written for young children, so after reading a good activity might be to learn some sign language with the students and have them try to communicate a message with one another using this sign language. Students might also make up their own signs and have their peers try and guess what each of these signs mean.
About the Author: Joanne Zellweger was inspired to write the book because of her two children, John who is deaf and Caroline. She learned that a family member who is deaf affects everyone involved, and wanted to teach children about cochlear implants through a humorous story and wonderful illustrations.
Zellweger, J. (2010). John Gets Ready For School. UK:Squeeze Marketing Limited.Grade 2
These seems like a great book to use when teaching students about diversity and disability awareness. I like the post-reading activity of learning some sign language, formal and made up, since it helps students learn how they can better reach out and include people with these needs in their lives. Great find!
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