What
Are the 7Wonders
of the Word
TM?
Published Resources on the
7Wonders of the Word TM
Curriculum:
1. The OVERVIEW of the 7WordWonders TM Curriculum can be read or downloaded from 7WordWonders.net
2. Common Core, School Failure, and the Church to the Rescue?: http://www.christianpost.com/news/common-core-school-failure-and-the-church-to-the-rescue-138017/ (April 24, 2015)
3. How to Explore the Bible’s Linguistic Patterns: http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-to-explore-the-bibles-linguistic-patterns-138145/ (April 26, 2015)
4. The Source of A.D.’s Grit and Excitement: http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-source-of-a-d-s-grit-and-excitement-138492/ (May 3, 2015)
5. Why Higher Order Thinking Skills (H.O.T.S.) are Transforming Bible Engagement: http://www.christianpost.com/news/why-higher-order-thinking-skills-are-transforming-bible-engagement-138831/ (May 10, 2015)
6.
How to Relish, Reread, Review, Retell and Relive
Bible Stories: http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-to-relish-reread-review-retell-and-relive-bible-stories-139488/#u8h0B03rLywUBPVe.99
(May 24, 2015)
7.
The Power of Bible Stories to Teach Impartiality: http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-power-of-bible-stories-as-teaching-tools-of-impartiality-139879/
(June 3, 2015)
8.
Bringing Fun to
Serious Bible Engagement: http://www.christianpost.com/news/bringing-fun-to-serious-bible-engagement-140345/pageall.html (June 16, 2015)
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7 KEYS: There
are seven ways to engage a text—especially when reading the best book, the
Bible.
1.
Reading WordWonder = being able to read with understanding. Coaching the reader is fine, and we do it
positively, with praise and encouragement. The ability to read is one of the
most awesome gifts to give to a child, a youth or an adult. Reading
empowers.
2.
Comprehension WordWonder = being able to comprehend and put thoughts in one’s own
words—that is an important reading wonder for anyone. Even seasoned readers will read a text and
then mostly forget what they read. The
skills of both comprehension and recollection need to be both developed and
reinforced in each of our lives.
3.
Vocabulary WordWonder = being
familiar with the Word and with words is priceless! There is a reason why reading tests focus
especially on vocabulary. IDEA: try starting with this Word-Wonder—get
the students to talk about each Key Word, and then ask each student to tell a
story or create a sentence using as many of the 10 Key Words as possible. Also, each student can find and circle all
the Key Words in the hand-out sheet with the text—either before or after they
read it aloud. Let it be fun!
4.
Pattern WordWonder = being attentive to the patterns in a text—overt or subtle—helps
the reader both (a) to master the depths of meaning in the text and (b) to
master more and more of the infinite nuances of language that enhance his or
her communications. The key patterns in
a Biblical text may be the skilled use of grammatical-structures—such as
questions, commands, or vivid adjectives—or subtly repeated thought-structures,
ironies, unstated implications, repeated metaphors, and so forth. A focus on pattern-wonders raises word-skills
for the student—while giving one more awesome tool for deep engagement with a
great text.
5.
Development WordWonder = being aware of movement from the first to the last sentence in
a text is an essential word-skill.
Mastery of the development word-wonder makes a person—adult, youth or
child—a better talker, listener and thinker, as well as a more engaged and
skilled reader. The text is going
somewhere, and it matters that the skilled readers notice.
6.
Creative WordWonder = being creatively engaged acknowledges the root fact that
language is part of life—never detached.
All kinds of creative response—such as short story writing, sculpture,
spontaneous role-playing, painting, scripted drama, creative retelling in a
contemporary setting, related games, relevant prayers, and such like—are part
of the deeper truth that the Word always desires incarnation into matter and
energy.
7.
Reread-and-Do WordWonder = being engaged in rereading a great text—especially the
best text, the Bible—is a truly precious word-wonder. When rereading, please note both (a) what now
seems new in the text, and also (b) how the light
from the Word in this text should help guide people’s lives and decisions
now. Especially right after one of the
other 7WordWonders TM has
been fully explored, rereading is a new experience. And then if a day or more go by, rereading
the same text can be remarkably revealing.
The Bible is special. “It is the book
you always want to reread,” as one of our teachers explained to her 2nd
grade students. They understood.
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Hints for
using the 7WordWonders TM
1. Take
your time. It is OK to explore only one
of the 7WordWonders TM in a 15-25 minute period. There are enough questions and activities here
for well over 100 minutes of fruitful Bible engagement. Explore different WordWonders
different days of the week in personal study or after-school programs, or pick
what benefits your group the most in the meeting time you have.
2. Choose
your sequence. Since each WordWonder
stands on its own, you can explore different progressions. The numerical order is good. Alternatively, you can investigate Vocabulary
and then Reading, Comprehension, Creative, Pattern, Development, and
Reread-&-Do. Creatively explore
other sequences also. The introduction
of each WordWonder is important, too.
3. Plan
ahead. Invest at least one hour
praying and planning which questions you will use in your next teaching
session. Select the specific WordWonders and
relevant questions that will most effectively and fully (a) engage your
students in the Bible text, (b) empower them with language-mastery, and (c)
equip them with the Bible’s divine wisdom for life.
4. Have
FUN! When you bring a sense of
joy, wonder, and fun to exploring together the Bible text, you are far more
energized and effective at leading your students as together you explore divine
truth in the Bible together. What could
be more fun than (a) exploring texts of the best Book, (b) empowering readers
and future leaders with amazing word-skills, and (c) endowing children, youth
or adults with the Lord’s enlightenment and wisdom for their lives 24/7? The fun you have will be contagious for your
students.
Take your time!! It is OK to explore only two of 7Wonders of the Word TM
in a 15-25 minute period.
Useful for homes, churches and
ministries
1.
To engage the Bible via mastering the 7WordWonders TM
2.
To teach literacy by fully employing the best book, the Bible
3.
To empower for living, through the Word and words.
Multiple Models
ü
After-school
programs = Plan 15 minutes on one of the 7WordWonders TM each
day, staying with the same Bible text for the week. Intersperse that learning fun with students doing
their homework, and also generously mixing in the wonderful related
ResourceWell.org materials.
ü
Saturday
morning programs = Take 10-15 minutes on each of the 7WordWonders TM interspersed with
plenty of the related wonderful ResourceWell.org materials.
ü
Christian
academies = Use 15 minutes each on one or two of the 7WordWonders TM interspersed with
related wonderful ResourceWell.org materials.
ü
Neighborhood
Bible studies = Select from the 7WordWonders TM with
adults, youth, or children. What people read unrelated to school or work
improves their reading the most.
ü
Summer
Vacation Bible School = Utilize about 15 minutes on each of
the 7WordWonders TM interspersed
with tons of the related ResourceWell.org materials.
ü
Revitalized
Sunday School—mornings or afternoons = Choose from the 7WordWonders TM interspersed
with plenty of the related ResourceWell.org materials. Making literacy and Bible-knowledge the dual
purposes renews the original mission of the Sunday School movement about 230
years ago.
For
a much more detailed OVERVIEW, please click on www.7WordWonders.net
CONTACT the
writer: Paul de Vries, PhD, President of the NY Divinity School
email: DrPaul@7WordWonders.com, phone:
646-395-0007
How can you
support the 7WordWonders TM?
Please donate
at http://www.nydivinityschool.org/cms/content/view/52/89/
Copyright © 2019 Paul de Vries, pauldevries.com, DrPaul@7WordWonders.com. All rights reserved.