| abstract | Psalms Styles was a six week youth Lenten bible study for elementary aged students residing in Trenton, New Jersey. The bible study was held at Shiloh Baptist Church. Thirty six youth attended the bible study over the six week period. The Wednesday night youth bible study used one verse of a selected Psalm to introduce elementary aged students to reading as a spiritual discipline. Learning stations were used to present the key verse in different learning styles. Three learning modalities were used to engage students in their preferred learning styles. The bible study provided an introduction to different ways of reading as a spiritual discipline while learning about God and developing a foundation for spiritual formation. The main goal of Psalm Styles was to present reading as a spiritual discipline using learning modality stations. Four objectives shaped the concept, development, design and implementation of the bible study. The first objective was to provide the youth with a brief overview of basic reading mechanics, context clues and sight words. The second objective was to create a context for understanding reading as a gift to the reader and listener. The third objective was to provide students with an introduction to the Word of God using verses from selected Psalms. The fourth objective was for the youth to develop a sense of community. These objectives are roadmaps towards the development of a foundational understanding of reading as a spiritual discipline for elementary aged children. |
