Reading Strategies
Retell the story
When reading at home, ask: "What happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story?"
Check for understanding
Ask: "Does this make sense?" Reading is thinking and we read to understand, so it is important to continually check for understanding.
Back up and re-read
If it doesn't make sense, go back and re-read the chapter, page, paragraph again, sometimes more that 2 times.
Use text features
When reading Non-fiction books, point out titles, captions, photographs, glossaries, index. Model how to use this features.
Use my schema to make connections
Students bring information they already know (their schema) to what they are reading to help them better understand the text. Help your child make connections by modelling this from time to time. *It's important to make connections meaningful rather than "thin". A good connection helps the student understand what they are reading and a thin connection usually only shares something in common with the reading...ie. "the character collects stamps and so do I".
Tune into interesting words
Students who tune in to interesting words will encounter and remember new words -expanding their vocabulary. We keep a running list in our classroom, which includes words such as fierce, intense and doom. Discuss new vocabulary you encounter in home reading books and connect it to their lives whenever possible.
Flip the sound
We teach students to use their knowledge of letter sounds to decode words by trying out or "flipping" the different sounds a letter can make. ie. the letter a can say it's name as in cake, or it can say it's sound, as in cat.
Questioning
Good readers ask themselves questions when they read.
Questions help students clarify and deepen understanding of the text they are reading.
When reading at home, ask: "What happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story?"
Check for understanding
Ask: "Does this make sense?" Reading is thinking and we read to understand, so it is important to continually check for understanding.
Back up and re-read
If it doesn't make sense, go back and re-read the chapter, page, paragraph again, sometimes more that 2 times.
Use text features
When reading Non-fiction books, point out titles, captions, photographs, glossaries, index. Model how to use this features.
Use my schema to make connections
Students bring information they already know (their schema) to what they are reading to help them better understand the text. Help your child make connections by modelling this from time to time. *It's important to make connections meaningful rather than "thin". A good connection helps the student understand what they are reading and a thin connection usually only shares something in common with the reading...ie. "the character collects stamps and so do I".
Tune into interesting words
Students who tune in to interesting words will encounter and remember new words -expanding their vocabulary. We keep a running list in our classroom, which includes words such as fierce, intense and doom. Discuss new vocabulary you encounter in home reading books and connect it to their lives whenever possible.
Flip the sound
We teach students to use their knowledge of letter sounds to decode words by trying out or "flipping" the different sounds a letter can make. ie. the letter a can say it's name as in cake, or it can say it's sound, as in cat.
Questioning
Good readers ask themselves questions when they read.
Questions help students clarify and deepen understanding of the text they are reading.