Reading Program

Demystifying Reading
by Kathleen Durance

What is Reading?
·        How do children learn to read?
·        How do we teach reading in school?
·        How can parents help children with reading at home?
 
The Big Picture
·        Reading is an extremely important skill
·        Student who struggle with reading, struggle in school
·        Reading has a big impact on what a person can do once they leave school.
 
Terms:  What does it mean when the teacher says…

Phonemic Awareness
·        Earliest awareness of words as sounds
·        Knowing that different words have different sounds
·        Knowing that parts of different words can sound the same or different
·        Example:  rhyming sounds, word play
 
Phonics
·        Knowing that a letter or group of letters make certain sounds
·        Being able to segment or break up a word into its sound parts by letters or letter groups
·        Being able to predict letters to create target words or sounds
·        Example: C says “cuh”; A says “aaaa”

Decoding
·        Using letter sounds to figure out a word
·        “Sounding out”
·        Limited by number of sound to letter or letter groups one knows (phonics)
·        A beginning strategy that should be less needed with time
 

Reading Strategies

Strong readers use decoding but start to rely more on:
·        Sight word recognition (knowing a word without having to sound it out)
·        Sounding out chunks of words (word families) rather than each letter
·        Predicting what would make sense and checking it with the letters in the word
·        Re-reading a word or sentence to make sure it makes sense
 

Fluency
·        Reading most words correctly with little hesitation
·        Reading that sounds like talking
·        Using a rise or fall in the voice that matches punctuation marks
·        pauses at a comma
·        rises at a question mark
·        takes on the rhythm of poems or patterns in text
·        Most relevant when tied to comprehension
 

Comprehension
·        Understanding what is read
·        Levels of comprehension:
–     Retelling main parts of story
–     Relating it to something from life
–     Reflecting on why certain parts were important
–     Applying knowledge from one text to another context
–     Putting ideas together from a variety of texts or other types of information
 

The Process
·        Most children follow a progression from phonemic awareness to phonics to decoding to fluency with comprehension
·        Some do not
 

Characteristics of children that are struggling often fall into one or more of these categories
·        Emergent
·        Print-based /Knowledge-Based
·        Limited Integration
·        Medical Limitation / Cognitive Limitation

A Call for Intervention Occurs When…

·        Teachers see limited progress along reading development process
·        Teachers observe specific challenges: i.e. print- or knowledge-based reliance
·        Teachers identify concerns of low integration related to maturity and previous literacy experience
·        Teachers suspect underlying challenges related to cognitive or medical conditions

Interventions might include
·        Adjusting strategies taught in class
·        Remedial help (pull-outs with an aide)
·        Academic and/or cognitive assessment
·        Placement in a targeted program
 

What Happens in School

How do schools help unique children to achieve…
·        The same goals on their own paths…
·        In the time available?
 

Two Ends of the Spectrum
Whole (or Natural) Language Approach
·        Emphasizes learning skills in context
·        Based on teachable moments
 
Systematic, skills-based approach
·        Emphasizes teacher directed instruction and practice with discrete parts of reading
 

The Issue of Balance
·        Some students thrive in either setting
·        Most students need both types of instruction to become fluent readers
·        Some students struggle and require alternative intervention
 
A “balanced” reading classroom might combine…
Whole Language
·        Read alouds and shared reading
·        Creating word walls of frequently used words
·        Lots of labels and student generated lists around the room
 
Systematic Skills
·        Direct instruction in phonic sounds
·        Guided reading targeting specific reading strategies
·        Study of word families

More on Guided Reading

·        During guided reading a teacher:
·        Works with a small group of students who share a need to work on a particular strategy (i.e. tracking print or predicting)
·        Includes modeling, discussion, questioning and working with students one-on-one
·        Anecdotal notes or running records are written down to track student progress and guide decisions for what to work on next time
 
 
The Home Connection

For Beginners:
·        Talk about the pictures (in English and Home Language)
·        Say words with them
·        Read the same book many times
·        Have them put their finger under each word as they read

As they improve:
·        Use clues to figure out new words:
·        Ask: “What would make sense there?”
·        Use picture and letter sound clues for support
·        Stop to ask questions or predict what will happen on the next page
 
As they gain independence:
·        Continue to predict and check for understanding but in longer chunks
·        Talk about the character’s actions, reasons, and growth; compare with other stories you’ve read together
·        In non-fiction text, relate to other sources, look up additional information, pay attention to unique page layout (like diagrams and text-boxes)

Guiding Principals
·        Read to and with every day (yes, even as they get older)
·        Keep it fun: urge independence but step in to help if frustration hits
·        Talk about what you read
 

Spelling and Reading
·        Spelling homework (I.e. “Words of the week”) is designed to help children not only spell words, but even more important, to help them learn to recognize and read these words without having to “sound them out”--essential for becoming a fluent reader.
 

Hints for “spelling” practice
·        Write it down: oral practice is a good start, but writing makes more connections
·        Play fun games with words: fill in the missing letter (hangman), draw words with crayons, make them with play-dough; cut up the word and put it back together again
·        Keep a word wall in your house; add to it each week
·        Point out “word wall words” in books you read
·        Write the words in sentences.
 

In Summary:
·        Learning to read is important, complex and, although often similar, still a unique process for every child.
·        Reading instruction at school covers both strategic skills and holistic comprehension experiences.
·        Children who associate reading with positive interactions both at home and school are better able to keep working at it even when the skills become more challenging.
 

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Put Reading First
Helping Your Child Learn to Read
A Parent Guide
Preschool Through Grade 3
Success in school starts with reading.
When children become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond.

Learning to read is hard work for children. Fortunately, research is now available that suggests how to give each child a good start in reading.

Becoming a reader involves the development of important skills, including learning to:

use language in conversation
listen and respond to stories read aloud
recognize and name the letters of the alphabet
listen to the sounds of spoken language
connect sounds to letters to figure out the "code" of reading
read often so that recognizing words becomes easy and automatic
learn and use new words
understand what is read
Preschool and kindergarten teachers set the stage for your child to learn to read with some critical early skills. First, second, and third grade teachers then take up the task of building the skills that children will use every day for the rest of their lives. As a parent, you can help by understanding what teachers are teaching and by asking questions about your child's progress and the classroom reading program.

You can also help your children become readers. Learning to read takes practice, more practice than children get during the school day. This brochure describes what a quality reading program should look like at school and how you can support that program through activities with your children.

If your child is just beginning to learn to read
At school you should see teachers...
Teaching the sounds of language. The teacher provides opportunities for children to practice with the sounds that make up words. Children learn to put sounds together to make words and to break words into their separate sounds.
Teaching the letters of the alphabet. Teachers help children learn to recognize letter names and shapes.
Helping children learn and use new words.
Reading to children every day. Teachers read with expression and talk with children about what they are reading.
At home you can help by...
Practicing the sounds of language. Read books with rhymes. Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs. Play simple word games: How many words can you make up that sound like the word "bat"?
Helping your child take spoken words apart and put them together. Help your child separate the sounds in words, listen for beginning and ending sounds, and put separate sounds together.
Practicing the alphabet by pointing out letters wherever you see them and by reading alphabet books.
If your child is just beginning to read
At school you should see teachers...
Systematically teaching phonics--how sounds and letters are related.
Giving children the opportunity to practice the letter-sound relationships they are learning. Children have the chance to practice sounds and letters by reading easy books that use words with the letter-sound relationships they are learning.
Helping children write the letter-sound relationships they know by using them in words, sentences, messages, and their own stories.
Showing children ways to think about and understand what they are reading. The teacher asks children questions to show them how to think about the meaning of what they read.
At home you can help by...
Pointing out the letter-sound relationships your child is learning on labels, boxes, newspapers, magazines and signs.
Listening to your child read words and books from school. Be patient and listen as your child practices. Let your child know you are proud of his reading.
If your child is reading
At school you should see teachers...
Continuing to teach letter-sound relationships for children who need more practice. On average, children need about two years of instruction in letter-sound relationships to become good spellers as well as readers.
Teaching the meaning of words, especially words that are important to understanding a book.
Teaching ways to learn the meaning of new words. Teachers cannot possibly teach students the meaning of every new word they see or read. Children should be taught how to use dictionaries to learn word meanings, how to use known words and word parts to figure out other words, and how to get clues about a word from the rest of the sentence.
Helping children understand what they are reading. Good readers think as they read and they know whether what they are reading is making sense. Teachers help children to check their understanding. When children are having difficulty, teachers show them ways to figure out the meaning of what they are reading.
At home you can help your child by...
Rereading familiar books. Children need practice in reading comfortably and with expression using books they know.
Building reading accuracy. As your child is reading aloud, point out words he missed and help him read words correctly. If you stop to focus on a word, have your child reread the whole sentence to be sure he understands the meaning.
Building reading comprehension. Talk with your child about what she is reading. Ask about new words. Talk about what happened in a story. Ask about the characters, places, and events that took place. Ask what new information she has learned from the book. Encourage her to read on her own.
Make reading a part of every day
Share conversations with your child over meal times and other times you are together. Children learn words more easily when they hear them spoken often. Introduce new and interesting words at every opportunity.
Read together every day. Spend time talking about stories, pictures, and words.
Be your child's best advocate. Keep informed about your child's progress in reading and ask the teacher about ways you can help.
Be a reader and a writer. Children learn habits from the people around them.
Visit the library often. Story times, computers, homework help, and other exciting activities await the entire family.
 

( From the National Institute for Literacy)

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COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES

Before I Read, I should....

Make some guesses about what I think will happen in the story.
Look at the pictures to see what the story is about.
Read the title and pictures to help me make guesses about what will happen in the story.
Decide on why I am going to read the story.
Ask myself questions that I would like to have answered in the story.
Use my questions and guesses as a reason for reading the story.
Think of what I already know about the things I see in the pictures.
Think of what the characters in the story might be like.
Think about where the story might take place.
While I read, I should.....

Check to see if the story is making sense by seeing if I can tell what has happened so far.
Stop to retell the main points to see if I am understanding what has happened so far.
Keep thinking about the title and the pictures to help me decide what is going to happen next.
Check to see if my guesses are right or wrong.
Make a lot of guesses about what is going to happen next.
Try to answer the questions I asked myself.
Try to see if my guesses are right or wrong.
Keep thinking of what I already know about the things and ideas in the story to help me decide what is going to happen.
Reread some parts or read ahead to see if I can figure out what is happening if things are not making sense
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