| Many progress monitoring assessments do not | | | | Other prompts you can use when a child gets |
| provide the beginning reader with pictures to | | | | stuck:a) "Look at the picture."b) "Did that make |
| access meaning. This is a huge mistake! As a | | | | sense?" (If the learner says a word that did not |
| result, teachers are choosing to not cue students | | | | make sense.)c) "Does what you read make |
| to use the pictures, in order for them to score | | | | sense, sound right (referring to if the learner uses |
| well on tests. Pictures, especially, in the early | | | | improper dialect ex: goed for go), and look |
| stages of reading, provide important clues into the | | | | right?"d) "Where was the tricky part? What can |
| meaning of the text. If we eliminate the pictures, | | | | YOU try to fix it up?"e) If the word is clearly |
| in order to train learners to "pass" certain 'high | | | | beyond the learners ability to figure it out just tell |
| stakes' reading tests, we are creating a culture of | | | | them the word. If the learner says a word that |
| word decoders, not students who comprehend | | | | carries the same meaning don't correct it in the |
| what they have read. | | | | early stages. EX: house for homef) Give praise |
| In the early stages of learning to read, learners | | | | for all efforts! "I like the way you tried to work |
| use the pictures to create meaning, in order to: | | | | that out." "All readers make mistakes and you |
| predict if a word looks right, sounds right, and | | | | have some good ideas now for how to fix them." |
| makes sense. | | | | "I really enjoy reading with you." |
| This is a learner's first strategy. | | | | The learner's reading sounds staccato what should |
| What is the use of a book', thought Alice, 'without | | | | I do? |
| pictures or conversations?' ~ Lewis Carroll ~ | | | | In the later levels of books for the learners we |
| What are other beginning strategies the learner | | | | are going to ask the learner to:o "Read it with |
| needs to know when beginning to read?o Read | | | | your eyes instead of your finger."o "Pretend your |
| page on left firsto Point to each word as you | | | | teacher is reading this story to the class, how |
| read ito Read words from left to right across the | | | | would she make it sound?"o Make it sound like |
| pageo Return to the left side on the next lineo | | | | talking.o Model fluent reading for the child and then |
| Spaces separate the words | | | | do it together and then ask the child to read it |
| How do I get learner to point to each word?o | | | | that way alone. Make sure you do this on a book |
| Show the learner how by doing it yourselfo If the | | | | that the student already knows how to read well. |
| word contains more than one syllable, use your | | | | Isn't the learner just memorizing the books? |
| finger and tap each syllable and then slide your | | | | The answer is yes and no. Yes the learner in the |
| finger under the word slowly while reading it. | | | | early stages has memorized the books. However, |
| EX: brother | | | | s/he is encoding certain sight words, learning to: |
| Say/Tap, "broth er | | | | match words to voice, move left to right across |
| It's all one word though with two parts." | | | | the page, recognizing words in print s/he does |
| Now slide finger under word and say it slowly. | | | | know etc. |
| "It has to parts but we'll only point once to i | | | | What about punctuation? I have found the |
| If the learner does not match the words | | | | following prompts useful for getting the learner to |
| correctly than prompt them by saying, | | | | observe punctuation while reading.o A period |
| * "Did that match?" | | | | means your voice goes down.o A question mark |
| * "Make it match." | | | | almost always tells you that your voice goes up.o |
| * "Did you have enough words?" | | | | Quotation marks begin and end where you make |
| What should be done when learner becomes | | | | the characters voices.o When the quotation mark |
| stuck on word?o Model by puzzling out loud what | | | | ends you use your own voice.o A comma is like a |
| could be done. Looking at the first letter of the | | | | sort period. |
| difficult word say the sound for the first letter. | | | | All explanations need to be modeled by the |
| Start at the beginning of sentence and begin | | | | instructor frequently! |
| reading until you come to the difficult word. Now | | | | What is a picture walk? |
| make the sound and ask out loud "Hmm, now | | | | A picture walk is essential in the beginning stages. |
| what word would make sense and begin like that. | | | | The instructor gives the overview of the book |
| Look at the picture and see if the answer is | | | | written on the front cover. Then, without reading |
| there.o Later prompts for learner "Get your | | | | the words, the instructor goes through each |
| mouth ready for that sound and think what would | | | | picture discussing what is happening, feeding in |
| make sense."o After learner makes an attempt, | | | | words that the child may not know naturally in |
| ask "were you right?" "How do you know" "Does | | | | the conversation, and helps makes predictions |
| it look right at the beginning?" "How about at the | | | | about what will happen next. If the book follows a |
| end?" "Run your finger slowly under it and see if | | | | predictable pattern the teacher will also read the |
| the letters match the sounds."o Sometimes the | | | | first pages aloud to the learner. |
| learner will say no because there is a silent letter | | | | To goal of having the instructor prompt for |
| in the word. Take the time to explain about the | | | | strategies is for the child to internalize the |
| silent letter. Also, initially use these techniques on | | | | techniques and become much better in the area |
| simple words that do not contain silent letters.o | | | | of comprehension! |