In order to decode and encode words readily, students need to be proficient in the use of tools or strategies that enable them. No longer are students asked to only “sound it out”. In our classrooms today, a variety of options are learned to try when figuring out “sticky words”. The strategies that I will share with you this year are widely popular with teachers and students, especially new readers who are developing that crucial foundation.
The other important skill beyond accurately decoding words is comprehending the text. Accuracy and understanding work together to create a successful, confident reader.
The other important skill beyond accurately decoding words is comprehending the text. Accuracy and understanding work together to create a successful, confident reader.
DECODING STRATEGIES
December
Once students have practiced and mastered these decoding strategies, reading can be monitored for fluency and comprehension. Understanding of the text should be demonstrated. The following is an example of simple checklists that are effective for evaluating these skills and for continued goal-setting based on the results.
Added this week are two examples of retelling tools. The first works for fiction and the second for nonfiction texts.
Added this week are two examples of retelling tools. The first works for fiction and the second for nonfiction texts.
COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES
New: Readers combine the strategies to better understand text. These are not “stand alones”. They interact with each other to help readers fully comprehend.
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EVALUATING is the strategy that asks students to judge, justify and/or defend understandings to determine importance based on stated criteria . See the Into The Book website for excellent lessons to teach this skill.
Once students are reading for accuracy and comprehension, self-correcting should be automatic. The posters shown here are free on TPT. They provide common language that scaffolds students as they learn to monitor their reading and self-correct their mistakes in order to maintain their understanding of the text.
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At this point, students have had lots of practice using their prior knowledge to make connections to the text they are reading. Predicting is another important strategy that encourages students to engage in a text and boost their comprehension at the same time. Predicting or Inferring allows readers to use clues and evidence from a text, beginning from the cover, to titles, headings and illustrations to anticipate what will occur next . Students naturally visualize what will happen next, based on their prior knowledge and the new clues or new information. This strategy should be encouraged before, during, and after reading a book or article.
See valuable lessons for teaching these strategies in your classroom at reading.ecb.org. Into The Book free resources include videos, posters, book suggestions and on-line lessons. |
A crucial comprehension skill for students to acquire is the ability to SUMMARIZE a story. This involves identifying the elements of the story and recalling these details within a sequenced framework. Summarizing demonstrates the student’s engagement and understanding of the piece read. Our next focus is on QUESTIONING. Good readers engage in the text and extend their understanding of the authors’ message by asking questions before, during, and after the piece. Asking “In the book” questions where the answer is found directly in the text and asking “beyond the text” questions that encourage students to stretch their thinking and read between the lines are crucial teaching strategies that encourage students to listen actively to the text and also assit teachers with monitoring their understanding.
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