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Click here to see the California state standards P.E. |
Corduroy's Clever Words Corduroy's "Clever Words" is just what I call high frequency or "sight" words. It is extremely necessary for beginning readers to learn to read these words. Many of them cannot be "sounded out". They are the "unimportant" words that help carry the meaning of a story. Children need to be able to recognize them quickly when coming upon them in a book in order to be successful readers. Students who have these "anchor" words down are able to turn their focus to the words in the story that they can figure out by using reading strategies such as using a picture clue or looking at the word structure. It is very important that you support your child at home in learning these words! Here are the words that Corduroy has given us as of 12/11/09:
Guided Reading Instruction When I meet with your child in a small group, or one-on-one for a reading lesson, I refer to this as guided reading. In a guided reading lesson, the teacher supports the reader's development of effective strategies for understanding texts at increasing levels of difficulty and leads to independent reading. The teacher works with a small group who use similar reading processes and are able to read similar levels of text with support. The teacher introduces a text to this small group, works briefly with individuals in the group as they read it, may select one or two teaching points to present to the group, and may ask the children to take part in an extension of their reading. The text is one that offers a minimum of new things to learn; that is, the children can read it with the strategies they currently have, but it provides opportunity for a small amount of new learning (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996). It is important for beginning readers to have these strategies in place when they come to a word they don't know...a plan of attack, so to speak. "What's this word?" is a common question for beginning readers to ask. We give the students an arsenal of strategies to try when they come to a word they don't know. Here are a few I will teach: · Look at the picture · Ask, What would make sense? Now look at the letters in the word. Try it. Did is look right? Did that sound right? · Skip over it and read to the end of the sentence. Now go back and think, what would make sense? Try it. Did that sound right? Look right? · Use your fingers to "break apart" the word. Do you see a chunk or work you know?
Please read the book(s) that are in your child's reading bag every night. Even if it is not a new book, your child should practice reading it again...and again. It is great practice for them to read "familiar" books. They should be using their finger to touch under each work as they read along (not a sweeping line). This helps with the "I think they just memorized it" factor. If your child gets stuck along the way, resist the temptation to give away the answer when they ask, "What's this word?" Instead, refer to the list of strategies above. You can say something like, "Did you look at the picture for a clue?" Or, "Look at the first letter. Put that sound in your mouth. What would make sense here?" "Sound it out" is a knee-jerk response that many parents suggest, but in actuality we don't use this strategy very often because so many words do not sound out like they are spelled!
"Did you sound like a reader or a robot?" This is a question we don't pose at the beginning of the year when the students are just beginning to put words together. However, mid- year when their reading is becoming more fluent, I'll ask, Did you sound like a reader or a robot? That question means I want the student to think about how the words sounded coming out. Reading word by word without expression sounds like a robot. But, a reader will have inflection in their voice, and read with expression.
"The book you sent home was too easy for my child." Sometimes parents think the books sent home are meant to be challenging. However, it's important to remember that the book your child brings home has been read in a guided reading session. Your child and I have already worked on the word-decoding, fluency and comprehension. It is very normal for the reading to seem easy. It should be! That's proof your child did a great job remembering everything we worked on that day!!
However, just because the book seems easy does NOT mean you shouldn't have your child read it. Good readers become great readers by reading! Just ask any great musician how they got that way, and they'll tell you practice, practice, practice! Each time a musician play a piece, he/she works on rhythm, tempo and expression. When readers practice reading over and over, they too work on fluency, expression, and comprehension.
"Can we talk about what happened in the book?" This is a question you should ask your child before/during/after their reading. Reading isn't just reciting words, it's making meaning. That means your child should be engaged with their reading.
When you see the cover/title, start a conversation. For example, "Oh, look at the dog. He looks naughty. Remember when Fido used to chew on our shoes? Do you remember what we had to do?" If your child stops in the middle of their reading to say what may sound like an off-topic remark, give them a chance. Many times what the child is reading will remind them of something from their own life. ("Just like when we had to take Fido to dog school.") When children make connections from their reading to their lives, it shows that they are making meaning. This is a great thing! Remember, the child who can't carry on a conversation about their reading probably didn't understand what they read!
When your child finishes reading the book, continue talking. You can ask questions like, "What was your favorite part?" or "Does that story remind you of our family?" or "What would you do if you were the dog's owner?" Don't worry if your child finds this tricky at first. This is a tough skill to learn! But, with your support at home, your child will show that he/she can make meaning when they are reading! Click on the picture
to hear silly stories read aloud to you:
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