READING TIPS
GUIDED READING
The folowing strategies are the basis of guided reading. Parents are also
encouraged to follow these strategies when reading with children.
1. Look at the picture. You may tell the child that the word is in the
picture, if it is.
2. Look for chunks in the word, "it" in sit, or "at" in mat.
3. Get your mouth ready to say the word by shaping the mouth for the
beginning letter.
4. Does the word look like any other word they know? (book looks like look)
5. Go on and read to the end of the sentence. Reading
the other words in context, you can figure out the
unknown words.
6. If they say the wrong word while reading, ask the questions like...
does it make sense?
does it sound right?
does it look right?
READING
Becoming a capable, competent reader is paramount to school success. Reading
encompasses a wide variety of skills and must be viewed as more than decoding
words. A child's prior knowledge of the world around him/her is essential for
understanding what is read.
Reads with Comprehension- The child understands and can explain what is read.
Applies Strategies for Attacking Words- The child is able to use context and
phonetic clues to identify unfamiliar words.
Recognizes Basic Sight Vocabulary- The child is able to identify basic words
from a list and in context.
Reads Independently for Sustained Period- The child uses leisure time to read
independently for a period of time which is appropriate for his/her
developmental level.
Reads Well Orally- The child is able to read smoothly and adjust his/her
voice to the punctuation and mood of the story.
Transfers Learning to Other Situations- The child is able to apply skills and
concepts introduced in reading to other areas
ADDITIONAL HINTS IN SELECTING A BOOK AND ENJOYING READING
Use the five finger rule. If five or more words on a page
are unfamiliar to your child, the book is too difficult.
Read easier text to practice fluency and expression.
Take turns reading pages with your child. When you read,
you are demonstrating good reading behaviors.
Ask your child questions as you read together to check for
comprehension.
Make frequent trips to your local library to get new books
to practice reading. Students are more likely to read,
when the books are about something they enjoy.
WRITING TIPS
CAPITAL LETTERS Capital letters are used at the beginning of each sentence.
Common nouns are lower case letters.
Proper nouns are upper case letters.
SPACING Spacing is used to separate words in a sentence.
One finger space between words allows sufficient spacing.
Use two fingers to space between sentences.
SPELLING Correct spelling can be found by using our WORD WAll.
Each child has a Word Wall chart inside test folders.
Inventive spelling is used for new word usage.
(Sounding out and writing heard letter sounds)
HANDWRITING Correct capital/lower case letter-number formation using
top, middle, and bottom handwriting lines in block print.
PUNCTUATION Appropriate use of period (.), exclamation point (!),
question mark (?), comma (,), apostrophe (!).
Each will be introduced this year.
