COMPREHENSION:
Check for Understanding:
As your leader reads or is read to, ask them 3 questions....
1. Who is the character in the story?
2. Where is the setting?
3. What is happening in the story (plot)?
Back Up and Reread:
If your reader cannot answer the 3 Check for Understanding questions (1 OR more of them), they need to, "Go Back and Reread." If they still cannot read the page or few pages, it may not be a good fit book.
Monitor & Fix Up:
Sometimes while reading, we "check ourselves," and realize we have NO IDEA what we just read about (even as adults!) That is monitoring (we will call it metacognition in Room 14, "Thinking about what we are thinking about"). When we find this happening, we try to fix it up by using strategies, like Back Up and
Reread.
Retell:
This is the same as a summary... once the book is read, have your reader leader tell you what happened in the beginning, middle, and end. I would suggest chunking it up and not getting to the end by the time you have this conversation! Don't add in all the little details, just the main idea!
Text-to-Self Connection:
While reading with your leader, stop and ask if the child has ANY connection to the book or writing. So often, they will recall a time they did something like the character or felt the same way. These connections are extremely important for comprehension (understanding what they read). If they can relate, they can remember!
Make a Mental Picture:
Students ACTIVELY think about what they are reading about and "snap" a picture in their head about a character or a setting or just about anything they read in the book (detail). One way to help with this is to do a read aloud with them and purposely NOT show them the pictures or have them close their eyes, but every now and again ask them to "Click!" take a picture. These pictures will go far in their understanding and retelling of the story!
Use Text Features:
Students naturally look at pictures in fiction and front load ALOT of information without even realizing it! We do the same in non-fiction with titles, subtitles, illustrations, charts, pictures, and captions. It helps with our comprehension and even our accuracy when they are working out unknown words.
Make a Prediction:
Most people do this before they read. A good reader makes predictions THROUGHOUT their reading. I tell them to try and “look into the future” of the book to predict what will happen. They continue to read on and see if their prediction came true or not. Then, they make a new prediction. It seems easy enough BUT if we are not truly focused on what we are reading, one may just go on auto-pilot and read on without thinking about the text. This is a quick way to make sure your reader is fully engaged!
ACCURACY:
Cross Check:
While reading, ask yourself, does it, "Look Right? Sound Right? Make Sense?" And... this can be done in math, Social Studies, Science, and in the kitchen... before we make a mistake and continue on without thinking!
Use the Pictures:
As one is reading, it is important to check the pictures for clues... is what you THINK you are reading about match any pictures given? If not, Monitor and Fix Up!
Practice Common Sight Words:
Common sight words are what we in first grade refer to as Rainbow Words. They are words that show up a lot in reading and often don't make a lot of sense when sounded out.
Chunking letters and sounds:
Chunking letters and sounds are for readers who have good decoding skills and are ready to move on to bigger words.
Example: rabbit
Look for the first vowel that shows up. In this case it is the "a" in rabbit.
Sandwich the ‘a’ in the consonants that surround it thus creating your first chunk (which is usually a syllable) "rab." Decode letter by letter and then blend together “rrrrraaaaabbbbb” to “rab”.
Do the same with the next vowel and so on.
Once all "chunks" have been worked out, put them together and see if how it sounds, "Looks right, sounds right, or makes sense?" with what you are reading or looking at!
Sounds/Stretch & Reread:
This strategy works for shorter words, ones without many syllables (you'd use chunking there!) Sound out (segment) each letter slowly and then stretch those individual sounds together quickly (blend). Try rereading the sentence a few times to see if it, "Looks right, sounds right, and makes sense."
EXTEND VOCABULARY:
Voracious Reading:
This is an easy one, read, read, read, and then read some more! Read ALL kinds of books, magazines, and articles that interest you! You will learn more words and different vocabulary just by soaking it all in!
Practice Common Sight Words
Common sight words are what we in first grade refer to as Rainbow Words. They are words that show up a lot in reading and often don't make a lot of sense when sounded out. I will be sending Rainbow Words home shortly so be on the look for them!
CAFE Strategies
