Reading
at Thomas Jefferson
Leveled
Reading Book Lists
Reading
With Your Child at Home
Some Strategies for Figuring
Out Words
Does
it make sense?
- Look at the pictures. Do
they help?
- Skip the word, read to the end
of the sentence. Then come back to the word. How does what you’ve read help
you with figuring out the word?
Does
it look right?
- Look at the beginning letter(s).
Start the sentence over, making your mouth ready to say the word.
- Look through the word to the end.
What sound do you see in the middle? At the end?
- Look for spelling patterns you
recognize.
- Look for smaller words within
the word.
- Think of where you may have seen
the word before.
Does
it sound right?
- Do we say it that way? For example,
"He goes to school." or "He go to school."
- Is it correct English speech?
Cross
check sources of information
- Think of what word would make
sense, sound right, and look right - match the letters.
- Listen to whether what you're
reading makes sense and matches the letters. Reread and correct it if it doesn’t.
Some Strategies for Understanding
Text
Selecting
an interesting book
- Select a book that’s part of a
series. Once you read one book, the others will be easier.
- Select a book on a topic you’re
interested in.
- Read the same book a friend is
reading. Discuss it.
Analyzing
reading
- Stop to think about the text.
Predict what you think is going to happen. Why do you think this? Read
to prove your prediction.
- Use your own experiences to understand
what you’re reading.
- Read on a little, and then come
back to the part that confused you.
- Reread the sentence, paragraph,
or chapter.
- Create a “picture” in your mind
of what you’re reading.
Reading
non-fiction
- Review the front and back cover
and table of contents to help you understand where the book is headed.
- Examine the chapter headings,
illustrations, captions, and charts before, during and after reading.
Writing
responses
- Make a story
web. How does knowing the story elements, i.e., characters, setting,
problem, main events, and resolution, help you think about the whole story?
- Make a character
map. How does the way the character “usually acts” help you predict
what he or she might do?
- Write about what you’re reading
to understand it better.
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