Reading Instruction
Various Approaches to Reading Instruction By: Katie Ferguson
So Much to Teach, So Little TIme
Understand that there is more than one correct way to teach, and you will develop your own methods. However, there are some approaches that are proven more effective than others.
Stage 1 - Emergent Readers
Stage 2 - Beginning Readers
Stage 3 - Fluent Readers
Phonemic Awareness - Substituting, Blending, and Segmenting Sounds.
Phonics - The Relationship Between Phonology and Orthography
Provide explicit instruction.
Take advantage of teachable moments.
Guidelines for Teaching Spelling
- Analyze the errors in children's writing to provide appropriate spelling instruction based on their stage of development
- Connect phonemic awareness, phonics, and spelling during mini lessons by having children manipulate words orally and read and spell them.
- Involve children in making words, word ladders, word sorts, and other hands-on spelling activities.
Don't forget to provide time to let students read to self!
English Language Learners
How well do they know there home language? What is there home life like?
Do the languages have any similarities? If so, get to know the language, and point them out!
Provide explicit instruction, and allow time for practice.
Provide time for students to practice oral language in small group work, this helps them become comfortable in their second language.
Read aloud and model.
Build their background knowledge, it is often very different than your own, and others in the classroom!
Provide authentic literacy activities that apply the strategies and skills you are teaching.
Repetition, repetition, repetition!
Assessments
One method of informal assessment that worked well for me, was to keep an old record book and assign each student a page. I would jot down a few notes each time I met with them - both reading and writing. I was sure to write at least 1 positive and 1 improvement. It was a great way to make sure that I was meeting with everyone, and that I wasn't saying the same thing over and over. Many other teachers find that post-it notes work well for them.
We will also progress monitor our students throughout the year using STAR, and Fountas and Pinnell, and others determined by your grade level curriculum.
Whole Language vs. Phonics
- Children learn naturally
- Skills taught in context
- Memorization of words
- Explicit Instruction
- Skills taught out of context
- Decoding skills taught
Balanced Literacy - combination of whole language and phonics - best approach!
Create a Community of Learners - Foundation of all learning!
Have a word wall! & use it! Do activities with it, if you need some, I have a wonderful resource my professor, Jeannette Armstrong, gave me and I would love to share.
Be culturally and developmentally responsive to your students.
Technology Resources
www.sumdog.com -reading is paid for