Reading


 * READING STRATEGIES **

Strategies used to enhance reading fluency share common qualities. These qualities are:
1. use text that has **//few new words//** for students) and/or **//predictable//** and patterned text (text that has repetitions or patterns as in poetry or song lyrics); 2. **//modeling//** by more fluent readers; 3. **//repeated readings//** of the text until greater accuracy and speed are achieved.

The following fluency strategies have been effective with struggling readers:


 * Repeated Readings** A paragraph or short page is read 4 times taking turns – 2 times by the parent, 2 times by the child. HOW: The parent reads the paragraph first modeling how they want the child to do it, then the child reads the same paragraph, then the parent reads it again and finally the child reads it one last time the best they can. Then move on to the next paragraph. This is meant to be done only for about 10-15 minutes, not for long periods of time or the whole story. (Samuels, 1979)


 * Paired Reading** HOW: A good reader (often a parent) and a child read a book aloud together, both reading together at the same time. The good reader reads slightly ahead of the child but not too fast. (based on Neurological Impress Method, Heckelman, 1969)

What is it? Another successful strategy is for the teacher to mark **phrases** with highlighters or slashes showing meaningful chunks or phrases. Readers then practice with the marked text and reread it in its unmarked version. Students can also be taught to mark phrases. (Schreiber, 1980, 1991; Rasinski, 1990)
 * 2 Voice Reading** HOW: The parent reads the left page of a book then the child reads the right page of a book. Parents ask questions along the way and model how they want the child to read.
 * Phrasing:**


 * Fresh Reads:** What is it? A student is asked to read a story that’s on grade level for 1 minute that they have never seen before (unfamiliar). When finished, the words that were read correctly are counted and that is their WPM (words per minute). (see averages below)

Benefits from each of these strategies include increased fluency (speed and phrasing), higher accuracy in word recognition, and better comprehension.
 * Multi-syllable words:** Longer words are often difficult for struggling readers. Look for: **__C__**ontractions and Compound words, **__A__**ffixes (prefixes and suffixes), **__D__**ivide syllables, **__S__**ound out. Using CADS will help a child when they get to longer words they are not sure of.


 * Average 2nd grade words per minute (WPM):** Sept.: 52 Jan.: 68 May.: 87