Hi Parents!
Welcome to a little mini-series I'm calling "Strategy of the Day." This first post will be a bit longer than the others since I'd like to give you a bit of background information today.
This week, our class is studying the various strategies good readers use to decode (or read) "tricky" words. We call these "decoding strategies". Each day, I'm going to highlight the decoding strategy learned that day so you can use it at home to help your child when he/she encounters a tricky word. I know it's hard to resist, but please do not simply tell your child the word he/she is trying to decode. This only creates dependence on you! Instead, it's important for new readers to have decoding strategies to problem solve difficult words. When you know the strategies your child has learned, you can encourage his/her use of these strategies, instead of simply telling him/her the word.
A couple of other things to note:
1. Employing decoding strategies doesn't make new readers dependent on the strategies, nor does it stifle their reading growth! Rather, employing decoding strategies encourages independence, promotes reading growth, and increases young readers' confidence. As their reading ability grows, they naturally dispense with the strategies they no longer need. Just think....when was the last time you used a calculator to solve 2 + 2? You can't remember! Why? Since you don't need the "calculator strategy" to get the answer, you simply don't use it! Reading is the same way....once new readers no longer need the strategy, they stop using it.
2. All decoding strategies begin with the idea that good readers continuously monitor their own reading. They listen to what they're reading. If something doesn't look or sound "right", or if something doesn't make sense to their own "good reader" ears, they stop, go back, and try again. "Trying again" often means using a decoding strategy.
With that, let's get started.
Decoding Strategy of the Day: Check the Picture!
Pictures do more than simply decorate the pages of the book! When your child comes to a tricky word, encourage him/her to check the picture for information to help decode the word. It's that simple!
The strategy in action:
Pretend the book your child is reading shows the characters drinking milk and eating cookies. The accompanying text says, "Billy ate the cookie!" Your child comes to the word "cookie" and can't decode it. Prompt your child by saying "check the picture". Since your child just read "Billy ate all the", he/she will be prompted to look at the picture of Billy to see what's in Billy's hand. He/she will see that Billy is eating a cookie. Your child will (ideally) finish the sentence by correctly saying the word "cookie". You can even ask your child, "Does that make sense?" (Remember: good readers are always monitoring their own reading to ensure what they're reading makes sense!) Don't forget to praise your child for decoding the tricky word!
Please let me know if you have any questions about this strategy, or any of the information you read in this series. I truly welcome your feedback.
Please check back tomorrow for the next Strategy of the Day.
Welcome to a little mini-series I'm calling "Strategy of the Day." This first post will be a bit longer than the others since I'd like to give you a bit of background information today.
This week, our class is studying the various strategies good readers use to decode (or read) "tricky" words. We call these "decoding strategies". Each day, I'm going to highlight the decoding strategy learned that day so you can use it at home to help your child when he/she encounters a tricky word. I know it's hard to resist, but please do not simply tell your child the word he/she is trying to decode. This only creates dependence on you! Instead, it's important for new readers to have decoding strategies to problem solve difficult words. When you know the strategies your child has learned, you can encourage his/her use of these strategies, instead of simply telling him/her the word.
A couple of other things to note:
1. Employing decoding strategies doesn't make new readers dependent on the strategies, nor does it stifle their reading growth! Rather, employing decoding strategies encourages independence, promotes reading growth, and increases young readers' confidence. As their reading ability grows, they naturally dispense with the strategies they no longer need. Just think....when was the last time you used a calculator to solve 2 + 2? You can't remember! Why? Since you don't need the "calculator strategy" to get the answer, you simply don't use it! Reading is the same way....once new readers no longer need the strategy, they stop using it.
2. All decoding strategies begin with the idea that good readers continuously monitor their own reading. They listen to what they're reading. If something doesn't look or sound "right", or if something doesn't make sense to their own "good reader" ears, they stop, go back, and try again. "Trying again" often means using a decoding strategy.
With that, let's get started.
Decoding Strategy of the Day: Check the Picture!
Pictures do more than simply decorate the pages of the book! When your child comes to a tricky word, encourage him/her to check the picture for information to help decode the word. It's that simple!
The strategy in action:
Pretend the book your child is reading shows the characters drinking milk and eating cookies. The accompanying text says, "Billy ate the cookie!" Your child comes to the word "cookie" and can't decode it. Prompt your child by saying "check the picture". Since your child just read "Billy ate all the", he/she will be prompted to look at the picture of Billy to see what's in Billy's hand. He/she will see that Billy is eating a cookie. Your child will (ideally) finish the sentence by correctly saying the word "cookie". You can even ask your child, "Does that make sense?" (Remember: good readers are always monitoring their own reading to ensure what they're reading makes sense!) Don't forget to praise your child for decoding the tricky word!
Please let me know if you have any questions about this strategy, or any of the information you read in this series. I truly welcome your feedback.
Please check back tomorrow for the next Strategy of the Day.
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