how to teach literacy skills, i guess?

What is a book talk and how is it an evidence based literacy approach?

"A booktalk is an energetic discussion about a book done with a class, groups or an individual child. Booktalks can happen at any time throughout the school day, linked to any block in which reading is important." You're just giving an overview of a book that you love. Talk about the background, give a little summary, read the first page, make connections to your life OR their lives, Book talks can get non-interested readers more interested in books. It can motivate children intrinsically. They want to read it because it will bring value to them, regardless of the extrinsic reward they may receive.

Phonemic awareness

1. Explicit instruction 2. Teacher modeling 3. Guided practice. 4. Independent practice. IF YOU SHOW WORDS, IT BECOMES A PHONICS LESSON. PHONEMICS LESSONS MUST BE DONE ORALLY/WITH PICTURES. Teach the r-controlled vowels, label each one, and identify each one in initial and final position. Teach other vowels (e.g. /oy/), label each one, and identify each one in initial and final position.

Graphemes sub-test of the Phonological Awareness Test

A way to formally assess letter knowledge. Comprehensive assessment of letter-sound knowledge extending from single consonants through vowel digraphs and diphthongs. Standardized from aged 5-9.

Letter identification sub-test of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised

A way to formally assess letter knowledge. Gives students letters in different fonts, some of which may be unfamiliar to children. It allows children to give either the name or the sound the letter makes. However, children who perform poorly in kindergarten will not reach the more difficult items, so that their score should be quite comparable to a more straightforward test of letter-name knowledge.

Assistive Tech for Writing

Abbreviation expanders (software programs that allow a user to create, store, and re-use abbreviations for frequently used words of phrases. this can save the user keystrokes and ensure proper spelling of words and phrases) Alternative keyboards (special overlays that customize the appearance and function of a standard keyboard. Students who have LD or have trouble typing may benefit from customization that reduces input choices, groups keys by color/location, and adds graphics) Graphic organizers and outlining Paper-based computer pen (records and links audio to what a person writes using the pen and special paper. It enables the user to take notes while simultaneously recording someone speaking. Portable word processors (for people who struggle with handwriting, can help kids with CP) Proofreading software programs Speech recognition software programs Speech synthesizers/screen readers Spell checkers/electronic dictionaries Word prediction software programs

Writing Process Checklist

Assessment to evaluate the stages of the writing process. Used during Writing workshop. Should include planning, drafting, revision, and editing. Can be completed by teacher or student.

Assistive Tech for Reading

Audio books, optical character recognition (allows a user to scan printed material into a computer and the scanned text is then read aloud), paper-based computer pen, variable speed tape recorders.

Running Record: Qualitative Analysis

Based on observations you make and includes the M, S, and V observations. Also includes fluency, intonation, and phrasing. How did the child respond to prompts? All of these things help you form a pictures of the child's reading development.

Guided reading

Based on the idea of basal readers, but by selecting books that are carefully sequenced for overall difficulty, it can enable instruction at just the right level. It can also have setbacks because the approach to decoding instruction is not very systematic, and the assessments are not sufficiently diagnostic.

Onset-rime phonics

Children learn to identify the sound of the letter or letters before the first vowel (the onset) in a one-syllable word and the sound of the remaining part of the word (the rime). (e.g. decode shark by blending the sound of the onset, "sh", with the time, "ark".)

DRI: Choice Boards

Choice boards are organizers that contain a variety of activities. Students can choose one or several activities to complete as they learn a skill or develop a product. Choice boards can be organized so that students are required to choose options that focus on several different skills. Example: After students read Romeo and Juliet, they are given a choice board that contains a list of possible activities for each of the following learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile. Students must complete two activities from the board and must choose these activities from two different learning styles.

Syllable patterns

Closed: a syllable with a short vowel before the final consonant (picnic, subject, basket) Open: a syllable with a long vowel sound. It can be a single vowel letter (open, super, gracious, moment) Consonant -le: an unaccented final syllable with a consonant before /;/ followed by a silent e (little, puzzle, mumble) Vowel-consonant-e: a syllable with a long vowel sound and is spelled with a vowel, consonant, and a final silent e (compete, notebook, invite)

DRI: Compacting

Compacting is the process of adjusting instruction to account for prior student mastery of learning objectives. Compacting involves a three-step process: (assess the student to determine his/her level of knowledge on the material to be studied and determine what he/she still needs to master; create plans for what the student needs to know, and excuse the student from studying what he/she already knows; and create plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study. Example: A student who can decode words with short vowel sounds would not participate in a direct instruction lesson for that skill, but might be provided with small group or individualized instruction on a new phonics skill.

Phoneme awareness

Comparison: Identify and match the initial sounds in words, then the final and middle sounds (e.g., "Which picture begins with /m/?"; "Find another picture that ends in /r/"). Also comparison: Segment and produce the initial sound, then the final and middle sounds (e.g., "What sound does zoo start with?"; "Say the last sound in milk"; "Say the vowel sound in rope"). Blending: Blend sounds into words (e.g., "Listen: /f/ /ē/ /t/. Say it fast"). Segmenting: Segment the phonemes in two- or three-sound words, moving to four- and five- sound words as the student becomes proficient (e.g., "The word is eyes. Stretch and say the sounds: /ī/ /z/"). Manipulate phonemes by removing, adding, or substituting sounds (e.g., "Say smoke without the /m/"). (This is phoneme deletion? But also like, this example is building on deletion too)

DIBELS: Dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills

Developed to measure recognized and empirically validated skills related to reading outcomes. Lets teachers gauge progress of students. Latest edition measures letter-naming fluency, word-reading fluency, which will suggest next instructional steps for specific areas of child improvement.

Fluency

Echo reading, choral reading, audio-assisted reading, partner reading, decodable text reading, and timed repeated reading.

How often to use a running record:

Emergent readers (Levels aa through G): every 2 to 4 weeks. Upper emergent readers (Levels H through K): every 4 to 6 weeks. Early fluent readers (Levels L through O): every 6 to 8 weeks Fluent readers (Levels P and beyond): every 8 to 10 weeks

Differentiation for advanced readers:

Engage them in student-managed, meaning-focused activities Good readers should spend their time reading independently, analyzing and responding to what they read. Give them good comprehension questions, but also do that for everyone. When students have to explain, justify, and defend answers, they think more deeply than when answering literal questions.

Running Record: Errors

Errors are tallied during the reading whenever a child substitutes a word, omits a word, inserts a word, or has to be told what the word is.

Running record: Accuracy rate

Expressed as a percentage. You can calculate the accuracy by using this formula: (Total words read - total errors) / total words read x 100 = Accuracy rate. Example: (120-6) / 120 x 100 114/120 x 100 .95 x 100 = 95% You can use accuracy rate to determine whether the text read is easy enough for independent reading (95-100%), difficult enough to warrant instruction but avoid frustration (90-94%), or too difficult (89% and below)

Running record: Error Rate

Expressed as a ratio and is calculated by dividing the total number of words read by the total number of errors made. Total words / total errors = error rate. So, 120/6 = 20, ratio is expressed as 1:20. So for each error made, the child reads 20 words correctly.

Running record: Self-correction rate

Expressed as a ratio and is calculated by using the following formula: (Errors+self-correction) / self-correction = self-correction rate. Example: (10+5) / 5 15/15 3 = SC The SC is expressed as 1:3. This means that the child corrects 1 out of every 3 errors. If a child is self-correcting at a rate of 1:3 or less, this indicates that she or he is self-monitoring their reading.

For ELL students (long list):

First: To meet the needs of below grade level readers, spend more time working on decoding skills. -Phonemes can be tricky if they don't exist in a child's fist language. Make sure the instruction has meaning and the children can pronounce things. -Games and word walls -Songs and poems can teach phonemic awareness and print concepts -Model "thinking aloud" when students come across difficult text -When teaching phonemes, use words ELL students already know -Pre-teach vocabulary! (role play, use gestures, show real objects, point to pictures, do quick drawings on the board, use the spanish equivalent, provide a student-friendly definition, use graphic organizers) -Teach them that fluency also means comprehension, not just reading quickly -Allow students to practice reading along with taped text -Engage students in independent reading, analyzing, and responding

Assessing word reading fluency

Gray oral reading test - 3rd edition. Consists of 13 increasingly difficult passages, each followed by 5 comprehension questions. Measure of oral reading rate is obtained by recording the time it takes for the child to read the passages. BUT it doesn't provide a very sensitive measure of individual differences in reading ability for low/disabled level readers. One way to assess is using Word Reading Efficiency and Non-Word Efficiency.

Running record: After the reading

Have the child do an oral retelling, give them prompts as well. Should include characters, main idea, sequence of events, setting, plot, problem and solution, response to text-specific vocab and language. Student talk: talk to the student about some of the things they did. Give praise and also ask questions. "How did you know it was people and not persons?" Observation checklist: Does the child have mastery of directionality, one-to-one correspondence, return sweep, etc.? Did the errors made by the child make sense or sound right? Did the child attempt to self-correct? Did the child use meaning, structure, and visual cues to identify words/get meaning? Did the child use them in an integrated way, or rely heavily on one source of information? Did the child attempt to sound things out before asking for help? How was the child's fluency? Did the child seem to recognize phrases? Where there many pauses? Were the pauses lengthy? How was the expression or intonation.

Embedded phonics

In this approach, phonics instruction is embedded in the context of "authentic" reading and writing experiences. Phonic elements are introduced informally when the teacher sense that students need to know them. Since children encounter many different letter-sound relationships as they read stories, this approach is not systematic or explicit.

How to teach vocabulary before integration, repetition, and meaningful use

Increase the amount of student reading (the lexile system measures student readiness and interest so you can easily pick a text) Use learners dictionaries. Select the most important words to teach (1. Distinguish between words that simply label concepts students know, and new words that represent new concepts. 2. Ask yourself "is this concept/word generative? Will knowing it lead to important learning in other lessons/texts/units?" 3. Be careful not to "accessorize" vocab and give too many extra definitions and adjectives. Teach synonyms! Teach antonyms! Paraphrase definitions! Provide examples! Provide non-examples! Teach word sorting!

Running Record: Scoring

Information gathered while doing a running record is used to determine error, accuracy, and self-correction rates. The calculated rates, along with qualitative information and the child's comprehension of the text, are used to determine a child's reading level.

GOOD STRATEGIES FOR VOCAB

Integration: connecting new vocab to prior knowledge Repetition: encountering/using the word/concept many times Meaningful use: multiple opportunities to use new words in reading, writing, and upcoming discussion

DRI: Interest Centers or Interest Groups

Interest centers (usually used with younger students) and interest groups (usually used with older students) are set up so that learning experiences are directed toward a specific learner interest. Allowing students to choose a topic can be motivating to them. Example: Interest Centers: Centers can focus on specific reading skills, such as phonics or vocabulary, and provide examples and activities that center on a theme of interest, such as outer space or students' favorite cartoon characters. Interest Groups: For a book report, students can work in interest groups with other students who want to read the same book.

How can shared reading meet the needs of ELLs?

It provides struggling readers with necessary support. Shared reading of predictable text can build sight word knowledge and reading fluency Allows students to enjoy materials that they may not be able to read on their own. Ensures that all students feel successful by providing support to the entire group.

DRI: Learning Contracts

Learning contracts begin with an agreement between the teacher and the student. The teacher specifies the necessary skills expected to be learned by the student and the required components of the assignment, while the student identifies methods for completing the tasks. This strategy: allows students to work at an appropriate pace; can target learning styles; and helps students work independently, learn planning skills, and eliminate unnecessary skill practice. Example: A student indicates that he or she wants to research a particular author. With support from the teacher, the student determines how the research will be conducted and how the information will be presented to the class. For example, the student might decide to write a paper and present a poster to the class. The learning contract indicates the dates by which each step of the project will be completed.

Strategies for conceptually challenging vocabulary

List-group-label: structured brainstorming designed to help students identify what they know about a concept & words related to a concept, while provoking a degree of analysis and critical thinking. You can use a semantic map to visualize thinking. Possible sentences: choose 6-8 words from the text that pose difficulty and 4-6 words that students are likely to know. have students create sentences that contain two or more words from the list. All sentences are evaluated for accuracy and inaccuracy. Word analysis/teaching word parts: teaching latin and greek roots, prefixes and suffixes. Concept mapping: identify critical attributes of a word, give category to which word belongs, discuss examples of the concept, discuss non-examples Clarifying routine: put a critical concept/word on a graphic clarifying map. List the clarifies or critical attributes that explicate the concept, list the core idea, and brainstorm for knowledge connections. Give examples and non examples,

Explain why literature circles are seen as best practice to promote students' responses to literature.

Literature circles facilitate group discussions. Incorporate them into other subjects, like historical fiction books You can find more info about literature circles in your Intro to Planning course. You assign a bunch of jobs and stuff for the students to do so they come to class prepared. Use at least 5 different books for the kids to choose from. Try to sit with each group each week to help the students know when they could have done their job more effectively. Also teach them to use sticky notes while they are reading, to take notes as they go! Literature circles are so great because it allows student choice and student-led discussions, which really helps with comprehension.

Running record: M, S, V

Meaning, structure and visual. When a child makes an error in a line of text, circle M, S, and/or V, depending on the sources of information the child used. If the child self-corrects an error in a line of text, use the far right-hand column to record this information and circle M, S, and/or V to mark the information the child used for the self-correction. You don' have to mark these things to administer the running record.

Print Assessment

Measures if the student understands that print has meaning. Really only need to assess 2 a year, at the start and toward the middle of the school year. Ways to assess: can you show me: a letter, a word, a sentence, the end of a sentence (punctuation mark), front of the book, back of the book, where I should start reading the story, a space, how I should hold the book, the title of the book, or how many words are in a sentence.

The Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation

One way to test for phonological awareness. Brief test of children's ability to isolate and pronounce the individual phonemes in words. Used for kindergarteners and 1st graders. Has 22 items that are all the same type and ask the child to pronounce each of the phonemes in words that vary from 2-3 phonemes in length. Does not have norms with it.

The Test of Phonological Awareness

One way to test for phonological awareness. Created specifically for children sensitive to developments in this area. For kindergarten and 1st grade. For kindergarteners, children notice which words (represented by pictures) begin with the same first sound. For 1st graders, children compare words on the basis of their last sounds. Can be easily administered to groups of 5-10 kids at a time.

The Phonological Awareness Test

One way to test for phonological awareness. Tests segmentation of phonemes, phoneme isolation, phoneme deletion, phoneme substitution, phoneme blending. Requires children to pronounce the first, last, or middle sounds in words. Should be easy enough that only the most delayed children will score poorly. Normed for kids age 5-9.

Running Record: Meaning

Part of the cueing system in which the child takes his/her cue to make sense of text by thinking about the story background, information from pictures, or the meaning of a sentence. These cues assist in the reading of a word or phrase.

Informally assessing letter knowledge

Present each letter in simple uppercase on a single card and ask for it's name. Measure letter-sound knowledge by presenting all letters in lowercase type and asking for "the sound it makes in words". If a consonant letter can make two sounds, probe for the second sound (like c, g)

Programmed reading instruction

Programmed instruction itself is characterized by self-paced, self-administered instruction, which is presented in logical sequence and multiple content repetitions. Skinner argued that learning can be accomplished if the content is divided into small, incremental steps, and if learners get immediate feedback, reinforcement and reward. - Linear: a "teaching machine". Content is divided into small and unchanged steps, where learners respond at their own pace and are immediately provided with the results. - Branching: Based on a problem-solving model, students have to address a situation or a problem through a set of alternative answers. If they answer correctly, they move onto the next set. If the answer is wrong, they are detoured to remedial study, depending on their mistake. The design usually goes like this: Specify a goal Identify the level of skills of the learners Develop a series of steps to guide learners where they should be Provide the appropriate reinforcement

Assessing phonetic reading ability

Provide measures of non-word reading. Word Attack sub-test of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised. Consists of a series of increasingly complex non-words that children asked to "sound out the best they can". (see, ip, din to rejune, depine, viv, to pnir, cesiminadolt, byrcal)

Balanced Literacy Approach models are composed of:

Reading Workshop, writing workshop, word work/word study

NOT GOOD STRATEGIES FOR VOCAB

Refer students to the dictionary to simply copy down a definition. "Use them in a sentence": writing sentences AFTER understanding the word is helpful, but making them do it before is pointless. "Use context": students reading at grade level have about a 1/20th of a chance to understand a word from context. It is important, but don't make them learn vocab like that. "Memorize definitions" even if you can perfectly imitate what the definition is, you probably won't understand what it means.

Running Record: Structure

Refers to the structure of language, also called syntax. Implicit knowledge of structure helps the reader know if what her or she reads sounds correct.

Running Record: Visual

Related to the look of the letter in a word and the word itself. A reader uses visual information when he or she studies the beginning sound, word length, familiar word chunks, etc.

How to authentically assess vocabulary

Select only 4-5 important words and embed each in an accessible and contextualized sentence followed by a semi-colon. Ask students to add another sentence after the semicolon that clearly demonstrates their understanding of the italicized word as it is used in this context. Present 4-6 sentences each containing an italicized word from the study list and ask students to decide whether each words makes sense in this context. Have them justify their answer, and correct it if it can be corrected. Write a brief passage that includes 6-10 words correctly from the list. Then, delete these words and leave blanks for students to complete. Or, give brief vocab quizzes rather than occasional expansive tests.

Explain Sustained Silent Reading and what it looks like when you differentiate for it.

Silent reading DOES NOT guarantee that your children will read more You have to help students pick out good books for it to be effective Keep an eye on students and keep them behaving Use accountability like reading records or journals YOU can ask your students about what they are reading. Get them to discuss. Scaffolded Silent Reading includes these conditions. Students have flexible options for materials and student-teacher conferences. Also make it comfortable and cozy and fun and do book clubs and stuff!! Make your library cute and do themes and stuff. You know.

Word awareness

Simplest phonological awareness skill, along with syllable awareness. To teach this you can: 1. clap the number of words in a simple sentence. 2. Use a block to represent each word in a sentence. 3. Clap compound words.

Testing for phonemic awareness:

Sound comparison: a number of formats where kids make comparisons between the sounds in different words (which word begins with the same first sound as "cat", boy, cake, or fan?) Also, tasks that have kids generate words with the same first or last sound as a target word. Appropriate for kindergarteners. Phoneme segmentation: involve counting, pronouncing, deleting, adding, or reversing the individual phonemes in words. (Say the sounds in "cat" one at a time. Say "card" without the /d/ sound. Put one marker on the line for each sound you here in the word "fast") Phoneme blending: only measured by one kind of task. The tester pronounces a series of phonemes in isolation and asks the child to blend them together to form a word.

Syllable awareness

Students clap hands as they say each syllable in a word. Easier if pronunciation of the syllables is distorted and said slowly/distinctly. Teach consonant sounds, and identify each consonant in the initial and final position.

Timed repeated reading

Students read and reread the same text at their reading level while being timed to record the # or words read correctly per minute. Usually, about 3 repeated readings of a text produce maximal gain.

Decodable text reading

Students read texts that include words with phonic elements that they have been previously taught. Then the student reads a new text to apply and practice the specific phonics features.

Word analysis

Students should be carefully instructed in how to apply phonemic decoding strategies with reading a text. They should learn to "sound out" unfamiliar words.

Morpheme patterns

Students should understand: Compound words (cup+cake=cupcake, bed+room=bedroom). Root words and inflectional suffixes (run+s=runs, talk+ing=talking). Root words and derivational suffixes (music+ian=musician, history+ic=historic). Root words and prefixes (un+believable=unbelievable, re+use=reuse)

DRI: Flexible Grouping

Students work as part of many different groups depending on the task and/or content. Sometimes students are placed in groups based on readiness, other times they are placed based on interest and/or learning profile. Groups can either be assigned by the teacher or chosen by the students. Students can be assigned purposefully to a group or assigned randomly. This strategy allows students to work with a wide variety of peers and keeps them from being labeled as advanced or struggling. Example: The teacher may assign groups based on readiness for phonics instruction, while allowing other students to choose their own groups for book reports, based on the book topic.

Running record symbols:

Substitution (one error if not self-corrected: record one error regardless of the number of incorrect substitutions): write each word attempted above the actual word. Omission (one error): --- Insertion (one error): Upwards arrow like you would in editing a paper, with the word above it Repetition of one word (no error): R (one repetition) R2 (two repetitions) R3 (three repetitions) Repetition of phrase (no error): R with line and arrow to the point where the reader returned to repeat. Self-correction (no error): SC after the error to indicate the child has corrected the error. Intervention/student confused and unwilling to try again (one error): Write TA if you need to say "try again". Place brackets around part of the text the child had to try again. Intervention/unable to read word (one error): Write T above a word if you tell the child the word after a 5-10 second wait. Beginning sound (no error): Mark the beginning sound above the word if the child says it first, then a check if he or she follows with the correct word.

Onset-rime

Teach each short vowel sound, label each one, and identify each one in the initial position Teach the long vowels, label each one, and identify each one in initial and final position

Word work, or Word Study Components

Teachers focus lessons on how words work, in a large or small group setting Phonemic awareness and phonics High-frequency words and vocabulary THIS IS FOR: helping students become fluent readers with strong vocabulary and gives students the opportunity to fully explore and manipulate words. THIS IS NOT FOR: memorizing vocab, manipulating random words, just for fun. Activity ideas: word searches, pattern sorting, proofreading

RTI tiers after Universal Screening

Tier 1: Students receive effective, research-validated instruction in the general education setting. Progress is monitored weekly. Tier 2: Students whose progress is less than desired receive different or additional support from the classroom teacher or another educational professional. Progress continues to be monitored. Tier 3: Students whose progress is still insufficient may receive more intensive instruction, which can be provided in a variety of ways. Then, depending on the state or district policies, students may qualify for special education services based on the monitoring data, or may receive an evaluation for identification of a learning disability.

DRI: Tiered Assignments

Tiered assignments are designed to instruct students on essential skills that are provided at different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. The curricular content and objective(s) are the same, but the process and/or product are varied according to the student's level of readiness. Example: Students with moderate comprehension skills are asked to create a story-web. Students with advanced comprehension skills are asked to re-tell a story from the point of view of the main character.

How is silent reading an appropriate activity for fluent readers?

To make it totally clear, it is NOT acceptable (also Round Robin Reading) to do this with NON FLUENT readers. It's okay for fluent readers to read silently while the teacher assists struggling readers The best thing to support nonfluent readers is guided reading, more practice, and more support

Reading Workshop Components

Typically begins in a large group where teacher models read aloud, shared reading, echo read, choral read, etc, and discussed a specific component of effective reading. Then independent reading occurs while the teacher pulls students for small guided reading/mini lesson.

Writing assessment

Use a rubric, checklist, or rating skills. Students can assess their own writing.

Differentiation for struggling readers:

Use diagnostic assessments like KWL charts, use questioning techniques to get student feedback, or use a pre assessment Determine student interest Identify learning styles and preferences. Look at the chart right above these notes. Tiered reading, compacting, interest groups, flexible grouping, learning contracts, choice boards.

Comprehension

Use prior knowledge, establish a purpose for reading, ask and answer questions, make inferences, determine what is important, summarize, deal with graphic information, image and create graphic representations, monitor comprehension

Story Writing Checklist

Used during writing workshop or writing time. The teachers use the checklist to track basic story elements - a Beginning-Middle-End structure or a Setting-Problem-Events-Solution structure.

Synthetic phonics

Used for phonics instruction. Children learn how to convert letters or letter combinations into sounds and then how to blend the sounds together to form recognizable words. (so decoding an unfamiliar word like shark means blending the sounds sh-a-rk). This is the most effective method of instruction for the largest number of children.

Analogy-based phonics

Used for phonics instruction. Children learn to use parts of word families they know to identify words they don't know that have similar parts. For example, reading the unknown word "shark" by comparing the known word "bark".

Analytic phonics

Used for phonics instruction. In this approach, instruction begins with the identification of a familiar word. The teacher then introduces a particular sound/spelling relationship within that familiar word.

Phonics through spelling

Used for phonics instruction: children learn to segment words into phonemes and make words by writing letters for each phoneme.

How to take a running record:

Using a book that approximates the child's reading level, sit next to the child so you can see the text and the child's finger and eye movements as they read. Mark each word on the running record form, using a check mark for all correct words. If the child is reading too fast, ask him or her to pause until you catch up. Watch the child's behavior: is the child using meaning (m), structural (s), or visual (v) cues to read words and gather meaning? Intervene as little as possible. If a child is stuck, wait 5-10 second and then tell them the word. If the child seems confused, indicate the point of confusion and say "try again".

Running Record: Self correction

When a child realizes his or her error and corrects it. When a child makes a self-correction, the previous substitution is not scored as an error.

Assessing sight word reading ability

Word identification sub-test from Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised or Reading sub-test of the Wide Range achievement test-3. They require children to read lists of words that gradually increase in length and complexity, while decreasing the frequency of occurrence in printed English (go, the, me, to pioneer inquire, wealth, to epigraphist, facetious, shillelagh)

Writing Workshop Components

Works the same as reading workshop, but with writing skills. Process writing: writing workshops begin with teacher-directed lessons followed by time for students to write Guided writing: children engage in writing a variety of texts and provides instruction through small groups and individual conferences Independent writing Shared writing: teacher and children work together to compose messages and stories, teacher supports process as scribes Interactive writing: teacher and children compose message and stories that are written used a "shared pen" technique that involves the children in writing

Phonics

You've GOT to teach this explicitly and systematically. Children will not understand this from exposure. Letter Recognition: discriminate between the shapes of different letters, identify letter names, match lowercase and uppercase letter names. Letter-sound correspondence: students give the sounds (phonemes) represented by individual letters, identify the letters associated with individual phonemes, and blend the sounds together to form simple words. Syllable patterns: students divide syllables, blend syllables, and segment syllables. (Whole other card on all the syllable patterns.)

Vocabulary

listening (receptive) vocabulary, speaking (expressive) vocabulary, reading vocabulary, writing vocabulary

Partner reading

students who are matched according to reading ability take turns reading a book at the level of the weaker reader. Pairs should be maintained for at least a month and be matched based on reading level and personality. One good way to do it is split the class in half and place the strongest reader with the top reader in the weaker reader half, so #1 with #13, #2 with #14, and so on

Reciprocal teaching

when students become the teacher in small group reading sessions. teachers model, then help students learn to guide group discussions using summarizing, question generating, clarifying, predicting. tudents and teacher work together to improve students' understanding of complex informational texts and at the same time improve students' general ability to monitor their comprehension and learn from such texts.