Strategies and Activities to Support Reader’s Workshop

at Home

Ms. Jessica Shackil &

Mrs. Courtney Quackenbush

Reader’s Workshop is a time during reading Language

Arts time when your child is explicitly taught a specific reading skill or strategy. It is first modeled, then practiced with the teacher and then then practiced independently with a book on their own reading level (see handout)

The purpose of this model is to create mindful, independent readers

Data collected by the teacher is then used to drive Reader’s Workshop instruction for weeks to come

Non-fiction texts and their features are and will be emphasized more in class and on assessments

Reader’s Workshop: An Overview

Possible Skills & Strategies for Grades 1-3

Fix-up strategy Cause and Effect Compare and Contrast Story Structure- B-M-E

(plot) Sequence of Events Authors Point of View Making Generalizations Making Inferences Predicting Fantasy or Reality

Problem Solving (problem and solution)

Drawing Conclusions Making connections (not

a coincidence) Using schema (prior

knowledge) Asking Questions Monitoring Meaning and

Comprehension Visualization and Sensory

Images

Letters and sounds/Sight words- knowing them with

automaticity is a key factor in learning to read Foster independence and encourage problem solving while

reading Remember: letters make sounds, sounds make words,

words make sentences--- crucial for early reading development

Reading fluency…reading like you’re talking and being mindful of time, increases comprehension

Comprehension: discuss books with your child before, during and after reading; retelling, making meaningful connections, reactions, questions, author’s purpose or theme (see handout)

Grade 1

Fixing up strategies are crucial… moving toward utilizing

these strategies on a more independent level (see handouts) Foster reading engagement Utilizing taught comprehension skills on an independent

level is the focus Reading fluency…reading like you’re talking and being

mindful of time, increases comprehension Comprehension: in addition to skills taught in first grade,

other higher level strategies are introduced and should be practiced at home: inferring, drawing conclusions, understanding author’s purpose, visualizing, written responses to text, summarizing, identifying character traits and providing reasons why they act as they do in stories

Grade 2

Transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn. Independently using fixing up strategies to enhance comprehension

and monitor reading Reading engagement and stamina increase comprehension and

fluency Mindfully reading and thinking, questioning and reacting to what

you’re reading Understanding figurative language, and using context clues to

determine unfamiliar vocabulary in texts Engaging in deep discussions to increase comprehension (book

shares, knee to knee, fish bowls-critiquing and encouraging good reading habits)

Skills taught in mini-lessons are modeled and then practiced independently

Increasing reading fluency such as; adding voice, expression, intonation, and heeding punctuation

Comprehension skills introduced in 1st and 2nd grade are enhanced in third grade and expected to be applied on an independent level

Writing frequent open responses- citing examples from the text and discussing them to provide detailed proof of engaged reading

Grade 3

Decoding Difficulties:

trouble sounding out words and recognizing them out of context Confusion between letters and the sounds they represent Slow oral reading rate (reading word by word) Reading without expression Ignoring punctuation while reading

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/experiences/readexp1a.html Comprehension Difficulties:

Confusion about the meaning of words and sentences Inability to connect ideas in a passage Omission of, or glossing over details Difficulty distinguishing significant information from minor details Lack of reading engagement

Retention Difficulties: Trouble remembering or summarizing what is read Difficulty connecting what is read to prior knowledge Difficulty applying content of a text to personal experiences

Recognizing Reading Difficulties

Teaching your child the letter sounds: making sure they know their

sounds with automaticity: clip the sounds (“b” is “b” not “buh”). Knowing the sounds for specific letter patterns– matching a picture

with a sound, may be helpful for your child to refer to when reading (“oo” sound- correlate the sound and pattern with a picture of a “moon”) (c = cat = “c”)

Have your child look for familiar patterns to help them read unfamiliar them (if you can read “took” than you can read “look”)

Find familiar parts of a word within words and chunk them to decode (refreshment= re/fresh/ment)

Encourage your child to utilize other strategies along with their knowledge of decoding.

(see handouts)

Way to Support a Weakness in Decoding

Encourage your child to try and figure out the

meanings of unfamiliar words. Discuss words in the context of the text.

Use of graphic organizers (See Graphic Organizer Packet)

Summarizing and finding important themes and ideas in a text

Discussing books with others (like after a movie) Ask thought-provoking comprehension questions and

encourage reading response activities (see handout) Sticky notes to monitor reading and refresh your

memory

Ways to Support a Weakness in Comprehension &

Retention

Using Sticky Notes to Support Your Reader at

Home Sticky notes are beneficial to both you and

your child in the following ways:Your Child You

• Help them review and refresh themselves on what they read

• Record questions/reactions they can discuss with you

• Constant reminder to monitor themselves self as a reader

• Evidence that your child is reading

• Allows you to gain knowledge about what your child is truly understanding about the book

• Springboard for discussion

Please take a sticky note from the center of your table and a pen.

We would now like for you to read a short passage titled; Superhero Joey.

After reading the passage, please use the sticky note to react, question, connect, or infer based on what you have read.

Superhero Joeyby Katherine Rollins

Joey put on his mask. He flapped his cape in front of the mirror. This is the best costume, he thought. I’m sure to win the contest. Joey skipped downstairs. “Here I come to rescue you!” Joey shouted. “Nice costume,” said Joey’s dad. “I’m a superhero,” said Joey. “Joey,” said Mom, “I need you to watch Mindy at the party.” Joey looked at his little sister. “But Mom, superheroes don’t have kid sisters.” “Well this superhero has a sister,” said Mom. “What will Mindy’s costume be?” asked Dad. “I’m not sure,” said Mom. Joey got an idea. “I know!” Joey took Mindy upstairs to his room. He dug through his closets. Joey found his baby blanket. He put it around Mindy’s shoulders. At the party, Superhero Joey and his sidekick Supergirl Mindy won first prize!

(Story takes from www.superteacherworksheets.com)

Please take a few moments to share your sticky note with your group.

Sticky Note Examples Grades 2 and 3Limited SN response Appropriate SN

response Exceptional SN

response

Wow!! I like dressing up too!

I went to a costume party and almost won the contest and I really wanted to win.

When I read this part I pictured Joey posing in front of the mirror with a huge smile on his face holding his cape.

I have a sister too!! My mom made me do something with my sister when I didn’t want to.

Joey must be annoyed he has to watch his sisters. This helps me understand the book better because I can relate to how Joey is feeling. I don’t want to watch my little brother sometimes too.

I still have my baby blanket. It’s yellow and has bears on it.

They must have felt so proud when they won the contest!

That was really creative of Joey to use his blanket to make a costume. I bet that made his sister feel good.

Ways to Respond to Text Through Sticky Notes

Reacting Questioning and Predicting Making personal connections Cause/Effect, Problem/Solution, etc. Visualization (making pictures in your mind) Inferring and Drawing Conclusions

(see handout)

“Everyone is a genius. But

if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

- Albert Einstein

Food for Thought

http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4.cfm

http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/

http://www.readingrockets.org/

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/stud

ent-interactives

/

http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/interact-read.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/

Technology Resources

Thank you so much for taking an active role in your child’s education. We hope you enjoyed our presentation and learned new strategies to help your young reader at home.

We would like to close this presentation with a Question & Answer session.

Read…Read…Read…And let your imagination be freed!!

Q & A