Level A

Level A

 

A is for the At the Beginning

The goal for books at this level is to encourage children to look at the print and match the words on the page with the words that they read. The child learns to say one word for each word on the page instead of making her own story. In order to make this easier the stories follow a pattern so a child can pick up on the repetition. There are also very clear pictures that the child can identify. The idea here is to not figure out the word so much as to understand that as you read you say one word for each word on the page. The child should not have to spend a lot of time figuring out the words because the pictures and patterns are clear enough for the child to identify the word. This is the start to reading success!

 

What is your child learning here and what can you say at home?

1. Use the cover to get ready to read. In class we say “find the folder in your head”. If the book is about polar bears then find the folder about polar bears in your head so that you have the words ready that you need to read that story.

   What you can say:

  • Watch how I read the title. Look at the illustration, and think, “what might this book be about?”
  • Think about the cover to get your mind ready to work.

2. Match the words that you say to a word on the page. Here is where your child really needs to work on using her finger to make sure that she says one word for each on the page.

   What you can say:

  • Let me show you how I point under the words…
  • Point under the words.
  • Does it match?
  • Were there enough words?
  • Check it.

3. When reading we read from left to right.

4. Use the pictures and what is happening in the story or pattern of the story as a way to figure out the words.

   What you can say:

  • Watch how I use the story and the picture and think about the story to help me figure out the word…
  • Look at the picture and think about the story to help you.

5. Point to words that are known in the text.

6. Read with fluency. With repeated readings, the child should start to sound “like she is on TV” as we say in class. This means reading smoother. This probably does not happen on the first read and that is ok.

   What you can say:

  • Notice how I touch under a word, read it, and move quickly to the next word.
  • Are you moving quickly from word to word?
  • Compliment when there is reading in a voice slow enough to demonstrate crisp pointing under each word without long pauses.