Level B
B is for Building Better Readers
This level sees the child building on the skills of the previous level by now fine-tuning the skills of looking at the print and matching the words that are read with the words on the page. There is still a repeated pattern to the stories to support the reader as well as clear pictures still to help the child with the unknown words. The goal here is to still focus on matching those words on the page to what is said. Keep using that finger!! The change here is that now there are sometimes two or three lines of text, which requires the student to “return sweep” or figure out where to go when done reading the line. There also are words that have more than one syllable so students have to pay extra attention to saying what is on the page instead of moving the figure for each part of the word. In order to combat this, make sure that the child is using his finger and holding it on the word until it is done. When the child tries to move onto the next word, make sure that he is saying the correct first letter instead of continuing the previous word.
What is your child learning here?
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. Start to summarize the story. When the child is finished with the story, he should be able to retell the events in the book and talk about the general idea of the book. That is why we read after all :)
What you can say:
- After I finish a book, I think about it. Watch me as I do this.
- What’s the whole book about?
- So what happened?
- What are you thinking about what happened in this book?
3. 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…
- When I come to the end of one line, watch how I move to the beginning of the next one.
- Notice how I keep my finger on a word until I say each part of it.
- Point under the words.
- Does it match?
- Were there enough words?
- Check it.
4. When reading we read from left to right.
Use the pictures and what is happening in the story or pattern of the story as a way to figure out the words.
5. Point to words that are known in the text.
What you can say:
- Is there a word you know?
- What words do you know?
- Point at and read the words you know.
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?
- Expect and compliment when there is reading in a voice slow enough to demonstrate crisp pointing under each word without long pauses.