Winter Reading

Wintertime is a wonderful time to curl up with a good book!  Children are encouraged to choose books at their "Just Right" level in order to enjoy books independently.  What exactly does this mean? 

At May Watts school, each first through fifth grade student is administered the Rigby assessment.  This assessment measures a student's ability to read with fluency (accuracy, appropriate speed/pace, and expression) along with comprehension of the passage.  Based on this assessment, both an Instructional and Independent reading level are determined.  Research has proven that when children read at their appropriate "Just Right" level, they are more likely to make consistent gains in reading, especially in reading comprehension.  It stands to reason that if children are attempting to read books that are overly challenging, too much time is spent decoding difficult words ultimately impeding comprehension.  Often times, this develops increased frustration and encourages poor reading habits including skipping over difficult vocabulary with little focus on understanding text. 

When visiting the local library, book store or school LMC to choose an independent level book, students have been instructed to use the 5-Finger Rule to help them choose an appropriate leveled book.  Simply stated, students have been taught to choose a full page of text to read.  If they mispronounce 0-1 words, the book is quite appropriate and may even be a bit too easy; 2-4 misread words places this book at the appropriate level; 4-5 or more words indicates that this book is probably too difficult and will be challenging to comprehend.  Of course, when combined with this 5-Finger Rule quick check, other factors including book content, genre and student interest will also influence whether or not a book is "Just Right" or too challenging to comprehend.  After all, reading goes beyond decoding words ~ it's all about understanding what the story is about! 

So, does this mean your child should never attempt books above their "Just Right" reading level?  Reading together with your child is an excellent habit to develop.  In fact, reading to your child is a treasured activity that can be shared together even into the high school years!  Exposing your child to a variety of genres of literature will certainly encourage a love of reading for years to come!

Here are some helpful hints to prepare your child if he/she really wants to tackle more challenging text:

• Do a text preview which includes reading the title, making predictions, reading the summary and looking at the text features.
• If the book is a chapter book, have your child skim and scan for difficult vocabulary.  Have a discussion about this vocabulary prior to reading.
• Read in a variety of ways.  You can read while your child follows along.  Stop every tenth word or so to allow your child to read the word.  Or, you can read every other page or some combination of these two suggestions.
• Encourage your child to make connections as you read together.
• Stop at the end of each chapter to summarize the main events.  Clarify any misunderstandings.
• Make predictions prior to reading the next chapter.  Repeat the vocabulary skim and scan activity...and the chapter cycle begins again!

Children love discussing their opinions about books.  Discovering the problem and solution, talking about behavior choices that the characters make and/or reading for fact finding purposes in nonfiction text will enhance your child's comprehension and interest in reading.  Making time for regular book talks as part of your family discussions will add depth to your child's learning experiences.

Reading is fun when we as adults encourage and share our own love of reading!

Happy reading ~ and stay warm!