C I understand what I read
A I can read the words
F I can read accurately, with expression
E I know, find and use interesting words
Emerging readers learn and use these reading strategies posted on our CAFE wall in the Title 1 Room.
"C" Comprehension
Check for Understanding-- A reader stops every 2-3 pages and asks, "Who was that about and what happened?" This is a good way to see if he understands the story.
Back Up and Reread-- If a reader isn't "getting it," she can go back and read it again to understand.
Monitor and Fix Up-- Stop and think, "Is this making sense?" If not, a reader goes back and fixes it.
Predict What Will Happen Next-- A reader thinks ahead and makes connections. This makes reading more interesting.
Use Main Idea and Supporting Details-- It is important to be able to understand the main idea the author wants his readers to know.
Retell the Story-- A reader who understands the selection is able to retell about the characters, setting, problem and solution.
Summarize Text-- Be able to reduce text to tell about the main points worth remembering.
"A" Accuracy
Cross Checking-- A reader is always thinking, "Do my words match the letters and pictures on the page? Do they sound right? Do they make sense?"
Use the Beginning and Ending Sounds-- Readers make sure to use the sounds at the beginning AND at the end of the word.
Blend Sounds-- Take the sounds of letters or phonemes and blend them together to read a word.
Chunk Letters and Sounds-- Readers look for letters and sounds together within a word to make reading more efficient, rapid and accurate.
Flip the Sound-- Sometimes, if a reader is stuck, he can try and flip the sound of a letter like "a" or "u" and try it different ways until it sounds like a word that makes sense.
Skip the Word Then Come Back-- Again, if a reader is stuck, she can skip the word and read to the end of that sentence or another. Then she can back up and read that part again using the first letters of the word and clues from the story to figure it out.
"F" Fluency
Good Fit Books-- When reading independently a reader should be able to read the material with 99-100% accuracy. Watch the I PICK video for a fun song about picking good fit books.
Practice Sight Words-- Readers know their sight words instantly and accurately without having to think about them.
Use Punctuation-- A reader pays attention to punctuation so he can read with expression and understanding.
Voracious Reading-- Readers become fluent by increasing their reading volume. That means READ, READ, READ every day.
"E" Expand Vocabulary
Tune in to Interesting Words-- It's fun to notice, write down, and talk about new and interesting words.
Use Pictures, Illustrations and Diagrams-- Readers pay attention to graphs, charts, pictures and labels to understand what is being read and gain knowledge.
Use the Dictionary, Thesaurus and Glossary-- Use these word-learning tools to increase understanding.
