Guiding Readers - Chapter 4

Well, I'm a day late, but at least I caught up.  Here are my thoughts on Guiding Readers - Chapter 4

Guiding Readers Book Study

The Early Reader really hit home with me on a couple of levels.

#1 - It is where my daughter Tamara (7 - going into 2nd) is.  She knows the strategies, she could do it if she wants, but hey lets just look at the first letter and call out a word, weather it makes sense or not.  We all have one of these students in our class, and for some reason I can handle my own students better than my own child.  But these strategies are great for me to review so I can think of my wording.  Instead of "Tamara that isn't right." I could say "Tamara does that make sense."  Let her realize the wrong instead of always pointing it out to her.

#2 - The before, during and after reading concepts.  I don't care what GRADE you are in, we always encourage our students to do this.

Before Reading - Think about it - doesn't a chapter book sometimes grab you by the front cover, or the colors.  Isn't it the Title that sometimes get us.  On a Non-Fiction book - What do you do first?  Me - Look at the text features.  Aren't we all "previewing" the book or doing a "book walk" to determain if this is a Good Fit Book (as the 2 sisters would say) for us?  Don't you ask questions about what you might find out or how something might end based on the written preview or pictures you  have seed.

During Reading - I'm not sure I realized I did these things till I had to start teaching them, or maybe I just notice it more since I have had to teach it, but I am always asking my self questions as I read.  "I wonder if ...... is going to happen." "Will they save the .......", " Who committed the .........", and I can't stop reading "I have to know if ........ did ......."   You fill in the blanks.  Isn't this what gets us hooked into a book so we can't put it down.  Isn't this what keeps the attention of kids who are reading chapter books (or picture) to finish the book.  It is vocalizing and modeling this that helps kids becoming reading lovers.   I have had to teach some of my 6th Graders how to do this.  Mrs. Rutledge - I just don't like long books, I can't get into them.  My solution - Read a few pages and write down a question you have, then see if you can find the answer.  Works like a charm.

After Reading - I think we do this as well, especially when it is a book we really like.  We replay it in our head.  We make it into a movie, TV Show, or Play right inside our brain and we VISUALIZE it.  Isn't this what our kids are doing when they retell.  Isn't this what we want them to do.  And making connections - How many of us go "If I were ..... I would have done ......"  I don't know about you, but I do it when I read, and when I watch TV.  I think our students know how to do this, it is a matter of making them realize it.

How many of your students could currently retell you "Madagascar 3",  it is a movie, but they can retell it (the after).  The trailer is the preview for them (the before read).  How many students could tell you what their favorite character, part is and why? (hello - connection) 

Sometime students struggle with these things because they have never connected them to reading.  Maybe if you have a struggler you can do it with a movie or TV show first and then take it to a book.

I feel like I have rambled and gotten my "Hello, this is how you do it voice on."  If I came across that way, I am sorry.  Just my passion coming out.  I can't wait to discuss more thoughts that come our way with the next part of our book study.   Happy Reading.

Click on the link above if you want to see what others are saying and their thoughts.

Nicole