It is important that children become independent strategic readers. There isn't one strategy that works every time an unknown word is encountered. When your child comes to a word that he/she does not know prompt him/her to try one of the following strategies (see the attached bookmarks for more information).

•Chunky Monkey: The Chunky Monkey strategy reminds me to look for chunks of letters and sounds in words that I already know.

•Stretchy Snake: The Stretchy Snake strategy reminds me to stretch a word out slowly and put the sounds together.

•Skippy Frog: The Skippy Frog strategy reminds me to skip over a word I don’t know. I can read to the end of the sentence and then hop back!

•Lips the Fish: Lips the Fish reminds me to get my lips ready to make the beginning sound when I come to a tricky word.

•Eagle Eye: The Eagle Eye strategy reminds me to look at the pictures when I get stuck on a word.

•Flippy Dolphin: Flippy the Dolphin reminds me to flip the vowel sound if the word doesn’t sound right.

•Tryin' Lion: The Tryin’ Lion strategy reminds me to keep trying and not to give up!