What Do We Do In Reading Recovery?
Our lessons consist of:
Before the lesson begins, students practice some words on the board. They are learning to write important words as fast as they can, so that they can use these words quickly and efficiently in their stories.
Students usually read 2-3 familiar books from their book basket. This gives them an opportunity to use the strategies they've been learning. It also gives them confidence because these are books that they are successful with. We practice reading fluently and making it “sound like talking.”
Now it is time to reread the book that was introduced yesterday. Students read as I listen to them and assess their strategies and the cues they are using in their reading. I do not help them during this part unless they absolutely need it. After the assessment, we talk about the smart things they did, and I pick one or two things to use as teaching points.
At this point in the lesson we focus on letter identification, confusions and formation. We also work with words to see how they “work.” We take words apart and put them back together using magnetic letters.
The student and I have some wonderful conversations that lead to their stories! In early lessons we “share the pen.” This means that the student will write words or parts of words they know, and I will help them with longer, more difficult words. We use Sound Boxes to help them hear and “push” the sounds in the words they are attempting to write. I keep an ongoing record of words the student writes independently, and use these to help them build and link to new words they need in their writing. As the students become more independent, I share the pen less and less. They do most, if not all, of the writing themselves.
I write the story (or part of the story) on a long strip of paper, have the child read the story back to me, and then cut the story apart. The student then puts it back together. This helps the child distinguish between words that may be similar, and also makes them think about what their story was about, and how they can put it back together to make it make sense.
I introduce the new book by giving a brief overview and letting the child take the opportunity to look at the pictures. We also discuss 1 or 2 new words or terms that may be new and unfamiliar to the child. As the child is reading the new story, I support them by asking questions that help them think about what they can do when it gets a little hard for them. This is the time when I teach them strategies that will enable them to become independent readers.
At the end of the lesson, the students choose a few familiar books to take home to practice. I also send the cut-up sentence home with them, so they can practice putting it back together.
I hope this helps you understand what we do in our lessons, and a little bit about why we do the things we do. Thanks for all of the support you give your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
How Can I Help?
Instead of saying “sound it out” each time your child stops or mispronounces a word as he or she reads, try this:
·Ask “Does that (or would that) make sense?” Remember that looking at the pictures helps them with meaning.
·Ask, “Does that sound right?”
·Ask “Does that look right?”
·Give your child a wait time of 5-10 seconds.See what he attempts to do to help himself.
·Say, “Try that again.”
·Say, “Let’s check the word.Look at the first letter.”As he becomes stronger, say, “Do you see a part you know?”
·Instead of isolating sounds in words, say the word very slowly and stretch the sounds.
·If they are REALLY struggling, tell them by asking, “Could it be…?”
·Remember to focus on 1 or 2 things to work on.Overloading your child with all the things they are doing wrong will discourage and frustrate them.
·Last but not least, always praise GOOD ATTEMPTS.