Page 19 - How to teach reading with heart
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Strategies: If your reader struggles in
this area, reads laboriously, pausing
frequently, comprehension is not going
to happen. Find a book he/she knows by
heart. Every child has a book they have
memorized. Have them read it, sing it,
dance it, record it on a phone and play
it back, their choice. Then do a critique
together, maybe an American Idol type
critique. Make it fun. “Where could you
have shown more expression?” How
then I will read a page.” “I want to read was your enunciation?” “Did you feel
it, but tell me how to say these words.” your rhythm?” By doing this activity a
It was not too often that my students child gets the idea of what fluency is and
wanted me to read the whole book. As how to develop it. No matter the age of
a girl told me once, “You already know your child or the activity, (appropriate
how to read, Ms Swaney.” Kids WANT to activity) you are doing there is an
read to an adult. What kids also want is opportunity to teach reading or language
an adult’s undivided attention. acquisition.
Fluency: A reading component that I If you have a newborn or eight-month
have taken my sword into the battlefield old baby take them in the kitchen with
to defend. To my chagrin some feel you and as you make spaghetti for
it is speed reading. Fluency is about dinner and tell them every step of the
developing our natural cadence, rhythm process. If your child is able to read,
of reading or speaking. It may surprise have them google spaghetti recipes
many to know that fluency begins then read different ways people have of
developing in the brain of an 8-month making spaghetti. Read instructions out
old baby when the ‘mirror neurons’ begin loud to babies. Have older children read
firing. Parent child conversations are the instructions to you.
first steps to fluency acquisition.
Some say knowledge is power. I
Fluency drives reading say, the ability to read is power.
comprehension. Without fluency, Knowledge is limited without reading.
there is no reading comprehension.
Stay safe and know we will be stronger
and wiser on the other side.
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