“Read Through It” Rather Than “Sound It Out”
Sounding out words for correct pronunciation is an important skill, but as students get older the habit of stopping to focus on a singular word can also be a distraction from the activity of comprehending the meaning of the passage. Frequently, the context of the paragraph assists in both comprehension and pronunciation of any particular troublesome word. After struggling with several words in the paragraph, Kathryn confidently declared, “I messed up, but I got it,” and she successfully completed the comprehension exercises. She read through the struggles and deciphered the meaning adequately to answer questions. The result was improved confidence in her reading skills. By changing the habit of Sounding It Out to Reading Through It, students can gain confidence in their comprehension. This new confidence can encourage them to explore the interesting nuances of particular words if they would like. At a minimum, however, they can be engaged as active participants in class rather than frustrated with oddities of the English language.
Read HereStory of a Slow Reader
Teachers and parents often wonder why a student fails to complete an assignment that is within their understanding of the student’s capacity. They may accuse the student of an unwillingness, which sparks defensiveness in the student. But sometimes even the student does not understand why the task seems so challenging this time. There are a variety of barriers that could explain the student’s lack of productivity, but they are not always apparent in the confrontation about why the assignment is not complete. Was the student up late at a job that was essential for the family’s income? Did the student just discover she was pregnant? Did the grandmother and matriarch of the family die over the past weekend? Possibilities abound. To get the most from our students, it is helpful to ally with them and be open to the distracting circumstances in their lives. This alliance makes the question of can’t or won’t irrelevant.
Read HereTeaching Moments/Learning Moments Are Empowerment Moments
When students become aware of the development of their skills then they also learn to appreciate their learning. They may even get excited about learning more, but we need to highlight these moments for them and for ourselves. This article reveals the path of five students who discovered that they could influence their learning. They were taught the simple skills in the Read Through It Strategy and were able to witness their growth. They became more confident as they felt empowered with their own skill development.
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