WOW! The first four weeks of school have FLOWN by! We have been so busy working on becoming better readers. We have implemented the Read to Self and Read to Someone portions of our "Daily Three". For 20 minutes every day, students get a choice to read to themselves or read with someone. The main purpose is to build stamina. Students need to be able to stay focused and read for long periods of time without daydreaming, etc. Partner reading allows for more time to practice strategies, helping to build fluency, check for understanding, hear their own voice and provides a time to share their books with others.
We have also started our guided reading groups. During this time students will be reading a book on their reading level and do various assignments. Right now we are focusing on fiction and story elements such as setting, plot and characters. I will pull students and work with them in a small group setting on those things they are weakest in. For example, we may work on noticing errors when they read and stopping to fix those errors before moving on. These groups are ever changing since they are based on students' needs.
Remember, reading at least 20 minutes a night is critical to your child's progress. After all, the more practice we get at something, the better we are at it!
