When thinking about the Science of Reading
How reading intervention time is changing from guided reading to small group reading...
For beginning readers, you are only interested in where the errors of blending occur as this is the only strategy we want them using (More developed readers will use more than one strategy to decode, but effective blending is absolutely essential for this to occur). The ‘multi-cuing method’ or ‘three-cuing method’ is ineffective.
For beginning readers, you are only interested in where the errors of blending occur as this is the only strategy we want them using (More developed readers will use more than one strategy to decode, but effective blending is absolutely essential for this to occur). The ‘multi-cuing method’ or ‘three-cuing method’ is ineffective.
Kindergarten teacher: “I have made sure that I continue to focus on phonological awareness and phonics instruction in whole group and in small group settings to help with decoding. In small group instruction, I am able to focus more on specific skills in these areas to better support my students. Instead of using the leveled “Guided Reading” books in small groups, we are using decodable readers. These books help to apply the phonics skills in context, and it helps build fluency. We no longer teach picture clues and other cues.”
First Grade teacher: “Decoding has become a conversation in all subjects and something my students enjoy discussing. We have started to “map out” new words and find the sounds that follow the rule and then discuss the part of a word that doesn’t. Our phonemic awareness program has been useful for readers at all levels.
Reading Specialist: “What was once referred to as “guided reading” I now call “small group reading” and understand that in these small groups they may be organized by skill deficit to receive remedial attention to phonological awareness, blending etc.”
Takeaways:
- Rely on decodable readers instead of leveled text. No longer rely on cueing.
- Have conversations about dissecting words across all content areas and mapping out words.
- Organize small group instruction by skill deficit.
- Use the theoretical frameworks as a guide for effective instruction.
- Implement a focus on phonemic awareness
Is a child having difficulty due to a speech/language issue or a decoding issue? If it is a decoding issue it will affect their fluency which affects their comprehension. These are all intertwined. When a child has systematic phonics based instruction they will have strategies to decode words more efficiently and read more fluently which leads to better comprehension.
Using assessments to understand students’ needs. Especially for phonemic awareness.
Understanding the benefits of nonsense word assessment for all students.
Implement tier 2 and tier 3 plans based on the assessments we are using. Along with a decoding survey, assess students’ oral language comprehension.
Understand the importance of systematic and explicit phonics instruction.
Ideas from
