Reading Fluency, even further

 Now that you have begun to get reading and are starting to move beyond the simple words, it is time to move to the next level.  This would be books at the first grade level and above.

Begin by teaching the consonant blends. Sl, ch, th, wh, pl, bl,  etc.

1. Work to create words using these consonant blends. 
2. Do not teach more than 3-5 at a time until they are all learned.  A good complete list is located at www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/clusters.htm . I have a short list below.
3. Be sure to point these out in reading by having them look for them before reading a page.

 

Reading Time steps: 

1. They read 1 page.
2. They talk about what they read.
3. If they are not reading fluently with expression, then you read, otherwise, they  read again.
4. If you read, then they read again after you.

Remember that you are only doing 2-3 pages a day now.

 

Important notes:

1. Don’t forget, you still do not allow them to guess.
2. If sight word, give them to count of 3 in head to get it, then tell them.
3. If a word that is to be sounded out, prompt them with, “What is the first sound?” before telling them the word by slowly sounding it out for them. Still do not allow them to guess.

 

Older kids

•  Only work on this for no more than a ½ hour per day.
• Focus on you reading to them or them listening to audio books for their basic academics. 
• The reading will get there, and they need to practice reading skills at the lower level to build fluency. 
• Discuss this with them and have them help choose those lower level books so that they are interested.

 

Sounds to teach and order-

Consonant Digraphs- ch, sh, wh, th, ph

 

Consonant blends- bl, cl, fl, pl, sl, spl, sc, sk, sm, st, str, sw, tw, br,dr,gr,cr,fr, tr, spr

 

Introducing Syllables

To teach them to break words into syllables to read them more easily try:

• Placing hand under chin and feeling it move up and down and count syllables with words they are learning.
• Write words for them to read that are separated into syllables.                            air  plane    turbo tax  care ful

 Use your library and the leveled readers section.

If you can, choose a series from the library and stick with it.  They each vary a little in how they level them and moving back and forth through them can feel strange.