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Strategies and Tips for Improving Your Reading
A good reader does as many of the following things as possible:
1. Sounds out the words slowly while associating letter/sound connections
2. Seizes the main idea
3. Concentrates on what is being read
4. Remembers as much as possible
5. Applies what is being read to personal experiences
The Five Finger Rule
While reading with your child, hold up a finger for each word he/she cannot decode. If you are holding up 5 fingers by the end of a hundred-word section, the book is too hard for your child.
How do I determine my child's reading level?
1. Use the Five Finger Rule
2. Examine the fluency of the reading. If your child is struggling with reading smoothly, the vocabulary is probably too hard.
3. Ask questions at the end of each passage. Your child may be able to read on a 4th grade vocabulary level, but do they understand what they are reading?
What kinds of things should we discuss after reading?
You should discuss the five story elements: Characters, Setting, Problem, Solution, and Plot
You should also make connections to your reading. Connections are reminders of our daily life, books we've read, movies we've seen, or people we know.
Talk about your likes/dislikes of the book and what you might change if you were the author. Talk about the author's language and phrasing of what was written. Determine meanings of quotes and think of ways to rephrase what the author was trying to say. Summarize the story in your own words.
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