At school, we teach children reading strategies that will help them to read unfamiliar words.  Please support these lessons in your reading at home.

When you come to a word you do not know:

  Say blank and read on to the end of the sentence, paragraph, thought, or page.

  Reread – go back to the beginning of the sentence and try the sentence and word again.

  Try to figure it out, “What would make sense in that spot?”

  Look at the beginning/ending sounds, blends, prefixes, suffixes, vowels, root words, little words found in the big words to help identify the word.

  Ask yourself, what would sound right in that spot.

  Use picture clues to help identify the word.

 Make predictions about the story as you read.

  Ask yourself what you already know about the story.

Fix-Up Strategies Bookmark/Chart

You may print these charts out as a reading aids for your child.  These charts may be hung in an area that will be visible to all concerned.  (i.e. the refrigerator).  We also turn these into bookmarks for students to use, as reminders, while reading.

This will help you and your child remember the strategies to use when an unknown word presents itself while reading.

Does it Make Sense Hand

You may print this hand out as a reading aid for your child.  The hand may be cut out and used while reading.  The child should refer to the hand when s/he encounters words that are unknown.  Use the strategies mentioned above or on the hand below instead of telling the child the unknown word.

You could also use a gardening glove for this strategy.  Write the words on the glove and use the glove while reading.

Comprehension/5 W’s Hand

You may print this hand out as a reading aid for your child.  The child should refer to the hand when discussing the story.  While retelling about a story, movie, or the days events, the child should include the 5 W’s:  Who, What, Where, When, Why.  Use as many details as possible.  A gardening glove works again.

Who – Who are the characters in the story?

           List as many characters as possible.

           Give descriptions of characters.

What – What are the events of the story?

            Retell events in order:  Beginning, Middle, End

           What are the details of the story?

           What is the problem of the story?

           How was the problem solved 

Where – Where does the story take place? 

     Many stories have multiple settings.

             Be sure to include as many areas as possible.

             Descriptions could include:  Bathroom, Bedroom,

        Classroom, Forest, Space, in the garden etc.

When – When does the story take place?

             Descriptions could include:  In the past, present,

future, all in one day, two or more days, in the morning, night, during the day, winter, spring, summer, fall, etc.

Why – Why does/do the character(s) do what he/she did?

          Would you have done the same things?  Why or why not?

          Why did you like or dislike the story?