+ Early Readers Masterclass For Mums, Dads and carers!

+ How do we read? Take a moment to read the text. Can you explain what you did to read the text? What did you need to know first so that you could read the text?

+ Learning to read is a complex puzzle for kids to solve….! And it takes time! Be patient…..taking time to build solid foundations are so important for success!

+ CAFÉ model of reading development…

+ Development of reading What should I be expecting my child to be doing? Before school age - Prep –Yr. 2/3 students – focus on learning to read Yr. 3/4-Yr.7 students – focus on reading to learn

+ Prep –Yr. 2/3 students – focus on learning to read · Beginning Reading Level - Primarily supported reading. It is important to use decodable text in the beginning/learning stages. Decodable text examples: · The cat hid on top of the big rock. NOT decodable by beginners: · The c ou g ar esc a p e d b y cl i m b ing beh i nd the l arge b ou ld er. It is critical to recognize, the use of appropriate decodable text ONLY applies to the material the child reads to you when the child is first learning how to read! This prudent use of decodable text does NOT limit the text you read to your child. You definitely should be exposing your child to a wide range of books and true literature. The use of decodable text to help your child develop and practice reading skills never prevents access and exposure to wonderful children’s books.

+ Yr. 3/4-Yr.7 students – focus on reading to learn Intermediate Level - Practice with independent reading is important to improve proficiency and build fluency. Reading with an adult is important in learning how to handle multisyllable words, expand vocabulary and develop comprehension skills. · Advanced Level - Readers primarily use independent silent reading. Although, guided reading is an effective tool to achieve higher level comprehension and learning objectives.

+ Today’s session… ‘Best Fit’ books and your home reading session Why is ‘best fit’ important? (learning vs frustration) For development of accuracy, fluency and vocabulary, we want children to be ‘voraciously reading’ and reading lots of ‘easy’ books!

+ ‘Best fit’ - Levelled reading texts Look at the levelled reading books at your table – what do you notice about the text/pictures in each level? Each level is allowing the development of particular strategies. Your child’s teacher will advise the best level for your child’s home reading – notice it is easier than the ‘instructional’ level the teacher will use in class

+ ‘Best fit’ – How are books levelled? Total word count Number of different words Number of high frequency words Ratio of low frequency words to total words Sentence length Sentence complexity

+ Common Reading Levels Pre-reader Pre-reader books are for young children and adults that have not yet learned to read the language the book is written in, or have just started to learn to pronounce simple words and read short sentences. A pre-reader typically needs a lot of pictures to help learn the language, and lot of assistance or someone to read out loud. Beginner Books at the beginner skill level are intended for readers that may have some difficulties with pronunciation and comprehension when new vocabulary is encountered. Uncommon and difficult words should be properly introduced or defined when used. New concepts may rely heavily on pictures or illustrations to assist comprehension. These books should be accessible to readers with no education in the subject area, and should keep new vocabulary and long sentences to a minimum. Intermediate Books at the intermediate skill level are intended for readers that may comprehend new vocabulary from the context and usage. Sentence structures may be more diverse, and more difficult vocabulary is often not explained. These books should be accessible to readers without any particular expertise in the subject area, and subject-specific jargon should always be explained.

+ Common Reading Levels Advanced Books at the advanced skill level depend on more background knowledge and understanding of more specialized vocabulary than is common for intermediate readers. Some subject-specific jargon is likely to be used without explanation, but a heavy reliance on subject-specific jargon should be avoided to increase readability and comprehension. Professional Books at the professional skill level tend to be highly subject-specific and require extensive background knowledge among readers. Jargon tends to be used extensively, and readability is often sacrificed for precision. These books may be dry, academic, and not welcoming to most readers.

+ ‘Best fit’ - Picture books From libraries and home! How do I know if these books are at the right ‘level’?

+ The 5 Finger rule!

+ Your home reading session Step 1 – Look through the pictures and the cover – have a chat about what you see Step 2 – Talk about any difficult words or interesting punctuation you might see as you flip through Step 3 - Read the title Step 4 - What do you think this story might be about? Step 5 - Read the text Step 6 – Discuss the story (Why? What? How?....) ‘I do, we do, you do’ ……putting it into practice

+ Next week’s session… Meet at 8:15-8:30 in the library with your child/children Choose a ‘best fit’ book with your child Spend time reading using the steps we’ve just discussed We’ll meet after drop off to answer any questions and to go on with our next session at 9am: Session 2: “How do we work out the words on the page? -The ‘ 3 Cueing systems”