The Journey of Reading

Just as first graders are studying the journey of the Monarch butterfly, the journey of reading in first grade continues. Students have embarked on reading "just right books" and applying strategies while reading. A just right book is one that is not too easy and not too hard. The metaphor of learning to ride a bike is an easy one for the first graders to understand. We discussed how children learn to ride a bike at various ages and that for most children a lot of practice is needed before they can take off without training wheels. A child would never want to be put on a two wheeler without training wheels at the base of a huge hill- instead, first training wheels on level ground, and then the training wheels come off while a helping hand is still supporting, and then with practice a child can begin to ride gentle hills and then finally steep ones. This made a lot of sense to children. I also read several books to the children with the theme of developmental readiness and practice. Leo the Late Bloomer and Whistle for Willie

were two of the books that resonated with the children.
Each reading workshop starts with a teacher read aloud modeling the strategy that the students will practice independently and in their small groups. Pran's Week of Adventure was the book modeled this Monday, with the children using strategies to read the pictures on the cover, using the title to help set beginning comprehension and using the story to help to decode words. All of the first grade students are reading with a partner or in  small group of three, books that have just the right amount of print for that just right amount of challenge. The children read their books together with a teacher, sharing strategies about the print and content, and then practice reading the books independently. Students are using their finger under the words as they read to help draw their attention to the words and to track the print.  As they encounter an unfamiliar word, students are thinking about the picture on the page, looking at the beginning sound of the word and thinking if the word that would make sense also matches the word in the book. Student's growing bank of sight words and facility with manipulating word chunks, short "a" is currently being studied,  are helping them also with reading words. A second reading with the teacher entails taking turns reading and discussing the current strategy the class is exploring. The first grade students are continuing to think about and write about a page they really like in their book and why they like it.  Looking ahead- the next strategy for first grade is making connections about text. More to come about this next strategy.