FROM 1/2 RED:

This week 1/2 Red has been learning to call upon a range of different strategies when we don’t understand what we are reading or come across a word we don’t know. This process is called self-monitoring and is asking students to be aware of their own thinking when reading. As a whole class we have been looking at strategies such as Stretchy Snake and Chunky Monkey. When asked the two questions below students provided the following answers:

“What do good readers do when they get to a word that they don’t know?

- Break the word up into smaller bits and see if that helps me understand (Luca D)

- I sound it out and keep reading (Jack R)

- I skip the word and read a bit more to see if that helps me work out what the word is (Archer B)

- I sound it out and if I still don’t know I ask a friend (Isla J)

“What do good readers do when they don’t understand what they are reading?”

- I look at the front cover and see if that tells me what the book is about (Nina K)

- I keep reading because it might make sense if I read a bit more (Harry B)

- I read the blurb or look at the front cover (Hugo A)

- I read it again and look at the pictures to see what it might mean (Marissa K)

Most students commented that their initial response when they come across a word they don’t know was to sound it out. This is a great foundational strategy, but as a class we are interested in finding other ways of helping us solve tricky words. Improving our range of strategies and ensuring students know what to do if they no longer understand is a key focus in our reading rotations and creates confident and resilient readers.