Nurturing Early Readers

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Our classroom is a buzz with reading.  In the fall, we plant the seeds developing alphabetic and sound principle knowledge.  We work diligently to put those sounds into use.  For some, it comes naturally and they learn to read with ease.

Then, there are those which you plant the seeds and tend to them with daily interventions, small group reading, and a smorgasbord of other tricks.   Only now, do you see them begin to sprout into readers.




In my classroom, I use several resources to help me develop their reading skills.





We use the Leap Frog's Talking Words Factory to show our students how to build and blend words.  It is great for introducing the "sticky vowels." Our students love the DVD and build the words with Tad and his sister on their white boards.




We also use several resources from HeidiSongs.  The CVC workbook is wonderful to check for understanding. I have taught my students that they read the words first and then, match it to the picture on the page; rather than the other way around.




Our adoption, comes with an arsenal of little readers which change weekly.  My students who need more practice with blending read the "approaching" and "on level" readers. We read these almost daily.  They also get a dose of shared reading in what I consider oldies but goodies; many from Joy Cowley.

Most importantly, I like them to read "real" books. I want them to know that their reading efforts transfer into books that can be found at the library or in bookstores.



How do you foster and grow readers in your classroom?




Common Core Standards:
K.RFS.4 Read emergent texts with purpose and understanding.