Some principals for teaching Reading

Troy Bailey, PhD

The “Two Track” MethodRoad I

• “Bottom-Up”• Starts with text

Examples:• Alphabet Book• Alphabet Chart

TEXT

MEANING

SOUNDVISION

Road II

• “Top-Down”• Starts with

meaning

Examples:• Big Book• Small Book• Experience

Story

The “Two Track” MethodRoad I

• “Bottom-Up”• Starts with text

Examples:• Alphabet Book• Alphabet Chart

TEXT

MEANING

SOUNDVISION

Road II

• “Top-Down”• Starts with

meaning

Examples:• Big Book• Small Book• Experience

Story

• Some learners need more “Road I” instruction• Other learners need more “Road II” instruction

Two modes of reading

• Reading out loud• Silent reading

“Big Books”

“Small Books”

“Big Books” - for shared, oral reading

“Small Books” - for individual, silent reading

IMPORTANT: Reading is for meaning

(not just sound)

• Parrots can speak• They cannot think• They cannot read

Reading is for meaning

• Many teachers focus only on the sound aspect

• The class simply “parrots” the teacher

• Meaning is lost

Please … no parrotsin the classroom

• For shared reading

• Teacher is the coach

• Children read with, or to the teacher• There is no “parroting”.

5-Step Reading Plan

M. Stringer and N. Faraclas. Working Together for Literacy. A Guidebook for Local Language Literacy Programs. 1987.

T - Teacher Alone

A - All children with teacher

C - Choose one to read with teacher

S - One child reads "solo" (alone)

A - All children with teacher

5-Step Reading Plananother way to remember

• There is no “parroting” in the 5-Step method.

• The teacher either demonstrates reading, or reads along with the child.

5-Step Reading Plan

Two modes of reading

• Shared Reading (Big Books)• Silent Reading (Small Books)

SSR - Silent, Sustained Reading

• Children choose their texts (small books) from class library

• Essential for children to make the transition to silent reading

Thank You