EDUC 16

Developmental Reading
2

MODULE
Submitted by:
__________________________
BEED STUDENT

Submitted to:
RONA JANE R. SANCHEZ
EDUC16 INSTRUCTOR
EDUC 16 – Developmental Reading 2

SECTION 1
Reading: An
Overview

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What Is Reading?

Reading is now defined as a complex cognitive process of decoding printed

symbols in order to derive meaning from them. Traditional views of reading suggest that
it is simply looking at a string of printed symbols, that is, the action or skill of reading
silently or aloud--written or printed matter. However, this description of reading has been
consistently regarded inadequate and debatable. As it is, when readers read, they do not
only use their eyes to receive information from written symbols but they also make use of
their intellectual acumen or cognitive prowess to deduce what those written symbols
intend to meaningfully communicate to them.

Foreign Language Teaching Methods (2010)defines reading as:

 a process undertaken to reduce uncertainty about meanings a text conveys;

 the process resulting from a negotiation of meaning between the text and its
reader: and
 the knowledge, expectations, and strategies a reader uses to uncover textual
meaning, which all play decisive roles when the reader negotiates with the texts
meaning.

On the other hand, Diane Henry Leipzig(2013)offers the following definition:

“Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension,

fluency, and motivation.”

However, one of the most popular definitions of reading–although recently criticized-

was given by Kenneth Goodman (1988):

"Reading is a psycholinguistic guessing game. Reading is a receptive

psycholinguistic process wherein the actor uses strategies to create meaning from
text.”

Goodman implies that readers construct meaning of what they read. As a reader yes
look at a printed text, he/ she picks up graphic symbols based on his/her linguistic schema
and tries to guess what they mean. Afterward, he/she either verifies whether his/ her
guesses or predictions are correct or not. If they are not, the reader will try to reconcile
the miscue. Then, the cycle goes on.

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ACTIVITY 1

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following questions. Explain and/or
give examples.

1. Why does Kenneth Goodman describe reading as a "psycholinguistic guessing

game"? How do thought (mental processes) and language relate?
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2. Expound this assertion:

The reader has to do two tasks at the same time: produce oral language
determined by graphic input and make sense of what is being read. The reader
uses prior knowledge and depends on that knowledge they already have when
reading.

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3. Can we identify words without constructing meaning from them? Take this as an
example. What does it tell us?

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe
–"Jabberwocky" by Lewis
Carroll
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4. Can we read even if the letters that comprise words are not in their proper order?
Take this as an example. What does it suggest?

I dnot bieleve waht yuor feirnd siad aoubt rdaenig. Ttloaly asburd!
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EDUC 16 – Developmental Reading 2

What is Comprehension?

Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to

accurately understand written materials, children need to be able to (Reading Rockets
2014):

 decode what they read;

 make connections between what they read and what they already know, and
 think deeply about what they have read.

Hence, it refers to the capacity to read, process, and understand what texts convey.
According to K-12 Reader (2012), several cognitive processes "take” place before
comprehension is achieved. The reader needs to utilize his/her "knowledge of phonemes
(individual sound 'pieces' in language), phonics (link between sounds, letters, and words),
and cognitive facility to construct meaning from text."

ACTIVITY 2

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. Do we consider reading and comprehension as one and the same? Why or why
not? When does comprehension occur? Can you cite specific situations to
illustrate this claim?
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What Factors Affect Reading Comprehension?

Tompkins (2001) claims that reading comprehension is achievable. Snow, Burns,

and Griftin (1998) presented a synthesis of research on the factors that contribute to
successful reading comprehension. These are through adequate prior knowledge, the
ability to derive conjectures, and improve language proficiency.

 Acquired proficiency in language  Environmental risks

 Cognitive deficiencies
 Verbal memory  Poor performing schools
 Lexical and syntactic skills  Hearing problems  Low expectations
 Overall language  Early language impairment  Lack of resources
 Attention deficit hyperactivity  Conflicting community values
disorder  Negative peer pressure
 Vision problems
Predictors of School Entry Neighborhood, Community,
Physical and clinical Factors and School-based Factors

 Family history of reading difficulties

 Home literacy environment  Phonological Awareness
 Opportunities for verbal interaction  Oral vocabulary
 Home language other than English  Reading readiness
 Use of a nonstandard dialect of English  Letter identification
at home  Concepts of print
 Socio-economic status  Phonemic awareness

Family-based Risk Factors Acquired Knowledge of Literacy

Proficient reading comprehension of print or texts is influenced by these factors

(Bulgren, 2004: Durkin, 1993; Bernardo, 2005):

1. oral language skills which cover lexical and syntactic awareness

2. ability to employ reading strategies to minimize comprehension breakdown
3. understanding of text structure, text types, and genre
4. critical reasoning and inferential skills
5. motivation or drive and interest in reading
6. availability of good reading materials (print or online)
7. amount of background knowledge or vicarious experiences
8. breadth and depth of vocabulary
9. a clear reading purpose
10. amount of reading(formal and informal) instruction received

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ACTIVITY 3

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. Discuss how the aforementioned factors affect reading comprehension. Relate

your answers to your own experiences as reader and provide cases that are
products of your own observations.
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2. Conduct a simple research to prove that children who are solid readers perform
better in school, have a healthy self-image, and become lifelong learners.
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3. Interview a reading teacher and ask him/her about what he/she thinks of the
reading process. Find out, too, how his/her views are translated into classroom
practices.
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It should be emphasized that for comprehension to take place, readers should be

able to: build connections between what they know (schema) and what they are
reading; decipher word meaning through the use of vocabulary learning strategies;
and possess sufficient cognitive resources, for them to glean meaning from the texts,
monitor how well they can understand texts and repair breakdown, demonstrate the
ability to note details, arrange ideas, arrive at conclusions, be more engaged and
confidents in reading, and be cognizant of the general structure and features of texts.
(Tompkins 2009)

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SECTION 2
Reading Models at a Glance

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What Are the Reading Models?

1. BOTTOM-UP MODEL

The Bottom-up Model of reading of Philip Gough in 1972 is principally

concerned with the recognition of individual phonemes, letters, and words. This model
posits that the reading process commences with individual recognition of letter and
phonemic counterparts. This knowledge then leads to the recognition of individual words
of the text presented to the reader. Whole text meaning-making is a process of building
understanding of individual letters to the word level, then to the sentential level, and
finally, the text level.

2. TOP-DOWN MODEL

The Top-down Model of Kenneth Goodman (1967) puts premium on the

reader's active involvement in the reconstruction of the meaning conveyed by the text.
The top-down model looks at the reader's knowledge base (schema) and his/her ability to
make predictions using this base. The reader has to rely on the use of the printed text only
to confirm and/or generate new hypotheses. The top-down model of reading highlights
the higher order thinking skills inherent in reading. These higher-order thinking skills
include making predictions and inferences in the reader's attempt to construct meaning
from the past experiences and to reconstruct these predictions based on new information
contrary to previous knowledge.

3. INTERACTIVE READING MODEL

The Interactive Reading Model, presented by David Rumelhart in 1977,

explains that readers utilize their graphophonic, lexical, syntactic, semantic, schematic,
and pragmatic knowledge, in order to make meaning of the text Both surface (lexical,
syntactic, and semantic) and deep structure (schematic, semantic, and pragmatic) systems
are tapped when reading, so that when the readers see a new word, they try to decode it
using their knowledge of letter sounds and relate the word to what they may already
know.

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ACTIVITY 4

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. How different are the reading models from one another? Which do you think is
the most effective? Which one is the least effective, if there is any? Support your
answer.
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2. How will you explain the idea that "how a reader accesses the systems heavily
relies on the reader, the context, and the text"? What does this have to do with the
reading models discussed?
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What Are the Components of the Reading Process?

The following are the requisites of the reading process and should guide the
reading teachers in their pedagogy (NCCA Research Report 2012):

1. Vocabulary – the knowledge of word and word meaning. It includes both

receptive and expressive vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary includes the words
that one takes in when listening and reading. On the other hand, expressive
vocabulary is composed of the words one uses when speaking and writing.

2. Comprehension – the main objective of reading. It involves analyzing and

synthesizing of the text to create meaning.

3. Oral Reading Fluency – the ability to read aloud with expression to demonstrate
an understanding of the author's message (Department of Education and Training
in Western Australia 2004). McKenna and Stahl (2009) stated that the three key
components of oral reading fluency are accurate word recognition, automaticity,
and appropriate rhythm and intonation of speech.

4. Reading Attitude/Motivation – the attitude one has toward reading.

Unenthusiastic or reluctant readers need to be encouraged to read through
supportive physical and social environment.

5. Phonological Awareness – the ability to work around sound units that comprise
or make up a word.

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EXERCISE 5

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. Speculate on what could happen if one of the reading components is lacking or

missing. Will reading take place? Why or why not?
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2. How would readers attempt to understand the poem below through bottom-up,
top-down, and interactive processing? Create a table to make comparisons.
Explain how this may be adapted for young readers.

A Plea
A.S. Bernardo

When shadows fill my heart and darkness surround me

When all troubles come and take away my faith to Thee
When /am so weak, bothered, and perfectly weary
lam reminded that you my Lord will soon set me free

Your love was never empty, void, and pale

Your passion and mercy was never just a tale
Your saving grace moves our lives to go and sail
You never left us alone and You’ll never let us fail

For the truth from your lips is so sweet and clear

We’ll never lay to rest our praises and cheer
To you l say my homage and reverence so queer
Your holy name will be forever in my heart so dear

And now when I do not really see where to go

Please show me the way that/ must surely know
Light my travel road, let the distant future show
Whisper to me the strength of will in spirit glow

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Tell me the words that I may forthrightly speak

What this heart and mind of mine truthfully seek
When faith and courage lack and times slowly led
Bring me to your comfort and revive myself so weak

Lead me to the rivers and streams that I must ford

Make my mind receive what Your will accord
Be my fortress and let Your love be my sword
In your gentle hands, I rightfully rest, oh Lord!

INTERACTIVE
BOTTOM-UP TOP-DOWN
PROCESSING

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SECTION 3
Emergent Literacy

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What Is Emergent Literacy?

Emergent literacy refers to how children at a young age interact with books and
other printed texts even though they could not actually read or write in the conventional
sense. It is used to explain a child's knowledge of reading and writing skills before he/she
learns how to formally read and write words, as the period of emergent literacy starts at
birth and continues through the preschool years ("Learning about Literacy"2009).
Literacy, then, does not necessarily begin in school because children become exposed to
several literacy materials such as environmental and book print that are present in their
homes and other environment to which they have been exposed to.

What Are the Important Components of Emergent Literacy?

According to the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) (2009), the important
skills in early literacy are the following:

1. alphabet knowledge
2. phonological awareness and memory
3. rapid automatized naming of letters and objects
4. writing letters

Other skills that are also necessary for reading are: knowledge of print concepts,
recognition of environmental print; oral language and vocabulary; and discrimination of
visual symbols.

What Should Parents Do to Encourage

Their Children's Emergent Literacy Skills?

The parents' role in supporting the emergent literacy skills of their children have
been found to be significant as children who come to school with these skills appear to
be at an advantage.

Parents should –

 talk to their child and name objects, people, and events in the everyday

environment.

 repeat their child's strings of sounds (e.g.,"dadadada, bababa") and add to

them.

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 talk to their child during daily routine activities such as bath or mealtime and

respond to his/her questions.

 draw their child's attention to print in everyday settings such as traffic signs,

store logos, and food containers.

 introduce new vocabulary words during holidays and special activities such as

outings to the zoo, the park, and so on.

 engage their child in singing, rhyming games, and nursery rhymes.

 read picture and story books that focus on sounds, rhymes, and alliteration.

 reread their child's favorite books.

 focus their child’s attention on books by pointing to words and pictures as

they read.

 provide a variety of materials to encourage drawing and scribbling

 encourage their child to describe or tell a story about his/her drawing and

write down the words. ( Roth et al. 2006)

What Can Teachers Do to Support Early Literacy?

National Early Literacy Panel (2009) suggests the following:

1. Provide activities that allow for the learning of letter names and sounds

2. Create opportunities for students to experiment with the sounds of the language

3. Give activities that will make them remember specific words

4. Expose children to several instances that can make them practice talking

5. Maximize opportunities to teach and discuss new words

6. Engage them in situations that will make them understand the role and value of

print.

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EXERCISE 6

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. How did your parents attempt to develop your literacy skills? Can you or your
parents recall any anecdote or situation to illustrate these attempts?
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2. Which of the following do you strongly agree or disagree with? Why?

a. Children start to learn language from the day they are born
b. As they grow and develop, so do their speech and language skills
c. They learn to understand and use language to express their thoughts, ideas,
and feelings to communicate with others.
d. Children who enter school with weaker verbal abilities are much more likely
to experience difficulties in learning literacy skills than those who do not.
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SECTION 4
Reading Readiness

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What Is Reading Readiness?

A child learns to read when he/she is perfectly ready. The people that surround
the child, like his/her parents and teachers, cannot and must not push him/her into it
because every child progresses at his/her own pace, depending on his/her level of
maturity. However, teachers and parents can do a lot of things to prepare the child to
read. Reading readiness, therefore, is the purposeful process of preparing a child for
reading. It also refers to the stage when a child changes from being a non-reader to a
reader. Reading readiness includes encouraging or motivating a child to read and
engaging him/her to want to read. In this stage, the child can recognize and react to the
sounds of language and start to develop imitative reading (Maryland State Department of
Education Johns Hopkins University School of Education 2010).

How Do We Know if the Child Is Ready to Read?

Watson (2014) suggested a number of indications that a child is ready to read.

These include (but are not limited to) the following:

The child –

 pretends to be a reader.

 olds a book the right way.

 turns pages at appropriate times

 can discuss what is happening and relate it to his/her own experiences.

 focuses on the print and realizes that it is conveying a message

 makes inferences on both what is read and seen in the pictures,

 enjoys stories being reread and chimes in regularly.

 likes to turn the pages and knows when to

 will make attempts to reread the story from memory, and picture cues.

Some of the skills that signify that a child is ready to learn to read include

1. age-appropriate oral language development and vocabulary

2. enjoyment with stories and books

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3. ability to discriminate and manipulate individual sounds of language (phonemic

awareness)
4. understanding of the basic print concepts (e.g., printed text represents spoken
words; texts written in English are read left to right starting at the top of the page
and so on)
5. understanding of the alphabetic principle (i.e, letters and letter patterns represent
the sounds of language)
6. ability to differentiate shapes(visual discrimination)
7. ability to recognize at least some letters of the alphabet

EXERCISE 7

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. As a future educator, what will you do to motivate a child to read?

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How Can Teachers and Parents Help Children Become More Prepared to Read?

1. For new readers:

a. Play with rhymes. By playing with brief texts of rhymes, children get
exposed to the mechanics of the language. They discover how language works
and become acquainted with the relationship between the sounds and letters--
information which assist them when they start reading to decode the sounds
that make up words.
b. Create stories. Children love stories. Usually, they like fairy tales with
predictable plots.
c. Practice the alphabet. Help children practice recognizing the different letters
of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds.
d. Listen to a child read. Make reading an enjoyable experience. Sit with the
child. Try not to pressure the child if he/she is unwilling. If the child says
something nearly right to start with, that is all right. Do not say "No. That's
wrong." Say instead, "Let's read it together." Then, point to the words as you
say them.

2. For those who have been reading:

a. Reread familiar books. Readers benefit from rereading familiar stories as
this further spurs their emotions and increases their knowledge.
b. Build reading accuracy. Provide readers the opportunity to read and then
reread the same text, and have them practice their oral reading skill with an
opportunity to receive corrections and guidance (if necessary).
c. Build reading comprehension. Have the child read aloud, provide the right
kind of books, make him/her re-read to build fluency, supplement class
reading, and talk about what the child is reading
d. Encourage the child to read alone, but continue to read to him/her. Lead
the children to independent reading. Encourage them to become self-sufficient
readers to continue to take pleasure in, as well as learn, from good books.
"("10 Tips on Hearing Your Child Read"2014)

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EXERCISE 8

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. What steps can you take when the children you handle show indications or
behavior that they are ready to read?
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2. What advice will you give to the children's parents?

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3. Read and analyze the poem below. What does it say about reading readiness?
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Reading Readiness
Artchil Daug

The art of basic reading

is achieved in fingers
that pointed the syllables
and target the sound
to the curiosity of a cat
that helped a frog learn
how to use a bat
for the late afternoon
apple run, from the
upper side of the alphabet
to the lower sound
of zed, the last amphibian
attaked by the walking
stick in front of a fly
struggling to fly
in the heat of a forced
literature, confined in
the tears for freedom
om the agonizing syr
of a blasphemous sound:
Read!

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EXERCISE 9

1. Select a child under the age of six to observe. Ask permission from the parents to
observe the child for a few days while he/she is reading at home. Write a report
about your observations.

Can the child-

a. make simple predictions and comments about a story being read?

b. repeat a simple story after hearing it?
c. hold and look at books right side up, turning the pages one at a time from
front to
d. name the letters in his/her first name, and can recognize his/her first name
in print?
e. say and point to at least ten letters of the alphabet?
f. match a letter with the beginning sound of a word (such as the letter "b"
with a picture of a banana)?
g. recognize words or signs he sees often? (Stanberry 2014)

2. What conclusion can you make out of your observations? Is the child ready to
read? Can he/she already read? Why do you say so?
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SECTION 5
Teaching Beginning
Reading

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How Is Beginning Reading Taught?

There are a variety of ways by which teachers and parents can teach beginning
readers. However, there is no single best method that has been identified so far. Only
through the effective use of these methods, activities, and techniques can young readers
acquire the requisites of reading. Thus, when a child is in the beginning reading stage, it
is advisable that teachers and parents consider not only what to teach but also how to
teach.

What to Teach

The following are the skills typically focused on during beginning reading stage
(Neuhaus Education Center 2014):

Focus Skills during Beginning Reading

Instant Letter Phonological/Phonemic

Reading Concepts
Recognition Awareness

 Letter Shapes  Segmenting Words,  Same and Different

 Letter Names Syllables, Phonemes  Initial, Medial, Final
 Sequence of the  Alliteration  Before and After
Alphabet  Rhyme  Voiced and Unvoiced
 Rapid Recognition of  Oddity Sounds
 Upper and Lower Case  Blending Sounds to Form  Blocked and Unblocked
 Manuscript Letters Words Sounds
 Unbending Sounds within  Vowels and Consonants
Words
 Omitting Syllables and
Sounds
 Sound Substitution and
Manipulation
Oral Language and
Word Recognition Skills Handwriting
Comprehension
 Sound/Symbol  Lower Case Manuscript  Naming
Correspondences Letter Strokes  Describing
 Reading Phonetically  Numeral strokes  Critical Thinking:
Regular Words World Knowledge and
Relationships
 Story Retelling
 Vocabulary

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How to Teach

The following are some ways that may be tried out when teaching beginning
reading (“Beginning Reading Teacher Strategies" n.d):

1. Word Wall. The teacher selects four or five words (with varying levels of
difficulty and words belonging to different parts of speech) each week and adds
them to a bulletin board or wall in the room. The words are written with a thick
black marker on a board paper, and then cut out around the outline of the letters
so that each word has its own unique shape. Some teachers also use several
different colors of paper as another tool for helping students distinguish among
the Word Wall words. The Word Wall has sections for each letter of the alphabet,
and the words must be visible to all children, so it takes up a considerable amount
of space in the classroom.

2. Rhyming Words. Present a word family to discuss rhyming words. For example,
introduce the -at words family of short vowels that include the words bat, fat, sat,
hat, and mat.

3. Stop at the Vowel Sound. Use words with a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC)

pattern such as the word bag, Ask the children to give the sound of the first letter.
Next, make them give the sound of the second letter. Then, have the children
blend or put together the two sounds as in /ba/. Finally, let them try to read the
word.

4. Recognition Memory. Instruct the children to listen to the word that you are
going to say. Make them listen to the sound of the word and then guess what the
word is Have the children write the word on their paper. For the word bad, for
instance, say /b/, /a/, /d/ while lengthening each sound, then /bad/.

5. Picture Clues. Have the children look at a picture. This will help them confirm
whether a word does make sense. For instance, if they read cow instead of cat you
can ask them to look at the picture and think about whether cow makes sense.

6. Look for Word Chunks. Ask the children to look for familiar letter chunks
within a word. They may be prefixes, base words, etc. For instance, eat in meat.
Ask them to read each chunk. Then, blend the chunks together and sound out the
word. Ask whether this word makes sense in the sentence. Also, help the child to

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recognize suffixes (-ing, -ed, -es, -ness, etc.) and prefixes (un-, re-, in-, dis-,
etc.)

7. Respond to This. Ask a child to respond to the following: (a) "What would be
left out if the /k/ sound were taken away from car?" (b) "What do you have if you
put these sounds together: /s/, /a/, /t'?" (c) "What is the first sound in rose?
Several ways may be followed in teaching children how to read from
words of the CvC pattern to diagraphs, diphthongs, and words that follow specific
rules.

8. Pretesting. Test the child by pointing at each letter below and saying, "What
sound does this letter make?" Do not give the child any hints by saying, "What
sound does letter "b" make? Circle any sounds said incorrectly.
b… c… d… f… g… h… j… k… l… m… n… p… q… r… s… t…v… w… x…
Says (at the end of a word)… y says (beginning a word)... z says…

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EDUC 16 – Developmental Reading 2

EXERCISE 10

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. Look back and try to recall how you were taught to read. What did your parents
or beginning reading teachers ask you to do? Do you think they were effective?
Why or why not?
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2. Phonemic awareness is important, but why is it difficult to learn? What is in the

English language that makes it complicated?
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EDUC 16 – Developmental Reading 2

The Reading Teach

The reading teachers play a very crucial role in the reading process. Thus, they
must possess certain qualities worth emulating and most importantly, they themselves
must also love reading. They must be able to develop their understanding of the reading
process, become highly skilled observers and decision-makers at every point in the
lesson, and critically evaluate their work to find out if they are indeed effective or if they
need further improvement.

Characteristics of a Reading Teacher

According to the International Reading Association (2000), the following are

qualities of excellent reading teachers
1. Excellent reading teachers understand the theories that underpin the reading
process.
2. Excellent reading teachers continuously assess students' progress.
3. Excellent reading teachers are pedagogically equipped.
4. Excellent reading teachers offer a variety of materials and texts to students
5. Excellent reading teachers use flexible grouping strategies and consider individual
needs.
6. Excellent reading teachers are good reading coaches

To Tonegato and Hendricks (2012), these are the top ten qualities of an effective
reading teacher.
1. Effective reading teachers provide direct and explicit instruction
2. Effective reading teachers exhibit flexibility.
3. Effective reading teachers model behaviors
4. Effective reading teachers scaffold instruction
5. Effective reading teachers link reading and writing
6. Effective reading teachers balance literacy instruction
7. Effective reading teachers maintain high expectations of students and self.
8. Effective reading teachers employ a variety of assessments
9. Effective reading teachers motivate students
10. Effective reading teachers maintain a rich classroom library.

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EXERCISE 11

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples. (Journal Writing)

1. Pick one quality of an effective reading teacher and think of how it can be
achieved. Provide other ways by which a reading teacher can become truly
effective.

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EDUC 16 – Developmental Reading 2

How to Read with a Beginning Reader

Joanne Meier

Sometimes, parents of beginning readers wonder if their child is on track with

reading. They don't understand why their child can't read a word today they were able to
read yesterday. They think their child reads too slowly. They grumble that their child
only wants to read the same book over and over again.
Most beginning readers are inconsistent. They may know a word one day but not
the next. They may read a particular word correctly on one page, but they have to stop
and sound it out again on the next page. When you listen to a beginning reader, you hear
short, choppy words with little attention to punctuation. Sometimes, a new reader can tell
you very little about what they just read.
At the beginning stage of reading, all of these reading behaviors are to be
expected. Beginning readers are building their fluency. This means they're working to
make several skills like matching a letter to a sound and decoding more smooth, accurate,
and automatic. Without fluency, each word must be decoded, and that takes time and
energy. This means that other reading behaviors like reading with expression and
comprehension have less of a focus.

When reading with a beginning reader, it's important to do the following:

1. Give them time to read. Reading is a skill and like many other skills, it takes
time to develop A beginning reader should spend at least 20 minutes a day
reading to or with someone. The books read during this time should be relatively
easy for your child.
2. Let them reread the same books. Rereading the same words over and over again
helps build fluency. Over time, you'll notice that your child will stop less often to
decode words.
3. Encourage attention to the print. If your child is stuck on a word, help him look
at the first letter(s) and encourage him to sound it out. If it is a difficult word or
one that can't be sounded out, simply supply the word and continue reading.
4. Take turns reading. By listening to your fluent reading, your child will hear
what good readers sound like. After you've read a short passage, ask your child to
re-read the same passage. This provides a chance for her to practice reading with
expression.
5. Have realistic expectations. For example, students should be reading
approximately 60 words per minute correctly by the end of first grade, and 90-100
words per minute correctly by the end of second grade Your child's teacher can
help you learn your child's reading rate.

It's important to nurture your beginning reader in a way that helps make reading a
daily habit and a lifelong love. By being aware of what's normal for a beginning reader
and by knowing how to help them progress, you're sure to instill those qualities in your
reader.

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EXERCISE 10

Directions: Observe how early literacy is promoted in your own homes or your relatives.
Focus on active family involvement in terms of language use, reading and writing
activities, and literacy material available. Check only those that highly evident and
regularly practiced in your family.

1. In what specific ways is language use exemplified among family members to help
an emergent learner?
 Language is frequently used meaningfully.
 Language is regularly used in social context.
 Language is used to comprehend print materials and audio-visual materials.
 Language is used to promote oral communication, encourage correct
pronunciation
and develop vocabulary.
 Language is used to explore reading materials and to process writing activities.
Provide opportunities for play to use language.
 Language is associated with the pleasure and enjoyment.

2. What reading activities are highly participated and enjoyed

by the family members to encourage an emergent reader?
 Recreational Reading (Nursery rhymes, fairytales, fables & folktales, poetry,
jokes &riddles)
 Concept Reading (Alphabets & numbers, animals & plants, planets, shapes &
sizes, colors)
 Story Reading (Reading aloud, bedtime stories, storytelling, retelling, shared
book experiences, repeated story readings)
 Reading Magazines and Newspapers
 Identifying Environmental Print

3. What writing activities are frequently demonstrated by the adult family members
to increase early writing attempts and develop practice writing of kids?
Recognize environmental print
 Food labels usually found in the home and in the supermarket
 Food chains, amusement centers, parks and malls where they love to go
 Logos of their favorite cartoon characters and mascots
 Sign of schools, hospitals and churches
 Road signs, stations, directions, means of transportation

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4. What are the frequently subscribed, read, bought, and collected print materials to
promote the early literacy of the young members of the family?
Nurture emergent writing through the whole family participation in writing activities
 First marking attempts on papers, or even on walls.
 Scribbling, squiggling
 Copying, imitating adult – writing, tracing
 Drawing, finger – painting
 Invented writing, producing letters in long strings
 Letter – like forms, writing – like sounds
 Invented spelling writing
 Writing his name
 Drawing as if telling a story
 Drawing images of family members, playmates and cartoon characters
 Drawing plant – like and animal – like image
 Producing lines, shapes
 Communicating to family members through writing notes or letters
 Sending greeting cards and texting
Establishes pleasurable and enjoyable
 Assistance to child’s writings attempts
 Encouragement to identify what he writes
 Interaction with child about what us being written
 Invitation to observe adult writing and to try make one for himself
 Display of early writings to be enjoyed
 Response to his queries with information and explanation

Reading Materials
Picture books
 picture concept books (alphabets, numbers, and animals)
 cardboard concept books (alphabets, numbers, and animal)
 picture storybooks
Traditional literature books
 nursery rhymes
 fairy tales
 fables and myths
Participation books
 touch – and – feel books
TV program-related book/movie-related books
 Sesame Street
 Nickelodeon
 Disney
 Popular Cartoons / Animated Films
Magazines, Newspaper, Comics
 Children’s First Dictionaries
 Children’s Picture Dictionaries

Writing Materials

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Writings pads Coupon bond

 Tracing pads  Oslo paper

 Sketch pads  Newsprint
 Drawing pads  Recyclable papers
 Workbook for beginning readers and writers
 Coloring books
 Activity books for alphabet, numbers, shapes and sizes

 Big pencils  Whiteboards/blackboards

 Non-toxic crayons  Clay
 Colored pencils  Manipulative toys
 Markers  blocks

Directions: Discuss some ideas by answering the following question. Explain and/or give
examples.

1. Based on your observation, did the family paid attention to the child’s literacy? In
what way?
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2. What do you think is the importance of home literacy in terms of a child’s

growth?
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3. In what aspects do the literacy practices in the home contradict with the early
literacy programs of the school?
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