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Check out our reading comprehension resources and guides.

reading comprehension resources and guides

Check out our [[TOPIC_NAME]] resources and guides.

For tips on how to increase reading fluency in the classroom, check out our series of free recorded webinars. Hear from three leading experts in the fields of fluency and reading - Christine Pinto, Dr. Timothy Rasinski and Dr. David Paige - as they explore the techniques teachers can apply to help students with instruction. 

The 5 pillars of reading are key elements which need to be established throughout the learning journey, for student's to have the highest chance of reading success. Our infographic sums up what they are and how each one plays an important role in developing reading skills.

The 5 pillars of reading instruction

5 pillars of reading instruction

The 5 pillars of reading are the key elements which need to be established in the learning journey for students to have the highest chance of reading success. Check out this handy infographic to learn more. 

As a bonus, why not take a look at our free reading instruction resources down below? Featuring three leading experts in the field of fluency and reading, these recorded webinars outline teaching techniques to help students with reading instruction.

1. Preview critical vocabulary. Choose a small set of critical words to introduce to students prior to reading. A small set would be 5-8 words, depending on age group and text complexity. Say each word aloud at least three times. Students benefit from hearing the pronunciation. While reading silently, we hear the words we are reading. Your voice may be the one they hear when making sense of new words. Also, explain what each means as simply as possible and why each is important to the topic being read. Model ways to remember what each means. Example: catastrophe = my cat makes a massive mess.

2. Set a purpose for reading. We know a student who is looking for nothing in a reading assignment usually finds it. Clear expectations of what students need to know and also be able to do with that information should be set from the beginning. Reading to become familiar with information is a different kind of reading than reading to apply it, compare it, or combine it with additional sources. 

3. Make thinking count. Reading is a complex thinking process, from the comprehension of the material, to higher level applications. Because students do not get to hear how others think while reading, it is good to talk about not only what was confusing, but how students reasoned through materials and how they are going to remember it. Having students talk about their own connections (to their own experiences or to media), examples, and ways they used to understand and retain information will benefit all students. Set up a place for students to record their thoughts, such as two-column notes, so students will “get credit” for the process and the product.

4. Tap into technology. In order for students to learn how to get what they need for understanding, they need to know there is more than one source of information. With the Internet available even on smartphones, it is important to make students responsible for finding additional sources of information on the topic. This can be a webpage or video which students can share with you, explaining why they thought their additional material was helpful. This will also help you to stock your resources on the topic, now and for future.

For students requiring special accommodations, check out our tips on creating an iep plan.

Have you used any of these strategies, or are there other strategies you would recommend? We’d love to hear about it in the comments area below.

4 Ways to Teach Reading after 4th Grade

When we speak of “teaching reading,” often we think that should occur for students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. For students in grades 4 and up, “teaching” reading means supporting student meaning making through higher level thinking tasks. The following four teaching suggestions will help you to ensure students understand information that’s contained in academic reading.

This summer, I was introduced to Fluency Tutor for Google by Texthelp at a local technology conference. I was told the product would make reading aloud fun, save time for busy teachers, and that it worked on any device. I laughed with the sales rep about “busy teachers” and explained how there wasn’t another kind. I decided to explore the tool and really enjoyed it. I wanted to share my top 4 reasons for you to use this tool with your students in the classroom.

Although Fluency Tutor comes with around 500 pre-selected lexile-leveled passages for you to choose from, the real power comes in the form of their student share extension. Students can select an article from any website based on their interests or course topic and with one click, all ads and sidebar items are removed and the text is ready to be analyzed and read.

2. It has a built in text-to-speech option!

Whether you have an ELL student who is in the beginning stages of reading or a student who has selected a challenging excerpt, the built in text-to-speech can read one or all the words aloud to them. A perfect tool to help students receive the content without struggling over the text or to help them decode a word and continue with the passage. It even comes with several voices so students can choose their favorite text reader!

3. It includes a text dictionary, picture dictionary, and translator tool!

Ever have a student who either interrupts your guided reading group or just skips over words for lack of understanding of one word? Not only is this taking away from your instructional time with other students but it is also could be taking away from important content that the student needs to understand. With Fluency Tutor, there is a built-in text and picture dictionary. Students simply highlight the word they need the definition for and BOOM, they have it! Now students can define the word and keep on reading without interrupting their learning or the class.

4. Students can record their reading as many times as they want on any passage.

If at first you don’t succeed, keep practicing. Instilling perseverance in our students is a huge part of teaching. With Fluency Tutor, students can record their reading as many times as they like before submitting to the teacher. I love this because it encourages mistakes, supports continuous practice, and aids in helping students understand when they are ready to submit their work - life skills our students need in order to be successful!

Fluency Tutor has so many wonderful features, I would encourage you to check it out! If you are like me, it’s the beginning of the year and you are looking for ways to simplify your life. Fluency Tutor is a great resource to help you do just that!

This summer, I was introduced to Fluency Tutor for Google by Texthelp at a local technology conference. I was told the product would make reading aloud fun, save time for busy teachers, and that it worked on any device. I decided to explore the tool and really enjoyed it. I wanted to share my top 4 reasons for you to use this tool with your students in the classroom.

Topic: reading comprehension

5 pillars of reading instruction

4 Ways to Teach Reading after 4th Grade

Top 4 Reasons to use Fluency Tutor with Students