Read to Self Tips

Jane over at The Learning Curve has just started launching Read to Self to her class and wants some tips to make sure non-readers are reading. She managed 10 seconds on one attempt and 50 seconds was the best. First off, I have to say that when I started this week, a minute and a half was the best we managed of 3 attempts so our other 2 were pretty poor! All I can say is, don't stress - it has been that way every year for me, but we always build up enough stamina within about the first month.

Here are my tips for Daily 5 'newbies' - a term I've taken from my son.... everyone is a 'Noob' to him :) However, I'm no expert, this  is just what works for me and tips from the book!

1. I build up lots of enthusiasm before we start.We go through our I-Chart - "Can you ..... ", Class "Yes!" We build pictures of what we will look like in our mind. Yesterday I commented that a teacher I 'know' already has her class reading for 8 minutes (this was actually a teacher who had emailed me and has a Year 5-6 class, but my kids don't know that!). We can't let them reach 20 minutes before us! Perfect for setting a purpose and creating a sense of urgency!

 Our I-Chart ... a bit messy, but we made it as a class

1. I make sure that my non-readers have good fit books. This includes very early readers, picture books with few words or books we've read as read-alouds like "No David" which they can read from memory and using the pictures. If non-readers don't think they can read the books they won't read.
2. I time them from the time I say something like "It's now time for Read to Self", not once they are actually settled and reading (this is different from the book, the Sisters recommend placing the children around the room before getting started during the launch phase). This is because I'm also checking that they can get their book boxes quickly, find a place where they won't be disturbed, get started right away etc. So that minute and a half didn't include that much reading! Each time we pack up they put their book boxes away and have to get them again after we've checked in.
3. Check in after each attempt using the thumbs up/thumbs sideways using the I-Chart. When we check in about whether we read the whole time, I always say "Did you read, read the pictures or retell a story the whole time" to reinforce to my non-readers that it is ok to read the pictures. We share individual celebrations. Sometimes I get my kids to turn and talk about what their goal is from the I-Chart and then we reflect on that after our next attempt.
4. Be consistent! Do it 3 times every day during the launch and stop when you need to because of inappropriate behaviours. It takes a little while to build up their muscle memories so they can't be expected to do it correct for extended periods right away. 

Jane also commented that the kids were looking up to see if she was watching. I make a point of sitting at my guided reading table and not making eye contact with anyone. The room is so silent that I can hear when kids are off-task and those kids who want my attention know they aren't going to get it! Continue with the modelling for as long as you need to as well.

And just think, if you didn't take the time to build up their stamina, train their muscle memories and ensure they actually are reading good fit books, do you really think they will be on-task and reading once you start pulling groups for guided reading?

Introducing Read to Self

On the first day of school, I introduced Read to Self as one of the reading activities we would be doing every day this year - you should have heard the groan!! These little people do not see themselves as readers at all. I'll have to change that!

I introduced Read to Self by explaining that there are 3 ways to read a book. The chart I made in class was a little messy so after about the next week I'll replace it with the one below and put it up in our library area - at the moment the one I wrote is in on my little easel so we can refer to it often. You can grab it in Google Docs by clicking on the picture.

I then demonstrated the 3 ways to read a book - I know the sisters recommend doing it over 2 days, but I've always done it in one. This is the third time I've used Pat Hutchins "Rosie's Walk" to introduce the 3 ways of reading and it's always a hit, even if they have read the story before.

I first read the words in a very boring voice WITHOUT showing the pictures. I ask whether they enjoyed the story and, of course, they say NO, that's BORING! They notice that I skip every second page and think I'm not reading all the words but I explain that there are no words on those pages.

We then read the pictures. This is always so much fun! We notice that the fox wasn't in the words at all and that we had missed a major part of the story by only focusing on the words! We make predictions about what is going to happen to the fox on every second page. We notice that there are marks on the page that show the direction of the rake flinging up for example and that we can follow the gaze of the fox to see that he is watching Rosie very intently and near the end he looks very weary! We notice that Rosie seems oblivious to the fox, but there is always a little cutie that says maybe she is walking that way on purpose because she looks so smug!

They always beg to read the book again, so we always end up retelling the story as well! We use the pictures and what we know about the words to retell the story. I get volunteers to retell or offer suggestions for some pages after I have done the first few.

Another good book I read to continue demonstrating the 3 Ways to Read a Book is David Goes to School by David Shannon. 

After this, even my most reluctant readers want to start reading from their book boxes (which I've already set up with books since we haven't learned how to choose books yet). But before we can, we make an I-Chart (I'll have a picture tomorrow, but they always look the same!). We modelled the correct and incorrect ways to Read to Self which is always a hoot!

We, finally, start reading! We only lasted about a minute and a half the first day. We practised 3 times and that was the best! The first two times most kids talked as they went and got their book boxes, the second time they started sharing their books with others and talking about them (not a bad thing I know!). And the third time someone got up to get another book they saw on display. 

After each time, we checked in and reflected on how we went using our thumbs up or thumbs side ways (so-so, room for improvement). I also explained that once we have practised Read to Self more and built our stamina, we will then start Read to Someone and that is when we can share our books with each other but NOT during Read to Self. They are really looking forward to that!

Each day we are practising 3 times each day and they are getting better. We are aiming for 20 minutes. 

I'm off school today for Australia Day, so Happy Australia Day to my follow Aussies!