kiloyd wrote:We are finishing up with Beyond and ds was reading out loud to me the emerging readers but then didn't want to read them outloud anymore. So he reads them, then I ask him the questions. I either read it before or after him to see if he is getting them correct. Is this okay?
We'll be using Bigger next and can we do the same if we start DITHOR? He reads independently?
Thanks,
Katherine
That's wonderful your ds is doing so well with his reading.
My older ds was the same way, he wanted to stop reading the Emerging Reader books out loud to me as well. He did well reading them silently too - I could tell because he got his comprehension questions right. So, I figured there was no harm in him just reading it silently. Then, one time he had to read in front our our Bible class. He was uncomfortable and did not do well, even though he is an excellent reader. So, we went back to reading a portion out loud then for him, even though he was in 3rd. grade at the time.
When my second son asked to read the Emerging Reader's Set silently, I let my him "practice" reading the Emerging Reader's Set readers first - which is what your ds is doing, independently reading the book silently. Then, after he practiced, I still had him read out loud to me, and I explained to him that he needed to show me he was good at 2 kinds of reading that were very different - one in his head, and one out loud. He understood then that this was just the next thing in reading he needed to do, rather than him thinking he should be past having to read out loud, he understood that he would always need to be good at reading out loud, and that this too was a skill to be practiced each year.
Even if your ds is getting his comprehension questions answered correctly, it still would be good for him to read out loud to you each day. It helps dc continue to grow in their oral reading skills, gives us a chance to correct mispronunciations, and builds confidence for reading in front of a group (which they will have to do someday, either in a Sunday school class, at a job, or just reading the Bible to their own dc).
Once we started DITHOR, we used the "Qualities of Good Reading" lists in the Appendix to further work on that skill, and we still refer to this list with my older 4th. grade son as well, as he continues to work through the list. The list is meant to be mastered one skill at a time, with #1 being mastered first, and then moving on to #2, etc. We've found it's a good idea to check back with the list with our older ds from time to time because he forgets to do these things sometimes. Here is the first half of the student's list in case you want to start him out on these:
1. Pause at punctuation
2. Raise your voice at the end of a question. Exclaim words punctuated with an exclamation point.
3. Emphasize words in all capital letters, bold letters, or italics.
4. Read so the words flow smoothly together.
The accompanying Teacher's List has even more great tips for each of these. So, I do think it's important for dc to continue to practice reading out loud, always, even if it's just a page or 2. My hope is that then they will continue to grow as oral readers, and when the time comes for them to read in front of a group, they will do so standing proudly with every confidence they can do it well.
In Christ,
Julie