| 1st Grade Book Buddies Tutor Tip: New Reading |
| Quotes and content taken from pages 109-112 of Johnston, Francine R., Marcia Invernizzi, Connie Juel, and Donna Lewis-Wagner. Book Buddies: A Tutoring Framework for Struggling Readers. 2nd ed., New York: The Guilford Press, 2009. |
Part 4: New Reading (8-10 minutes)
“Time spent reading is the most important component of the lesson plan.” (p.109) This section should not be skipped, as this combines all of the knowledge students are learning in tutoring sessions and in the classroom. Other parts of the lesson should be shortened or skipped before omitting this part.
Before Reading:
New reading always starts with a book introduction. This familiarizes the student with pictures and vocabulary, increases interest, and builds background knowledge before reading the text. Encourage the student to “talk about experiences she has had that relate to the events or characters in the story.” (110) Below are the steps from our lesson plan for a book preview:
1. Read title and look at the cover – The title often includes important words you will see repeatedly in the story. Ask the student to read the title aloud after you read it to the student. Look at the illustrations on the cover and ask what the child notices.
2. Student makes a prediction -Ask, “What do you think this story will be about?” (p.111) Give the student a brief summary of the book (1-2 sentences) without giving away the ending. Help students make connections by asking, “Has this ever happened to you?” or “Do you like/have a …?”
3. Discuss pictures, words, and patterns in the story – Walk through each page and point out pictures and vocabulary. You may say, “That machine is called a crane, and here is the word ‘crane.’” (p.111) Talk about the pictures and help the student make meaning. “If there is a sentence pattern that repeats throughout the book, work it into the introduction.” (p.111) Don’t give away the ending, as students will make and revise predictions as they read. This keeps them engaged and supports comprehension!
During Reading:
Have the student read the book aloud to you while pointing to each word. If he or she is struggling with a word, refer to the strategy resource sheet from your Book Buddies Box. Below are several prompts you may use to support the student. Prompt the child several times before telling the word. Our goal is to build independent readers, so encouraging students to use strategies teaches them to problem solve on their own.
- Try that again.
- Does that make sense? Does it look right?
- See if the picture can help you.
- What is the beginning sound?
Occasionally, your student might really struggle with a new book. If this happens, use echo reading (you read a line and the child repeats the line) or choral reading (read the line together) to support the student.
After Reading:
Remember to recognize the child’s effort with specific praise:
- “You read that very well. There was only one word that tripped you up, and you figured it out by looking at the picture!” (p.112)
- I noticed the way you. . . (“used expression, went back to fix a word, looked for clues,”) and that’s what great readers do! (p.112)
Video links: Book Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpsB0Fqn2W8
New Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfcb_Rz565A
Alexandria Tutoring Consortium 