Read to Self

There are two important ideas when it comes to reading… when you read, it helps you become a better reader and writer, AND it is fun!  In the classroom where the Daily Five is happening, you hear the students talking about read to self. 

      “Children reading to themselves is the first step in Daily Five and is the foundation for creating independent readers and writers.  On the surface—like all components in Daily Five—Read to Self seems basic and simple.  However, we have found that specific teaching techniques can make Read to Self a powerful tool for enhancing all literacy skills.” (The Daily 5 p.46)

One of the specific techniques that your child has learned in “Read to Self” is to read the pictures.  In this technique, the students look at the pictures to help them understand the what is happening in the story.  Another technique is to read the words. This is the traditional way most of us read independently.  The last technique is to retell a familiar story.  Retelling a story helps the reader remember what has happened in what they read and provides a time to think about the details in the story.  All of these techniques help your child to understand the story they are reading.

When reading to self, the student learns where to sit in the room.  This is important because you need a quiet environment in which to read.  Elaina, a fourth grader, tells us her experience with the Daily Five’s “Read to Self” in an interview:

https://sites.google.com/site/scochrane1/home/podcast

The most important aspect of read to self is that it helps your child to build stamina in reading.  It is not uncommon for a primary student to be able to read independently for 30 minutes and an intermediate student to reading independently for 45 minutes!  Because the student has some choice in the books they are reading, it makes reading fun.  In the next entry, we’ll hear about “Good Fit Books”.