reading philosophy

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reading philosophy
By Cathy-Dee

It starts at birth. We know that children who are read to often from birth onwards find it easier to become readers themselves.

I do agree with the others that reading daily is very important and a variety of literature.

I
also believe that many children need structured learning, sight words, phonics, learning how to blend words and reading a lot of patterned text.
It's important to do as much of everything to meet all the needs of your students. I wouldn't want to say there is one specific right method or way of teaching reading. In fact I do not teach children to read. All I do is give them as

many skills and as much exposure to what reading is, but it is the children who have to take it all in and figure out how to use it.

So a lot depends on the make-up of your class. I tend to have more students from a background where little or no reading has occurred. They enter school knowing basically nothing about the alphabet (including the letters that spell their own name). So we have to do more of the phonics and basics just to get somewhere with them.

I have other students who enter grade 1 already reading. I do not have to concentrate as much on the basics with them, instead I want to expose them to as many new words and types of books possible to allow them to grow in their beginning skills.

A great teacher (I'm trying to get there) will recognize the many different types of students and use every program, idea, strategy that they can to ensure all their children learn how to read. It's a lot of work, but so worth it when you see their eyes light up when they tell you I read it all by myself!!!!