Tag Archives: retelling

Reading Update

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As we worked with our reading partners this week, we transitioned from each student reading their own book, to both students reading the same book together (I read, you read – the same book). The kids had to spend some time thinking about which books from their book box might be a good fit for their partner. Then they took turns reading two pages each until they finished the book. It was fun to watch the kids get introduced to some new books that they may not have tried on their own.

When we read with our first graders, there are four areas that we check throughout the year: comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary. This week, we introduced our first tool to aid students in strengthening their reading comprehension.

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This tool guides students in retelling the events of a story in order. When we use this tool, we start by reading a story. When we finish reading, before moving on to another story, we see if we can remember the events. The kids practiced retelling the events across their fingers and then when they finished, they would take a picture walk through the book to see if they remembered them correctly.

We also used this retelling tool with our partners. After the students finished reading their book together, they would each take a turn remembering all the events in the story. One partner would hold the book and the other would hold the retelling tool. The student with the retelling tool would walk through the story, retelling one event at a time. The partner with the book would be the ‘checker’ and make sure that they were putting the events in the correct order. If a student forgot an event, the ‘checker’ gave hints. They would then switch jobs, so that each student spent time retelling their stories.  The first graders got the biggest kick out of being the ‘checker!’

When you are reading at home with your first grader, ask him/her to retell the story. You can even take turns with your student telling the first event and then you sharing the next, going back and forth until the last event. This practice will help your students remember the key events in stories and will strengthen their reading comprehension.

Retelling

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My feature this week is on retelling, an important skill which demonstrates comprehension of a story. Reading requires three different processes: decoding (reading the words correctly), fluency (reading the words smoothly so that reading sounds right), and comprehension (understanding the story). imgres-1When a reader is reading well, all three of these areas are working and a book is easy to read and makes sense. When a book is too difficult, it is because a reader is struggling with one or more of these areas. When a reader struggles to read the words, it is very apparent to the listener that a book is too difficult. However, when a reader cannot remember important details about the story after reading, this also indicates that a book is too difficult. Sometimes this lapse of memory is due to a reader “taking a vacation” during reading. I find myself doing this sometimes. I am thinking about my grocery list while I’m reading, and my eyes have “read” an entire page! My brain was not concentrating when I was reading, so I couldn’t remember what I had read. This skill of staying engaged during reading may need to be practiced so that a reader can remember the story and can effectively talk about the details afterward.

First and second graders are still developing this skill. To support your child’s comprehension, stop several times while reading, and see if he/she can tell the Who? and the What? for the story. HandRedWhen the story is finished, guide your child through retelling the important events of the story across his/her fingers, using specific details (characters’ names and places) and remembering what happened first, next, then, etc. Can your child do this without looking back into the book?

Retelling provides an important foundation for readers to recall details and to support their answers in discussions or in writing. Above all, we need to teach children that reading is not just about reading the words. Reading is also about being mindful so that we know what we have just read. With brains fully engaged to read the words and think about the story, readers can experience that moment when they fall into a book… that is when reading really happens!

Happy reading!

Retelling for Comprehension

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Hello parents,

My feature this week is on retelling, an important skill which demonstrates comprehension of a story. Reading requires three different processes: decoding (reading the words correctly), fluency (reading the words smoothly so that reading sounds right), and comprehension (understanding the story). When a reader is reading well, all three of these areas are working and a book is easy to read and makes sense. When a book is too difficult, it is because a reader is struggling with one or more of these areas. When a reader struggles to read the words, it is very apparent to the listener that a book is too difficult. However, when a reader cannot remember important details about the story after reading, this also indicates that a book is too difficult. Sometimes this lapse of memory is due to a reader “taking a vacation” during reading. I find myself doing this sometimes. I am thinking about my grocery list while I’m reading, and my eyes have “read” an entire page! My brain was not concentrating when I was reading, so I couldn’t remember what I had read. This skill of staying engaged during reading may need to be practiced so that a reader can remember the story and can effectively talk about the details afterward.

First and second graders are still developing this skill. To support your child’s comprehension, stop several times while reading, and see if he/she can tell the Who? and the What? for the story. When the story is finished, guide your child through retelling the important events of the story, using specific details (character’s names, places, etc.). As your child becomes more proficient, have your child retell the story without looking back into the book. You can also play “Pass the Story”, passing a ball back and forth while taking turns retelling the story.

Retelling provides an important foundation for readers to recall details and to support their answers in discussions or in writing. Above all, we need to teach children that reading is not just about reading the words. Reading is also about being mindful so that we know what we have just read. With brains fully engaged to read the words and think about the story, readers can experience that moment when they fall into a book… that is when reading really happens!

Happy reading!