Phoenix Union

Reading Allowed!

Making Sure the First “R” Comes First

What gets tested, gets taught. That’s one of the guiding principles of education reform. And it certainly appears to be working. But is it working the way we want it to with regard to reading?

Speed

It’s not How Fast You Read That Matters, It’s How Well You Read

The way most kids read, you’d think it was a race. Competitive by nature, kids are constantly comparing themselves to each other, and to us, in this regard. In the beginning, reading is slow and laborious. Who wouldn’t want to read faster? But as our skills develop, and we begin to read more fluently, the desire to speed up seems only to increase. As a result, many kids—and many adults, too—read faster than they can accurately decode and comprehend.

A Typical Day in Reading

If There is Such a Thing, This is It!

I like to start reading time with reading. I want the kids to get their books and their journals out and begin reading quietly without me having to say anything at all. This is our entry procedure. It takes a few days for the kids to get the hang of it, but with a little practice, it comes together well.