Use strategies (rereading, predicting, questioning, contextualizing) when comprehension breaks down
Use reading and writing for various purposes on their own initiative
Orally read with reasonable fluency
Use letter-sound associations, word parts, and context to identify new words
Identify an increasing number of words by sight
Sound out and represent all substantial sounds in spelling a word
Write about topics that are personally meaningful
Attempt to use some punctuation and capitalization
What teachers do:
Support the development of vocabulary by reading daily to the children, transcribing their language, and selecting materials that expand children's knowledge and language development
Model strategies and provide practice for identifying unknown words
Give children opportunities for independent reading and writing practice
Read, write, and discuss a range of different text types (poems, informational books)
Introduce new words and teach strategies for learning to spell new words
Demonstrate and model strategies to use when comprehension breaks down
Help children build lists of commonly used words from their writing and reading
What parents and family members can do:
Talk about favorite storybooks
Read to children and encourage them to read to you
Suggest that children write to friends and relatives
Bring to a parent-teacher conference evidence of what your child can do in writing and reading
Encourage children to share what they have learned about their writing and reading