As fluency was a focus during Term 3 I wanted to explore more resources available across all classes. Prim-Ed sent me this series of books to use in class.
Reading for Success is a series of 4 books that can be used from the early stages of Junior Infants up to 1st or 2nd class depending on your class. Each book focuses on the skills of Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocab and Comprehension. Each book also contains a variety of assessments that would be valuable for all infant teachers along with teachers in a Special Ed. setting.
Within each section of the book there is a information page, it describes the skill in more detail, its importance in Literacy and it outlines different elements of the skill in more detail. It then lists a variety of general strategies and activities that could be used in the class on a daily basis. The next part of each section contains a variety of printables to be used in the class. You could spend so much time creating a bank of resources for each section/skill to be used in station teaching, but all these activities are contained in one book. There are also assessments within most of the sections which can be used to highlight areas that may need further support along with general overview of the class.
I really like these books, I am particularly impressed with the detail within the phonemic awareness section. Phonemic awareness can often be overlooked and these books really highlight different activities and strategies that can be used across the junior classes in the school.
The comprehension section in Book 4 include a section on graphic organisers which could also be used in 3rd class or 4th class. The graphic organisers include flow charts to analyse the plot and the characters which are areas that could be developed further in 3rd and 4th class.
Books 3 & 4 also contain activities on idioms which I think the children will love. Often we can focus on comprehension skills and answering questions but in order to develop vocabulary and fluency the children must explore words and play with them. Through playful activities the children can explore words with multiple meanings and the use of idioms and puns which may also help their creative writing.
Overall, I am really impressed with these books!
I feel they would be a valuable resource in the junior classes within the school with the possibility of sharing resources to 3rd class too. I think each section is manageable with daily activities in the class and structured activities for lessons or station teaching. Further information on these books can be found on the Prim-Ed site.
If you have any further questions about these books please send me a PM.
A.M.
Aistear Múinteoir 