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Select a Story
Students choose from any of the stories within their assigned level. Because students are allowed to select which stories they want to read, they develop a sense of ownership of their own learning. |
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Read Along to the Key
Words
Students listen and read along as key words and their definitions are read aloud. This practice helps developing readers learn how to pronounce the words and understand what they mean. |
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Write a Prediction
Students use the story title, key words, and pictures to write a brief prediction of what they think the story is about. Using this action step, students become prepared to read by first thinking briefly about the topic. |
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Cold Timing
This step establishes a baseline for measuring improvement. As students read the story for the first time, they time themselves for one minute, marking unfamiliar or difficult words. This process increases a student's awareness of unknown words and alerts teachers to words or word patterns they may need to teach. |
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Graph the Cold Timing
Score
Students graph the number of words read correctly in one minute. Cold timing scores—total number of words read correctly minus the number of difficult words—are typically marked in blue. In the Software Edition, the computer calculates and graphs the cold timing score automatically. |
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Read Along to the Story
Students read along while listening to a recording of the story, repeating the step several times. Using teacher modeling, students learn new words, proper pronunciation, expression, and phrasing. To get the most out of this step, students should ‘subvocalize’ quietly as they read along to make sure they aren’t just listening to the audio recording. |
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Practice Reading the Story
Students time themselves as they practice reading the story several times without the recording. They continue to reread the story until they achieve or exceed their predetermined goal rate. |
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Answer the Questions
Students answer up to nine quiz questions about the story, a process that encourages students to read for comprehension and ensures that they understand what they are reading. |
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Pass Timing
The teacher times the student as he or she reads the story. As with the cold timing, the teacher subtracts the number of errors from the number of words read in a minute to get the correct words per minute score.
To pass a story, students must read at their goal rate, make no more than three errors, read with good expression, and answer the comprehension questions correctly.
If a student does not pass, the teacher points out areas that need more work, and, if necessary, assigns some remedial action, such as reading along again or continuing to practice.
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Graph the Pass Timing
Score
When students pass a story, they graph their pass timing score in red above the blue bar representing their cold timing score. In SE, the computer graphs the pass timing score automatically. When students see their progress, they build self-esteem and feel motivated to continue improving. |
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Retell the Story (Sequenced
and Spanish Series)
By retelling information from the story, either in writing or orally, students are required to think about the ideas in the story, rather than just the words. If time is limited, teachers may choose to skip this step. |
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Practice and Pass the
Word Lists (Phonics Series)
The phonics levels include word list steps in place of the retell step. Students practice word lists featuring specific sounds and letter patterns until they are able to pass the word list by reading it for their teacher.
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