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READ-ALOUD PRACTICES

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/ Professional Development / Background / Why Book Reading? / STAR Read-Aloud Practices / STAR Read-Aloud Practices Implementation / Star Reading Practices / Words

words

WORDS

puzzle

Words are the basic, meaningful unit of print.

 

Take a look at the stop sign below.
Here are some print references that elicit discussions around words:

stop sign

“Is this a word?”
“What does this word say?”
“This word says ‘stop’.”
“This word here is a very long word.”

 

words

Word Targets

Word Identification

Word Identification

Word Identification
Knowledge of some high-frequency words in print (including name)

Short Words vs. Long Words

Short Words vs. Long Words

Short Words vs. Long Words
Knowledge that written words are units of print and comprised of differing numbers of letters

Letters vs. Words

Letters vs. Words

Letters vs. Words
Knowledge that written words are different from letters and that words have meaning

Concept of Word in Print

Concept of Word in Print

Concept of Word in Print
Knowledge that as units of print, written words correspond to spoken words

 

words

Target Examples

The STAR cards help guide you by providing examples for how to discuss specific print targets within the context of the book you are reading.

Target: Word Identification

Target: Word Identification

Target: Word Identification

Teacher: John, this word says, “whee!” Let’s point to it and say it together! I bet we’ll see this word again. Remember what it looks like so you can help me read it on the next page!

Target: Short Words vs. long Words

Target: Short Words vs. long Words

Target: Short Words vs. Long Words

Teacher: Look at this boy. It looks like he’s jumping up and down! This word (points to “excited”) is a long word. It has (begins counting) seven letters in it. Is “excited” a long word or a short word, do you think?

Target: Letters vs. Words

Target: Letters vs. Words

Target: Letters vs. Words

Teacher: How many letters are in the word “excuse”? Chris, I bet you’ll know this because we counted the letters in this word yesterday!

Chris: 1-2-3-4-5-6

Teacher: Good job! Those six letters make up the word “excuse.”

Target: Concept of Word in Print

Target: Concept of Word in Print

Target: Concept of Word in Print

Teacher:  Is this a word (points to “kindergarten”) or is this a word (points to the K in “kindergarten”)?

Children: No, that’s the word (when the teacher points back to “kindergarten”).



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