Crestwood

Elementary
School

Miss Sinnotts
Second Grade
Newsletter

October 19th

2015

Important Dates

Oct 23rd Pumpkin

Run & HALF DAY

Oct 21st Pencil

Hangout

Oct 30th Halloween parties and

parade

November 3rd Picture Retakes

Daily 5/Literacy
Last week, we focused on accuracy
strategies that help us decode tricky
words. We worked a lot on chunking out
tricky words using spelling patterns we
know as well as flipping the sound to
check and make sure that our attempt at
a word makes sense. The pictures in a
book can often help us know whether or
not the flipped sound makes sense or if
we need to flip it the other way. (For
example, does take make sense to say
t-ay-k, or t-ak?) Based on the pictures
and what we know from the sentence
provided, we can figure out which is the
correct vowel sound.
Now that assessments are complete and
my literacy block has a set routine, I have
been working on meeting with students
one-on-one in conferences to discuss
specific goals tailored to each childs
reading needs. Each time I meet with a
student I ask them the same two
questions:
What are you working on as a
reader?

What do you know is a strength you

have as a reader?
In doing this, students are not only
becoming self-reflective thinkers, but they
are also being reminded of what they are
working on during their independent
practice time. Conferring with students is
quite possibly the most effective way to
help each reader continue to grow. It
allows strategies and focus discussions to
be specific to each particular child. A
typical conference involves discussing the
two questions mentioned above and then
listening to the child read. While reading, I
am looking for examples of the student
applying the strategies shared during the
what are you working on as a reader
discussion. This allows me to re-teach
when misconceptions appear as well as
to modify goals as I see need. For
example, many students started with the
goal of picking good fit books. While
many can now do this, there are some
still working on how to identify if a book is
a good fit or not. If they have mastered
this skill, he/she and I come up with a

new goal. If the goal needs further

practice, I model how to do this, launch
them into practice on their own, and
reconvene a few days later to check in.
All goals are based on the CAFE stategy
board we are building. My hope is that in
time students will know 1) what category
they are working on (comprehension,
accuracy, fluency, or vocab) as well 2)
what specific strategy they are trying to
master. We are still working on this
routine together but check in with your
child by asking them the two suggested
questions: What are you working on as a
reader? What do you know youre really
good at as a reader?

Crestwood
Elementary
School

Miss Sinnotts
Second Grade
Newsletter

October 19th

2015

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