<p>In teaching we learned a term that better captures what many of us are trying to do, I think: "Scaffolding." As each child is trying to learn to read, you sit beside them individually and ask them to read a text you've chosen as approximately their level but with a slight challenge. (SLIGHT challenge). </p>
<p>As you read below, think about your kid in a tough situation. Read this pedagogy as a metaphor on what we're to do when a kid is stumped by a troublesome decision (= a "tricky word" in this metaphor) is making a mistake, or is so concerned he might err that he's hesitant to even try.</p>
<p>(I'm not quoting a source here, so no plagiarism, this is all from my memory): </p>
<p>When they don't know a word and pause silently before it, don't jump in immediately to provide it. Rather, wait to see if they'll correct it themselves.</p>
<p>Sometimes they even go back 3 words and re-approach it for a second try. If you know the child well, you might even suggest, "Try that again.,." but you don't give them the answer. </p>
<p>If they self-correct, you might compliment quickly, "good fixing!" but not make a big fanfare to interrupt or slow down their forward progress.</p>
<p>If they are hopelessly stuck, and stop completely, and look at you for help (that's called an "appeal"). At that point you give them a prompt, chosen based upon what they did say, for example: "Does that make sense?" "Do you know another word like it?" Would "xxxx" work?" But you always ask, don't tell.</p>
<p>You want the kid to learn and practice the process of self-monitoring and self-corrrecting as much as possible, to learn to become an accurate, independent reader at each new level of difficulty. </p>
<p>If none of this is helping, then you know you have to provide the word xxx (=swoop in) so they can keep moving forward and make sense of the text. Even then, phrase it as a question that they have to answer themself: "Does xxx sound right?" </p>
<p>If there are 3 appeals on a page, you can assume the material is over their head and you offer them the next easiest book, saying, "Here, try this instead" so they can read fluently.</p>
<p>What matters is that they work independently with reasonable accuracy than that they read every word with perfect accuracy. You are also trying to teach them to use the context of the rest of the text to figure out or "solve" the tricky word. </p>
<p>If you jump in with a tricky word too soon, you might undo their process of thinking it over and self-correcting. OTOH, you do need to give them help after they've indicated complete inability at that level, or have appealed repeatedly for help. Don't just leave them hanging without help, or else after a while they get frustrated, discouraged. The material stops making sense to them and they give up completely or conclude they can't read very well after all.</p>
<p>IF THEY READ a word inaccurately, either the first or repeat try, do not comment at that moment. Wait until they finish the entire paragraph or story section. Then go back and talk over with them how they did. You can say,
"That was a tricky word for you.." and then explain/reteach etc. any principles that will help them better understand their mistake. Only pick one or two words to address in each setting. Above all, you want them to conclude that they are making progress, even if it wasn't a perfect performance.</p>
<p>You need to know enough about the books in your room that you can level them to understand which is the next harder, next easier text (=lifestage). If they fall apart, move to the next easier text. If they did read fluently (steadily, not haltingly) with only 2-3 errors per paragraph, they need more practice at the same level next time. If they read fluently and with perfect or near-perfect accuracy, then the work is too easy and next time they can try at a higher level of difficulty.</p>
<p>Before they read a new text, you might have to introduce them to the text, but do not tell them the entire plot. Just motivate them enough to want to figure it out. De-bug a tricky word in advance that you're SURE would halt them, so you pre-teach rather than post-teach. After the reading, post-teach their most important inaccuracies that you noticed during the reading but didn't stop them over because you didn't want to interrupt their fluency.</p>
<p>It's called "scaffolding" because you are sitting beside the child, ready to provide appropriate support when needed as s/he does all the work. As you perceive mastery, you are still nearby but stay silent so the child can experience the mastery. </p>
<p>Be positive and say "good reading!" at the end of their work, because no matter what you can see they've been working hard to make meaning of the text. That is what reading is. It's not perfect accuracy; it's finding the place where you can proceed fluently with reasonable accuracy, and use your context to make sense of the spots that are troublesome.</p>
<p>Eventually, a scaffold can be removed from a worksite but your primary concern is for the safety of the individual at work. Don't leave too soon or they'll fall. When you perceive they're doing well, then back off slowly.</p>