Research Based fun Learning Strategies

Tips for Home: Great for Every Family and Every Kid

April 22, 2010

Today I attended Research-Based Comprehensive Reading Intervention for Individuals Who Use AAC online, provided by Dynavox Pinnacle series, and Karen Erickson, PhD, Center for Literacy and Disability Studies.

I wanted to share two ideas she uses and that I have used but forgotten how great they work!! Below each strategy I have highlighted the areas that this strategy will help strengthen for a student.

I am suggesting these for home as they are quick activities that can be done in 10-20 minutes and can be easily differentiated to any child’s learning level, but benefit all kids at all ages.


DIRECT READING- THINKING ACTIVITY -DRTA (Stauffer):
- Students look at title or picture, or read first paragraph or two and predict what might happen in the story.
- Student/ Adult READS to a predetermined stopping place
- Students PROVE the accuracy of their predications and modify or make new predictions.
o Use the text and reference the book when proving or disproving if their theory is correct.

Learning Tools this Develops:
- Expanding on and recalling prior knowledge
- Reading Comprehension
- Brainstorming
- Researching
- Applying meaning to print


GUESS THE COVERED WORD (K. Erickson):
1. Give the student the beginning of a sentence that they might hear or use frequently “I ate all the __________”, have student guess what word you might be thinking or might fit. If they guess any foods (or item in the category or that fits), they have done a great job!
2. Give the student the same sentence with the first letter given to them, such as “I ate all the c_____.” Now the students need to use the C as a clue and guess foods that start with a C.
3. Give the student the same sentence with the beginning and ending sound or beginning and middle sound depending on child’s level.


Learning Tools this Develops:
- Expanding on and recalling prior knowledge
- Phonemic awareness
- Understanding text purpose, sequencing, and structure.
- Brainstorming
- Using text for purpopse.



P.S. Don't forget about the great links here and on Sheri Lenzo's Website that kids can use at home as well!!!