Independent Strategies

When I get stuck on a word in a book,
There are lots of things I can do.
I can do them all, please, by myself;
I don't need help from you.

I can look at the pictures to get a hint.
Or think what the story's about.
I can "get my mouth ready" to say the first letter.
A kind of "sounding out".
I can chop up the words into smaller parts,
Like on or ing or ly,
Or find smaller words in compound words
Like raincoat and bumblebee.
I can think of a word that makes sense in that place,
Guess or say "blank" and read on
Until the sentence has reached its end,
Then go back and try these on:
"Does it make sense?"
"Can we say it that way?"
"Does it look right to me?"
Chances are the right word will pop out like the sun
In my own mind, can't you see?

If I've thought of and tried out most of these things
And I still do not know what to do,
Then I may turn around and ask
For some help to get me through.

- Jill Marie Warner

Six Nations Region Spelling Bee 2008

Primary Finalists:

1st Place: Kiana (I.L. T), Winning Word - oil

2nd Place: Clarisa (ECG), Winning Word - straight

3rd Place: Dallas (OMSK), Winning Word - festoon



Junior Finalists:

1st Place: Dylan (OMSK), Winning Word - enumerate

2nd Place: Kristina (CGW), Winning Word - duplicity

3rd Place: Cassandra (OMSK), Winning Word - gaiety



Intermediate Finalists:

1st Place: Ian (RH), Winning Word - quiche

2nd Place: Jacob (JCH), Winning Word - augment

3rd Place: Kylie (JCH), Winning Word - Gauss



Well Done! We are proud of your accomplishments!

What Good Readers Do

Share these comprehension strategies with your students.

1. Make Connections: Create a bridge from the new to the known, connecting the text to yourself, what you know about the world, and what you have read in other texts.

2. Question: Ask questions as you read to enhance understanding, find answers, solve problems, and find specific information.

3. Make Inferences: Connect ideas or fill in information to make sense of unstated ideas.

4. Visualize: Generate mental images to stimulate thinking and heighten engagement.

5. Summarize: Synthesize and organize key information to identify main points and major themes, distinguish important from unimportant information, and enhance meaning.

6. Monitor/Regulate: Pay attention to meaning, clarify or correct comprehension difficulties, or promote a problem-solving stance during reading.

7. Evaluate: Make judgements about the text to form ideas and opinions, or determine the author's purpose.

(Marjorie Y. Lipson - INSTRUCTOR)