Raising an Active Reader

Samantha Cleaver, PhD, studied read aloud and developed Active Reading during her work with Read Charlotte, a community-wide initiative to double the number of students reading on grade level by 3rd grade in Mecklenburg County, NC. She holds a doctorate in special education with a focus on literacy interventions from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Active Reading: Preparing Your Child for Reading Success

What is Active Reading?

The Case for Read Aloud when Kids can Read on Their Own

Ready to Read with Me More

Chapter 1: Keep Reading with Me

Active Reading in the Early Elementary Years

Elementary School-Aged Children Learn (A Lot) from Picture Books

Active Reading: Evidence-Based Bedtime Reading

Raising Active Readers

ABCs of Active Reading with Elementary Schoolers

A: Ask Questions

B: Build Vocabulary

C: Make Connections

Keep Reading with Me

What to Remember

Chapter 2: I Can Read on my Own!

What is Reading?

Reading and your Elementary-Schooler

The Big 5: What it Takes to Read

Phonemic Awareness

Phonics

Fluency

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Language: The Foundation for Reading

Active Reading and the Home-School Connection

How do Parents Contribute to Reading Success?

More Ways to Help Your Child with Reading at Home

Let’s Read!

What to Remember

Chapter 3: Books, Books, Books: Building a Library for a Growing Reader

Active Reading Wide and Deep

Your Child’s Reading “Diet”

Illustrated Chapter Books

Myths, Fairy Tales, and Folk Tales

Your Favorites

Your Child’s Perfect Fit

Poetry

Nonfiction

Books that are Beyond Their Years

The Latest, Greatest Books

Windows and Mirrors: Cultivating Diversity and Empathy through Books

Books as Windows

Books as Mirrors

Books They Read On Their Own

Leveled Readers

My First Chapter Books

Tree Books vs. E-Books

Books Matter

What to Remember

Chapter 4: Ask Questions

The Importance of Conversation

Why do we Ask Questions?

Asking Questions about Stories

Story Questions

Using Questions to Help Children Understand Difficult Texts

1. What Does the Text Say?

2. How Does the Text Work?

3. What Does the Text Mean?

4. What Does the Text Inspire You to Do?

Thinking Critically about Stories

How do Children Develop Critical Thinking?

How to Raise a Critical Thinker

Get Kids to Ask Questions

Tell Me More

What to Remember

Chapter 5: Build Vocabulary

Vocabulary is Important, Imperative, and Significant

How Children Learn Words

Finding Words: The Power of Books

Rare Words

Academic Words

Understanding Phrases

Choosing Words during Active Reading

Building Your Child’s Vocabulary through Active Reading

Becoming Word Learners: Developing Word Consciousness

Words, Words, Words

What to Remember

Chapter 6: Make Connections to the Child’s World: Fiction

Making Inferences: Connecting Old and New Information

Cause-and-Effect Inferences

Relationship Inferences

How Do You Know? Helping Children Make Inferences

Making Predictions

Remember to Circle Back

What if My Child’s Prediction Makes No Sense?

Connecting with Stories to Learn about the World

Using Fiction to Help Children Connect to Tough Topics

Connect to Your Child’s World

Chapter 7:Making Connections to Nonfiction Text

Nonfiction and 3rd Grade Reading

The Challenge of Reading Nonfiction

Background Knowledge

Text Structure

Academic Vocabulary

Background Knowledge: The Backbone for Understanding Nonfiction

Build Background Knowledge: Read Wide and Deep

How to Encourage Wide and Deep Reading

Talk about Nonfiction Book Structure

Text Features

Applying the ABCs of Active Reading to Nonfiction

Getting Started: Book Walks

Ask Questions about Nonfiction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

Building Vocabulary with Nonfiction

Make Connections to Nonfiction

Connect with Nonfiction Text

What to Remember

Chapter 8: Active Reading with Chapter Books and Novels

What Makes Chapter Books and Novels Special?

Choosing Chapter Books and Novels to Read Together

Choosing Chapter Books for Your Child to Read On Their Own

The ABCs of Active Reading Chapter Books and Novels

Ask Questions

Story Grammar Questions

Visualizing What We Read

Build Vocabulary

Make Connections

Make Connections with Background Knowledge

Make Connections From Scene to Scene

Make Connections with Characters, Events, and Feelings

Raising a Novel Reader

Active Reading with Longer Stories

What to Remember

Chapter 9: Active Reading and the Struggling Reader

How Kids Struggle with Reading

Word Reading

Fluency

Comprehension

What Kids Who Struggle with Reading Need in Grades K-2

Perfect Practice

Build Stamina

When Children Struggle to Make Inferences

Model How to Visualize

Reread Important Sections

Work at the Sentence Level

Build a Bridge

Use Wordless Picture Books

Active Reading with Struggling Readers

More Ways to Support a Child Who Struggles with Reading

Raising Active Readers

What to Remember

Chapter 10: Raising an Active Reader

Active Readers beyond 3rd Grade

Keep Your Child Reading

Taking the ABCs of Active Reading beyond Books

Ask Questions

Build Vocabulary

Make Connections

Develop Your Child’s Interests and Passions

Keeping Read Aloud Alive in Your Family

Appendix A: Book Lists

Appendix B: Frequently Asked Questions

References

About the Author