USING THE READING ROAD
The Reading Road is free to download and use, but first, please take the time to answer a few quick questions. Your input is important to us as we continue to develop our reading program.
- Chapter 1: Making Friends with the Alphabet | worksheets
- Chapter 2: Consonant-vowel-consonant words | worksheets
- Chapter 3: Silent-e | worksheets
Initial Diagnostic: The Alpha Monster Game
Coordinators or tutors will play the Alpha Monster Game with readers. This game functions as a diagnostic test and will determine where you will begin instruction in The Reading Road.
Lessons, Activities and Stories
Once your starting point is determined, you will do the lessons, activities, and stories of each section. In most cases, you and your tutee can take turns reading the directions, activities, and stories. Your student should read any word set apart in a special color. If you feel it would be helpful for your reader, follow the words with your finger while you read. Depending on your reader’s enthusiasm and reading level, you can redistribute reading responsibilities.
Final Alpha Monster Game
At your penultimate tutoring session of the semester, retest your reader with the Alpha Monster Game and add the results on the score sheet to the binder.
The Tower Game
A Tower Game is at the end of each section. Because this is a diagnostic, you cannot help your reader. At most, you can remind your reader to think about rules and strategies.
To play the game, get 18 dominoes. Every time your reader gets a word correct, he/she gets to take one of your dominoes. Write down the words that your reader reads incorrectly (and how he/she reads them – for example, “hot” as “hoot”). Include incorrect readings in your tutor log. This will help you and your site coordinator analyze your reader’s understanding.
If your tutee reads 18 words correctly, it’s time to move on to the next section of the Reading Road. If not, use the words that your reader got wrong to guide you in what lessons need to be reinforced. To review, reread stories (with expression!) and use your own ideas. Avoid “rewinding” and redoing entire sections. Instead, frame it to your reader as continued progress with really tough parts. Then, when you feel your reader will pass the Tower Game, play it again. There is a second Tower Game list after the first Tower Game list. If he/she doesn’t pass, contact your coordinator and he/she will instruct you on the next steps — sometimes this involves supplementary materials and other times moving on to the next section with consistent review of the last one. Your coordinator will help you plan and structure how to approach this and continue making progress with your reader.
If your reader gets almost 18 correct and you feel that he/she is ready to move on, contact your coordinator.
