The Stepping Stones Together reading program uses an easy to follow approach, which you and your child can complete in just 15 - 20 minutes a day. Consistency and repetition will provide for beginning reading success.
- Step 1You and your child will select one of the pre-selected stories at your child's appropriate level from your personal homepage (this happens every 2 days as your child should read the same book twice before moving onto the next story). Research suggests it is important for children to have ownership of story selection. (http://is.gd/cssb3)
- Step 2You will read the title of the story to your child, asking them to make a prediction about the story and what they might know about a particular topic. (Day 1 and 2)
- Step 3You and your child take a "picture walk" through the book, looking at the pictures and making predictions about story events/details. (Day 1)You and your child read together, or you read the first time, through a simple 8-sentence story with explicitly obvious text illustration correspondence. (Day 1)
- Step 4Your child independently reads the story. (Day 1 and 2)
- a. Have your child place their finger on each word as they read the story.
- b. If your child is struggling with a word ask them to tell you the beginning letter sound of that word. Assist them if necessary with the beginning letter sound. For example, the first letter in doll makes the /d/ sound.
- c. Have them use the illustrations for clues with a difficult word.
- d. Next, you ask your child the pre-populated reading questions on the back cover, extending their understanding of the text.
(Day 1 and/or 2)
- Step 5You ask your child to write and/or draw a response to the pre-populated writing prompt, further extending their understanding, recall and use of high frequency words, as well as enabling them to practice their critical thinking skills. (Day 1 and 2)You reward your child's efforts asking them to color, cross out or put a sticker on their daily incentive chart indicating they completed a particular story.
- Step 6
You should choose 1 of the fun games provided on your child's homepage under "Additional Practice" to make another experiential connection with new vocabulary.