Shortcuts to Beginning Reading

Book excerpt: Shortcuts to Beginning Reading borrows the strong points from many popular teaching methods to build reading "fluency"--that point where the reader is reading at a level where he or she recognizes words quickly without having to stop and decode them. Once fluency is established, other comprehension-building and language arts strategies can be added to provide greater challenges and to build more advanced reading skills. Methods are listed alphabetically and are described in detail, so that they can be readily incorporated into any reading program. This description includes the rationale for the method and an explanation of the circumstances under which the method is best used. Also included is information about additional materials--including computer software--that can be used to supplement more traditional learning materials. Based on the author's over 30 years of experience in working with students of all ages and all levels of ability, Shortcuts to Beginning Reading is a valuable resource for anyone who works with beginning readers.