READING POWER APPROACH
The basis of the program is a set of books in which each is assigned a reading level. The lowest level books have about 58 pages containing lots of pictures and a few repetitive, mostly simple, words and phrases. As the reading level increases,
the books start to contain more difficult words, more text per page, less repetition of text, and more pages. Each day,
when the child reads a book for the second time, the tutor tracks his accuracy (running record-see #3 below) at a given
reading level. The goal is to move the student up to the next level after 4-6 scores above 95% accuracy.
The program’s long term objective is to help each child learn reading strategies to problem solve on their own. Each 35
minute lesson consists of reviewing and assigning a frequently used word, reading two previously-read books, reading
yesterday’s new book with a running record, working with letters and/or words in a drill or game, writing a sentence, and
reading a new book.
FIRST/SECOND GRADE LESSON PLANS
1. The student demonstrates that he/she has practiced (last night) writing and spelling one high-frequency word (fast
word) that was assigned yesterday. The objective is instant recognition of this word, to help the child learn the
100 most frequently used English words. (You can Google “Fry’s List” for more info on this.)
2. The child reads two books she has read before, one for the fourth time and one for the third time. She’ll take the
fourth read book home tonight with the intention that she’ll read it to her parent/guardian/siblings and bring it
back tomorrow.
3. The child then reads a book that was introduced during the previous day's lesson (second read). For this session,
he reads it with no support from the tutor unless he runs into a problem. While the child is reading, the tutor
records the child's reading accuracy (running record). The tutor may subsequently select problem areas as
teaching points for steps 4 and 5 (below).
4. The child writes a simple sentence, usually related to a story he just read, with emphasis on basic grammar and
spelling rules. (Early in this process, the child may dictate a sentence that the tutor will write in his first journal.
The tutor also records the sentence on a strip of paper and cuts each word apart so the child can practice
reassembling it that evening. Later in the year, the child will transition into writer’s workshop to create, draft, edit,
and publish a story that she’ll read aloud to other Reading Power participants and tutors.
5. The tutor leads the child through word work – decoding letters, sounds, and words through one or more short
games (e.g., picture sorts that emphasize the initial sounds in words, the penny game for phonemic awareness).
6. The tutor provides a rich introduction to a new book by reviewing the title, character names, and illustrations,
asking the child to predict what may happen, seeing if the child can relate to the story in some way, etc. New,
difficult, or tricky names and words are also introduced. Then the child reads with book, with support only as
necessary from the tutor.
7. A new fast word is assigned for the child to prepare for tomorrow. It’s often taken from the new book or it may
be one that’s presented difficulty in a previously read book or in the child’s written sentence.
8. Each student’s next steps after each tutoring session:
The child takes home…
Today’s newly assigned fast word
The fourth-read book
The sentence, cut into individual words
In order to…
Practice writing and spelling the word multiple times
Read the book aloud to family members
Reassemble the sentence into correct word order
9. Tutor’s next steps (for each child)
 Calculate and record the running record result
 Pick a new book at the appropriate level, based on reviewing running record results
 Create a lesson plan for tomorrow’s tutor