GACE 001, 002 Elementary Education
The Big 5 Areas of Reading... -ANS-Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Comprehension
Fluency
Vocabulary
Phonemic Awareness -ANS-The acknowledgement of sounds in words, it can be taught with the eyes
closed. Focusing on sound rather that letter identification.
Phonics -ANS-The connection between letters and sounds, must be taught with the eyes open.
Comprehension -ANS-The reader can ascribe meaning to a text.
Fluency -ANS-The ability to read the same way one speaks, with smoothness and fluidity.
Vocabulary -ANS-Strong ties between oral and written language, knowing what a particular word means
How can students increase vocabulary? -ANS-By listening to others, reading, and being read too.
How can teachers teach comprehension? -ANS-By asking questions, asking students to summarize, or
using a graphic organizer.
Define Balanced Literacy -ANS-The methods used to teach "The Big 5" reading skills, by building a
curriculum to focus on those skills.
Examples of Balanced Literacy -ANS-Independent Reading, Small Group Reading, Whole Group reading.
How can teachers help students understand that print carries meaning? -ANS-By demonstrating
everyday when presenting text to the class, writing on the board.
, Describe Independent Reading -ANS-Where students choose books at their reading level.
Describe Small Groups -ANS-Where teachers assist in guided reading, and help students with their
specific reading problems.
Describe Whole Group Reading -ANS-Where the entire class reads the same text, and the teacher
incorporates activities to help students learn phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
How can you promote awareness of the relationship between spoken and written text? -ANS-Highlight
and celebrate meanings of text on common objects (shelves, posters, rules, etc). Write what children say
on a chart, Use large print books to teach print conventions. Using letter cards to create messages, etc.
What is the role of environmental print, in developing print awareness? -ANS-The familiarity of a
commercial logo transports children from an early learning background into print awareness. Children
can bring labels and ads from home to alphabetize in a book.
What are some ways to develop book handling skills? -ANS-Have children identify the different parts of a
book, model storytelling, talk about the special features of a book, or identify developmentally
appropriate format additional parts of a book (appendix, copyright, etc).
How can teachers promote a students ability to track print? -ANS-By modeling directionality and one-to-
one reading, in large print books. Teaching children the "Return Sweep" method, as well as reading right
to left.
What are the benefits of alphabet books (especially teacher created)? -ANS-They are a great resource to
teach letter-sound correspondence, especially if the words are predictable with pictures, all focusing on
a single letter, in upper and lower case form.
When students are able to make connections between sounds and letters, and begin to understand
rules of language such as short and long vowel sounds -ANS-phonics
When children learn the sounds letters make and have the skills of; rhyme syllabification, blending
sounds, and can identify beginning and ending sounds of words. -ANS-Phonological awareness
The Big 5 Areas of Reading... -ANS-Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Comprehension
Fluency
Vocabulary
Phonemic Awareness -ANS-The acknowledgement of sounds in words, it can be taught with the eyes
closed. Focusing on sound rather that letter identification.
Phonics -ANS-The connection between letters and sounds, must be taught with the eyes open.
Comprehension -ANS-The reader can ascribe meaning to a text.
Fluency -ANS-The ability to read the same way one speaks, with smoothness and fluidity.
Vocabulary -ANS-Strong ties between oral and written language, knowing what a particular word means
How can students increase vocabulary? -ANS-By listening to others, reading, and being read too.
How can teachers teach comprehension? -ANS-By asking questions, asking students to summarize, or
using a graphic organizer.
Define Balanced Literacy -ANS-The methods used to teach "The Big 5" reading skills, by building a
curriculum to focus on those skills.
Examples of Balanced Literacy -ANS-Independent Reading, Small Group Reading, Whole Group reading.
How can teachers help students understand that print carries meaning? -ANS-By demonstrating
everyday when presenting text to the class, writing on the board.
, Describe Independent Reading -ANS-Where students choose books at their reading level.
Describe Small Groups -ANS-Where teachers assist in guided reading, and help students with their
specific reading problems.
Describe Whole Group Reading -ANS-Where the entire class reads the same text, and the teacher
incorporates activities to help students learn phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
How can you promote awareness of the relationship between spoken and written text? -ANS-Highlight
and celebrate meanings of text on common objects (shelves, posters, rules, etc). Write what children say
on a chart, Use large print books to teach print conventions. Using letter cards to create messages, etc.
What is the role of environmental print, in developing print awareness? -ANS-The familiarity of a
commercial logo transports children from an early learning background into print awareness. Children
can bring labels and ads from home to alphabetize in a book.
What are some ways to develop book handling skills? -ANS-Have children identify the different parts of a
book, model storytelling, talk about the special features of a book, or identify developmentally
appropriate format additional parts of a book (appendix, copyright, etc).
How can teachers promote a students ability to track print? -ANS-By modeling directionality and one-to-
one reading, in large print books. Teaching children the "Return Sweep" method, as well as reading right
to left.
What are the benefits of alphabet books (especially teacher created)? -ANS-They are a great resource to
teach letter-sound correspondence, especially if the words are predictable with pictures, all focusing on
a single letter, in upper and lower case form.
When students are able to make connections between sounds and letters, and begin to understand
rules of language such as short and long vowel sounds -ANS-phonics
When children learn the sounds letters make and have the skills of; rhyme syllabification, blending
sounds, and can identify beginning and ending sounds of words. -ANS-Phonological awareness
