Table of Contents
How To Use This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
What Is Reading?. . . . . . . …………. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
You and Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …………. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Learning Styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Working With Your Tutor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Listening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Speaking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Observing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Phonics (letter sounds). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Sight Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Increasing Your Vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Spelling Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .36
Idioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Word Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Grammar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Punctuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Writing Paragraphs, Essays, Letters and Resumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Studying and Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Alphabetical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Using a Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Using Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Appendix 1 - Word List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Appendix 2 - Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .76
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
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How to Use This Book
1. Read the Table of Contents. This will tell you what is in the book.
2. Look through the book. See how the book is set up.
3. Decide what you want to know. You may want to read one or two sections, or you may want to
read the whole book.
4. Look in the Table of Contents. This will tell you where to find what you are looking
for.
5. Turn to the page listed in the Table of Contents for the section you want. Read to find the
information you want.
Reading and Writing Are Like Puzzles
To be a good reader and writer, you need many skills. Reading and writing are
like puzzles. You need many pieces to make a puzzle. You need many skills or
pieces to be a good reader and writer. When you practice using these skills,
reading and writing will get easier.
Each section in this book is a piece of the reading and writing puzzle. The
sections in the book are:
What Is Reading?
Reading means that we can recognize and understand words.
You and Reading
You are the most important piece of the puzzle because you are the learner.
Learning Styles
It is interesting to know how you learn best. You may learn best by doing, seeing or hearing.
Working With Your Tutor
Share what you are comfortable sharing of your life experiences and knowledge with your tutor to
help build a learning team. Working one on one with a tutor gives you personal attention that will
focus on your learning needs.
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Listening
Listening has three steps: to hear what is said, to pay attention, and to understand.
Speaking
Speaking helps you to communicate ideas, emotions, and opinions, and to share information.
Observing
Observing the world around us helps to improve our understanding of reading and writing.
Strengthening your observation skills is something you can learn.
Phonics
Phonics are the sounds of our language. When you know the sound that each letter or group of
letters can make, you will be able to sound out many new words.
Sight Words
Sight words are words that you know just by looking at them. These are words that you have
memorized. Knowing many sight words helps you read better and more quickly.
Increasing Your Vocabulary
Improving your vocabulary helps others to understand what you mean. Learning new words also
helps exercise our brain. How many different words can you use instead of “good”?
Comprehension
Understanding what you read is more important than knowing all the words or being able to say
them.
Spelling
Spelling is important. When you know how to spell words, you will be able to read and write better.
Spelling Rules
Rules help you learn to spell new words because rules take the mystery out of spelling by showing
patterns.
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Contractions
A contraction is a group of words shortened to a word, with an apostrophe in place of the missing
letters.
Idioms
An idiom is a group of words that means something different from what it says.
Word Parts
You can break works apart to make them easier to understand, say and spell.
Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar is the way words are put together to make sentences.
Punctuation uses symbols to tell the reader how to read a word or a sentence. When you know
grammar and punctuation, reading and writing will be easier.
Writing Sentences
A sentence is a group of words that is a complete thought and makes sense.
Writing Paragraphs, Essays, Letters and Resumes
Once you can write a sentence, you can learn to expand your ideas to write a group of sentences to form
a paragraph. Essays, letters and resumes are groups of paragraphs that convey information.
Studying and Tests
It is important to learn how to study and take tests. These skills will help you in school and in other
areas of your life.
Alphabetical Order
Alphabetical order means putting words in the order of the alphabet. It makes it easier to find things
because you know where to look. For example, the phone book is organized in alphabetical order.
Using the Dictionary
A dictionary is a book of words in alphabetical order, with their meanings.
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Using Computers
Technology has changed the way we communicate. With computers we can now email, text, Skype,
Facebook and tweet our friends. These are social networks which convey instant news and messages
between us and our friends, family or businesses around the world. We will learn more about using
computers on Page 69.
What Is Reading?
Reading is more than just saying words. Reading is knowing
that letters stand for different sounds. These sounds are put
together to make words. Words are put together to make
sentences, and sentences are put together to make paragraphs.
{
}
When you read, you make sense of the sounds and
understand what the sounds put together into words are telling you. In order to read, you must be
able to sound out or recognize the words, and you have to understand the meaning of those words.
For example, read the following sentence:
The gorkle went to the blinto.
Were you able to read the words? What is a gorkle? What is a blinto? The underlined words are not real
words. Because you do not know what the words mean, you cannot understand the sentence. You are not
really reading unless you understand it and can say what it means in your own words.
Activity:
Read an editorial in your community newsletter about a recent event.
Do you agree with the opinion of the editor? Why or why not?
You and Reading
To Read, You Must Be Able To:
See
You must be able to see the letters and words. You
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{}
may need to get your eyes checked. Wear glasses for reading if you need them.
Hear
You need to be able to hear the difference between sounds. You may need to get your hearing
checked.
Pay attention
You have to concentrate when you are reading.
Move your eyes from left to right
When you read, you move your eyes from left to right. This allows you to follow the words on
the lines.
Understand what the words mean
If you understand the words, what you read will make sense to you. You will remember
it better.
Use what you already know to understand what you are reading
Think about what you know about the topic even before you start reading.
Reading Is a Skill Everyone Needs. There Are Many Reasons Why
Reading Is Important:
Learn something new
Reading can help you learn how to do something new. It could be how to fix something,
or about a new hobby, or just about something that interests you.
Help your children
You are your children’s first teacher! Help them see that reading and writing are important. You can
help your children with their reading. You will also be able to read notes that teachers send home
with your child.
Read signs
It is important to read signs so you can be safe and know where to go.
Read for information
Bus schedules, store flyers or ads have information that can help you live and
communicate in your community.
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In the English language, it’s and its are two words we often confuse. It’s is a
contraction for it is or it has.
Example:
I think it’s raining. (I think it is raining.)
It’s been awhile since I have seen Judy. (It has been awhile since I have
seen Judy.)
Its is a possessive pronoun. Its modifies a noun and is used to show ownership.
Example:
The kangaroo carries its baby in its pouch. (The baby and the pouch belong to
the kangaroo.)
The dog licked its bowl clean. (The bowl belongs to the dog.)
To determine if you should use it’s or its in your sentence, try replacing the word with it is or it
has. If the sentence makes sense, then it’s is appropriate. If not, use its, to show ownership.
Example:
The dog licked it is bowl does not make sense. Therefore, the correct word to
use is its. The dog licked its bowl clean. This is correct because the bowl
belongs to the dog.
Other examples are:
aren’t
are not
haven’t
have not
can’t
cannot
he’d
he had/he would
couldn’t
could not
he’ll
he will
didn’t
did not
she’ll
she will
doesn’t
does not
we’re
we are
don’t
do not
won’t
will not
hadn’t
had not
let’s
let us
hasn’t
has not
you’re
you are
it’s
it is/it has
they’ve
they have
shouldn’t
should not
isn’t
is not
weren’t
were not
they’d
they had/
they would
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Activity:
Write the short form of the following words and use each in
a sentence:
1. do not __________________________________________
2. cannot __________________________________________________________________
3. have not ________________________________________________________________
4. should not ______________________________________________________________
5. is not ___________________________________________________________________
6. it is ____________________________________________________________________
Idioms
Idioms are sayings which cannot be understood from the
meanings of the individual words in them. They are
phrases which do not follow the normal rules of meaning and
grammar. There are over 25,000 idioms in the English language!
Example:
{
}
“To sit on the fence”
“To sit on the fence” can literally mean that one is sitting on a fence - I “sat on the fence” and
watched the baseball game.
However, the idiomatic meaning of “to sit on the fence” is that one is not making a decision
about an issue - Mrs. Jones “sat on the fence” and would not give her opinion about the new
reading program.
Example:
“Get in someone’s hair”
“To get in someone’s hair” can literally mean that something is in your hair - That bug “got in my
hair”! However the idiomatic meaning of “to get in someone’s hair”
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is that someone is bothering you - Those children “get in my hair”!
Activity:
Pick out the idioms in these sentences and rewrite the sentence in your own words.
1. Susan does not like to swim but she is always shooting off her mouth about how
great she is.
2. My kids tell me I drive them up the wall with my loud laugh.
3. I could not afford the car but dad said he would cough up the money if I paid him
back.
4. My blood ran cold when I heard that noise.
5. My mother’s own flesh and blood would not help clean up the mess.
Word Parts
Breaking words apart means dividing big words into smaller
words or word parts. These word parts are sometimes called
syllables. You need to know about:
{
}
syllables
root words
prefixes (beginnings)
suffixes (endings)
compound words (two root words together)
What Is a Syllable?
A syllable is a vowel or a group of letters containing a vowel that makes a unit of sound. Words are
made up of one or more syllables.
To know the number of syllables or sounds in a word, listen to the number of beats that you hear when
you say the word out loud. Make sure you say the word clearly. Each beat is a syllable.
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6. Write that word down.
7. Do this until you are done.
What if Two Words Start With the Same Letter?
If two or more words start with the same letter, look at the second letters. The word that has its
second letter fall earlier in the alphabet will come before the other word. If the first two letters are
the same, look at the third letter.
Example:
chew, card, chomp
1. All of these words start with “c”, so we need to look at the second letters.
2. The second letter of card, “a”, comes first in the alphabet. None of the other words have “a”
for a second letter. Card comes first in the alphabetical order of these words.
3. Both chew and chomp begin with “ch”. We need to look at the third letters. In the
alphabet, “e” (in chew) comes before “o” (in chomp). So, chew comes second. In
alphabetical order:
card
chew
chomp
Using a Dictionary
A dictionary is a book that has a lot of information about
words. A dictionary can tell you many things about words:
{
}
How to spell a word.
How to say a word.
What a word means.
How to break a word into syllables (parts).
What kind of word a word is (noun, verb).
Other word forms that are common.
How Do I Use a Dictionary?
Not all dictionaries are the same but most of them are similar.
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How to say
the word
The word itself
part of speech
adj. means
adjective
meanings of
the word
(there are 3
meanings for
this word)
other word
forms
n. stands for
noun
adv. stands
for adverb
- shaky (sha’ke ) , adj. shakier,
shakiest. 1. Tending to shake or
tremble. 2. Liable to break down. 3.
wavering, as in a partnership. adv.
shakily, n. shakiness.
The dictionary lists words in alphabetical order. The dictionary uses “entry words” to help you find the
word you are looking for.
Entry words are those words that are on the top corner of each page of your
dictionary. There are two entry words on each page of the dictionary. The
first entry word tells you the first word
on the page. The second entry word tells you the last word on the page.
The words that are on that page are words that fall between those words
when put in alphabetical order.
word #1
word #2
word #2
What Other Information Is in a Dictionary?
All Dictionaries Have:
Information on How to Use the Book
You will find this at the beginning of the dictionary.
A Pronunciation Key
This is at the beginning of the dictionary.
A Table of Contents
This is at the beginning of the dictionary.
Some Dictionaries Have:
Maps
These are usually at the back of the dictionary.
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