Enriching Kinders in Reading

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with advanced students from both kindergarten and third grade.  This year, I have had the opportunity to do that again.  I will tell you that as a first grade teacher I work closely with the kinder that I'm supporting.  Sometimes a kinder may need supplemental work or enrichment, but they are not ready to mingle with firsties because emotionally they are still five and need the socialization of a kinder class.  Other times, like this year, I've had the kinder kiddo come and visit with us during centers!
It's a lot of fun!  There's nothing cuter than wee little people reading!  I really can't get enough of it.  So, here are a few of the things I consider when I'm enriching a kinder kid!

 Make data collection manageable and fun with this tool.

1.) Just because they can decode at a high level does not mean that they truly understand that text.

Remember, our job is to make sure that they understand what they are reading.  Reading needs to be fun and meaningful.

2.) Consider the amount of text on the page.  

Kids who are great readers may still be intimidated by long passages of text.  Gradually scaffold them up to longer texts as you work with them.

3.) If parent support is available to you, engage them.

Having students work on their sight words and setting goals for themselves is something that parents can easily assist with if they are so inclined.  In addition, if you add a fluency passage to this...the parents can easily do that with them at home too! :)

4.) In the classroom, extend the learning through journaling and illustrating.

Looking for something to do during centers?  Have your student create their own illustrated books.  Let students write about a topic that they have extensive background knowledge, so that the task is not cumbersome when they are working independently. Want a further extension?  Have them record themselves reading their book and leave it in a listening center for their peers!

Need this free journal page template?
Click HERE.

Find this product on TPT by clicking HERE.

Want a free copy of this passage?
Click HERE.

I use a few things to progress monitor my kinders when I am working with them, or offering support to a kinder teacher.  I have lots of different types of charts to keep track of their sight word recognition.  I even have recognition notes that go home for parents to see! :)  I put them in my store last year.  If you are familiar with my primary ones, they are very similar.  Instead of mastering 400 words, there are a maximum of 200 on the kindergarten charts.  My fluency passages aren't included in this set.  I didn't add them because I wanted teachers to have the option to purchase what they need a la carte.  I have TONS of options.  In working with kinders though, I would start with my Reading for Meaning Series.  This set has a first grade level passage, and also includes text coding. There is not a lot of text on these.  It's not intimidating, but they can get critical practice reading a first grade level text without being overwhelmed.  The text on the right is on apples, but it illustrates what the format of the page looks like.  You can snag that passage by clicking on the link in the caption.  I have it on a different blog post. I have kinder fluency in my store too, but that has no text coding.  The example of that is in one of the earlier pictures!
Hope some of these ideas will be helpful to ya! ;)