Good Readers...

• Read fluently
• Ask questions
• Understand what they read
• Read “just right” books
• Don’t read books that are too easy all of the time
• Sound out words they don’t know
• Wear glasses (if they need glasses)
• Do not skip pages and/or chapters
• Take time with a book
• Use the pictures to figure out words
• Ask for help when needed
• Look for chunks in words
• Finish one book before starting a new one
• Can tell what the book was about after they are finished reading it and can retell the story in their own words
• Stretch out words (sound them out)
• Re-read if they don’t understand
• Sometimes read challenging books
• Focus and concentrate
• Don’t read too quickly
• Don't look back to find answers
• Make predictions
• Read carefully
• Make connections
• Respond to what they read
• Read a reasonable number of pages a day
• Stick with a book (unless there's a good reason for abandoning it)
• Use the five finger rule
• Read EVERY day!
• Never give up!
• Make pictures in their minds when they read

Poor Readers...

• Read too quickly
• Skip pages and/or chapters
• Pretend to read (just turn the pages)
• Talk to friends or walk around at reading time
• Do not ask questions
• Always pick books that are too easy
• Look around, not at the book
• Don’t read a lot
• Read lots of books without finishing
• Don’t focus and concentrate
• Don’t understand what they read
• Can’t retell a story
• Read only a few pages
• Don’t read fluently
• Forget to use reading strategies
• Give up easily

Reading Myths

• You are only a good reader if you read fast
• You are only a good reader if you read challenging books or books with lots of pages
• Good readers don’t skip words
• Read every book to the end
• Good readers don’t read short books
• Good readers don’t have to practice or read every day