Creating Learning Partners: A facilitator’s guide for training effective adult literacy tutors

Section 4 Reading Strategies

Additional strategies

In this section we cover many reading strategies, but there are still many more that we know are useful. We have therefore created ten additional handouts (called More Strategies) that you can give your tutors if you wish.

In this section, tutors will learn a variety of strategies to use with their learners.

Activity A

Spell fish

Use this as a fun look at how our language works and how complicated phonics really is.

This activity shows that there are other ways to spell fish. It will help tutors hear the sounds of language.

Use of unusual spelling
STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Ask tutors how to spell the word fish. Tell them this is how to spell fish and write ghoti on the board. Explain that gh is the same sound at the end of rough. The o is the same vowel sound in women. The ti is the sound at the beginning of tion.

Use of unusual spelling

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Ask tutors how to spell the word fish.
Tell them this is how to spell fish and write ghoti on the board.
Explain that gh is the same sound at the end of rough. The o is the same vowel sound in women. The ti is the sound at the beginning of tion.

Activity B

Phonemic awareness

The following activity is based on Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers by Susan McShane. It will show tutors how to listen for the sounds in words. Tutors can also use it informally to test the sounds a learner is able to hear. This activity uses multi-syllabic words but, when working with learners, tutors should start with one-syllable words.

Reflection, discussion
Materials and equipment Paper and pencils for tutors if the group is large

Reflection, discussion

Materials and equipment

Paper and pencils for tutors if the group is large