Reading Analysis Stage 3: Simple Sentences with Extensions

Materials:

• Duplicate sets of prepared sentences, one of the pair serves as a control for reconstruction.  Sentences should give the possibility of interpretation on the child’s part. (To act out)

• Reading analysis box with symbols: loose black and orange arrows with questions and loose black, red, and orange circles.  They all correspond to those which appear on the Second Analysis Chart.

• The Second Analysis Chart

• Scissors 

• A basket for cut up slips

Purposes:

To help the child become aware of the words and groups of words in a sentence.

Preparation for better understanding in reading and self-expression verbally and in creative writing.

Total reading, which includes comprehension of the meaning as well as the emotion and awareness of style.

Awareness of syntax (word order).

Practice in Reading.

Age: 5 ½ and up

Preparation:

• The child has worked through both Reading Analysis Stage 1 & Stage 2 Exercises 

• The child has played the Question Game

Presentation: 

• Invite the child to carry the box to the table and you will take the envelope and basket.

• Remove and line up the items the child knows.

• Introduce new items: the new black arrow and small black circle (is the indirect object), the orange arrows and circles. Have the child read the arrows as they are lined up at the top of the table. Last line up the orange circles. 

• Invite the child to select a slip, read it and act it out.

• Begin the analysis with the part that is familiar, giving assistance only as needed (action, subject, object)

• We find there are still some words left over. Start with the black arrow to see if a slip answers the printed question.

• Point the arrow for the indirect object at 2 o’clock with the slip on the small black circle.

• Notice there are still words left. Work through the orange arrows, with the child reading the arrow, and ask if the question can be answered with the slips that are left.  

• When you arrive at a question that the child can answer, show the child the arrow can point in any direction off the red circle and slip sits on the orange at the end of the arrow

• After all the slips have been placed, ask the child to read them in various orders, this serves the purpose of transposition

• Invite the child to return the slips to their original order on the table and compare with the control slip.

• Clear the strips to the basket, return the arrows to the top of the table

• Repeat with another slip. Do 2-3 with the child and then invite them to continue working with the slips in the envelope

Note: The child will spend a long time working with the sentences for extensions.  Much practice with the loose arrows is required before the child would be allowed to use Reading Analysis Chart 2.

Control of Error:  Control slip helps in reconstructing the sentences

Following Exercises:

• Reading Analysis Chart 2: After the child has had enough practice with the loose circles and arrows, invite them to use the sentences on Chart 2.  

Pedagogical Notes:

• The extension is something added to expand or enhance a complete sentence.

• How was the Question Game a preparation for this exercise?  (take a look at the questions on the orange arrows)

• The questions on the orange arrows relate to the adverb.  

• The Function of the Word exercises focus is on the grammatical use of a word. The Reading Analysis focuses on the sentence structure through deconstruction and reconstruction of a sentence.  

• Stay away from the busy work of having the child copy what they analyzed (the finished work) into a notebook.