The CAFE Book Chapter 6

This chapter starts with a reminder that the order of introducing strategies isn't that important. While the four strategies introduced in Chapter 4 are foundational, the rest can be taught in any order that meets the needs of the students. Whichever strategies are chosen, it's important to keep the whole class focus lessons short, in line with brain-based learning principles. It's also important to remember that you don't just teach a strategy once and then move on. You can revisit strategies as often as needed throughout the year, with the whole class, with small strategy groups, or with individual students.

The next section provides an example of the Flip the Sound strategy lesson. One think I really liked here was the hand movement that signals the strategy. I think that will be really helpful for my kinaesthetic learners.

Whole lesson elements

1. Identify what is to be taught, and share the "secret to success" with the strategy.
2. Teach the strategy.
3. Students practise with partners.
4. Select a student to write and illustrate the CAFE menu strategy card (1st time only).
5. Review the strategy.
6. Encourage practice during independent reading times.
7. Post the strategy after independent practice.
8. Continually connect new strategies to strategies that are already on the CAFE board

Sample lessons
Four more sample lessons are provided to demonstrate a variety of strategies. These really help me see how the CAFE can work to help my students become better readers.

Something I'm also beginning to see is how I can reinforce the strategies during other lessons as well, especially science and social studies where we do quite a lot of "reading to learn".