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VELS level 1 & 2 – Reading for learning: Pause, Prompt, Praise

The main purpose of reading is to gain meaning from the text. Effective readers actively monitor their comprehension as they read, correcting themselves if what they read does not make sense, sound right or look like the word in the text.

Pause, Prompt, Praise is a strategy which aims to encourage students to monitor meaning and to self-correct. It can be used any time the student is reading aloud.

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Pause, Prompt, Praise

Pause

If a mistake occurs, pause; wait to give the student a chance to solve the problem. Allow a few moments for thinking time before expecting an answer.

Prompt

Give a hint or lead to encourage a response:

  • if the student stops at an unknown word and cannot continue, ask him or her to read on to the end of the sentence or to reread from the beginning of the sentence and to try again. A brief discussion of the content or storyline may help the student to make a sensible guess at an unknown word.
  • if the student makes a substitution that does not make sense, prompt with clues about the meaning of the content or story, e.g. ask a question.
  • if the student makes a substitution that does not look right, prompt with clues about the way the word looks, e.g. ask about one part of the word that looks wrong.
  • if the student makes a substitution that does not sound grammatically correct, prompt by drawing attention to the way it sounds.
  • if the word is not correct after two prompts say, ‘the word is.’’

Praise

At all times it is important that students are praised and encouraged in their efforts. Use a variety of encouraging words and phrases to support students with their attempts. Your praise will greatly assist students’ literacy development: 

  • praise when the student reads a sentence correctly: ‘I like the way you’’
  • praise when the student corrects himself or herself after a mistake: ‘I liked the way you worked that out’.
  • praise when the student gets a word correct after your prompt: ‘you worked that out well’.
  • praise your students with comments that provide feedback: ‘that’s great, well done’.

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Three examples of Pause, Prompt, Praise

(Note: Although these examples use texts for younger readers, the strategy applies at all levels).

Example 1

When the student comes to a word she or he doesn’t know and says nothing:

  • wait for 5 seconds
  • suggest that the student reads on to the end of the sentence or goes back to the beginning of the sentence and say, ‘try that again’
  • ask her or him to think of a word that would make sense

Sample text  

At the circus there were lions, horses and clowns.

Reader: ‘At the’’ 

Teacher: (wait 5 seconds) ‘Try reading on to the end.’

Reader: ‘...were lions, horses and clowns.’

Teacher: ‘So what could this word be? Where do you find lions, horses and clowns?’

Reader: ‘At the circus.’

Teacher: ‘Right! Now read the sentence.’

Example 2

When the student makes a substitution that doesn’t make sense:

  • ask a question or two about the meaning of the story.

Sample text

The car raced along the road.

Reader: ‘The car raced along the red’’

Teacher: ‘Well, that word looks a bit like red. Where does a car usually go?’

Reader: ‘Along the road’

Teacher: ‘Great, let’s try again.’

Example 3

When the student makes a substitution that doesn’t change the meaning of the story:

  • if minor, ignore the mistake
  • if significantly different, stop the reader and provide help
  • ask the student to look carefully at the word, ‘does it look right?’ Ask, ‘how does it begin? Is it like any other words that you know?’
  • tell the reader the word, after two attempts.

Sample text

The children jumped into the car.

Reader: ‘The children got into the car.’

Teacher: ‘That makes sense. Good. They did get into the car but the word isn’t got. Have a good look at the word.’ (Teacher points to ‘jumped’.)

Reader: ‘Jump, jumped’

Teacher: ‘That’s right, good.’

Note: Depending on the amount of text, its level of difficulty and the student’s prior knowledge of the text, a mistake like this one may sometimes be ignored as the student is able to maintain meaning as he or she reads. An effective reader often predicts words and substitutes without reading each word correctly.

Reference

Making a Difference Department of Education, Victoria 2004
(http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/main/goproduct/11695)

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