I-Do, We-Do, You-Do

Get ready for a KEY reading strategy you already do every day without realizing it. You’ve done this while teaching your child how to talk, walk, and play. But often teaching reading can feel less than natural. So let’s bring this strategy into a new light as you open a book together.

Drumroll… it’s the Gradual Release Method, or in other words “I-Do, We-Do, You-Do.”

You can apply this strategy to any aspect of reading, whether your child is learning the ABCs for the first time or grappling with their first big novel. Below are pictures of our process in learning the letter B. (Click on the pictures for the slide show.)

Or if you prefer, watch the short video!

Becoming aware of this process can make you more confident in teaching your child to read. It’s important to do the steps in order. *If your child gets stuck and isn’t becoming more independent, it means you jumped to the next step too soon. Return to the previous step until they are showing progress, and then move forward. This is a gradual process that may be quick for some things, like learning a new letter, and slower for others, like reading a paragraph with expression or fluency.

If you’re still curious how to apply this to your reading situation, comment below! I’d love to brainstorm some ideas with you.

Cheers to smarter readers and more confident parents!

-Kendra