# data[].attributes.body
Comprehension is the reason why we read, it is the purpose of reading. When you are able to comprehend you can understand what you read, remember it and make sense of it.

# data[].attributes.body
Vocabulary is the understanding of what a word means in the spoken language. It is the key to help you understand what you read, learn and what you know about words as a whole.

# data[].attributes.body
Fluency is the ability to read as if you were talking in a conversation. You are able to read accurately with expression and good tempo.

# data[].attributes.body
Phonics is the ability to understand the relationship between letters and the sounds they make. You are able to match sounds with letters or even with letter groups/chunks.

# data[].attributes.body
Phonemic Awareness is the ability to identify different sounds that make up speech. You are able to hear, identify, manipulate, and substitute phonemes.

# data[].attributes.body
One great way to effectively reinforce phonemic awareness is with rhyming words. At circle time you can read great rhyming books that the kids will love and also be able to slowly catch on, hear the rhyme and finish your sentences as you read your story. You can also do this with songs or poems. The more rhyming words, repetition and the sillier the better, kids seem to really get a good grasp of phonemic awareness this way.

# data[].attributes.body
Phonics can be supported in many different ways as it relates to reading. You can take a very visual book like Alphabets Tree and the kids can see the letters as you say them. There are basic phonics books that only have pictures that start with one letter to better understand the letter sound relationship. As the kids learn their letters and the sounds they make you slowly start combining them in basic CVC word in stories that they can start sounding out as they become emergent readers. The key to reading starts with phonics and knowing your letter sound relationships.  Daily flashcards is another simple but very effective way to learn this.

# data[].attributes.body
Fluency activities that are great for kids is to be able to hear the difference between fluent and non-fluent reading. As the teacher you can example this by reading a passage or a story with speed, accuracy, great expression and tone. Make a larger emphasis on how you sound even if it is a bit exaggerated. Then read that same passage completely opposite. Read slowly with lots of pauses and no expression, just very blah. Then have a class discussion on which one sounded better and why. For the kids to practice this independently have them read a book of their choice (at reading level) and record themselves reading it. When they play back their recording they should be able to hear or not hear the things you have talked about and this will help them understand if they are fluent reader or where they many need to work on some things.

# data[].attributes.body
In the early stages of reading and vocabulary it is best to always associate pictures with words. Reading books with words at circle time and pointing out those pictures really helps. In guided reading practice start with one word pages so they can associate the pictures with the words. Go around the class and label everything just like you did the letter hunt you can have a class hunt and see how many objects they can find. These are all great thing to help with vocabulary in the early stages.

# data[].attributes.body
In reading to be able to understand something is to comprehend it. During circle time a great activity is to simply ask questions and lots of them.  During your reading, ask what just happened, why it happened, what do you think will happen next and why do you think this. When you comprehend you are able to remember details and even retail the story. Another activity to help with comprehension is a timeline builder or puzzle for the kids to put back together. This can be done with pictures from the story (pre-k) or just short events written from the story. If it is around a holiday or season I think it is more visually appealing and may help make it more of a game if you put these pictures or description on shapes. For example in the winter I might put them on a snowman that they have to put in order or leaves, hearts anything that they then can recall the story and put the events back in order while still being fun.

# data[].attributes.body
This is supported in writing by seeing it and beginning to write or manipulate in your own words. For early elementary you could take a poem and as you read it you have the kids highlight or underline certain letters, words or rhymes. This will help the kids visually see it, hear it and hopefully will help when they need to write it. Extend your poem together, come up with another sentence that rhymes and have them write it with you. You could also take the rhyming words by themselves and come up with more together to add to your poetry journal. Play games where the kids hear/see three picture and words and decide which one does not fit. These are all great ways to help early learners begin to write.

# data[].attributes.body
Phonics can be supported in writing by working on letter formation and tracing pages. They can then take letter formation and match it to words that start with that letters sound. Have the kids go on letter hunts around the room where they can see the letters in all different prints. As they get further into their phonics journey and they start to read CVC words they can also start to write them. By giving kids sounds they will then be able to write those sounds as letters they hear.

# data[].attributes.body
In writing it is very similar to reading practice with fluency. Kids should understand that it should be like a conversation so pair up with a friend and have them talk about a specific thing like what they want to play at recess or anything on interest and record it. Let them both listen and hear their conversation back. The kids can then write few sentences themselves. Once they are done read it aloud see if it makes sense, then record it see if it still makes sense or maybe they will see they need to add a word hear or a word there. I think fluency is best taught in both reading and writing by being able to hear yourself or others with a recording of some sort and having an example of both fluent and non-fluent readers.

# data[].attributes.body
In writing and as they start to develop a little more in their vocab you can have them draw pictures themselves and start labeling them (this will look different depending on age). You can also be the one that picks a word and have the kids draw a picture based on word that you told them. Other great things would be to match pictures with words then that would go into match sentences or definitions with words and so on.

# data[].attributes.body
This can be supported in writing in similar ways as reading. I think it may work best to start with personal stories and having the kid’s simply retail a story out loud to the class. Then they could draw pictures to their story. As you move on you can start writing words, then simple sentences that turn into more complex sentences. Those then turn into true retelling of a personal story. Then you could move on and partner the kids up, have them listen to a friend’s story and then retell that story in similar ways. Both of these create a personal connection which will help with the initial understanding and comprehension. The next thing you could do is move on to more books and stories of things they are not as familiar with and just like you asked the questions at circle time they should be asking themselves those same questions as a writer.