Good Readers vs. Poor Readers
from Children's Literature in the Reading Program
by Bernice Cullinan
• When they come to an unfamiliar word, good readers use many different strategies for word analysis, while poor readers "sound it out". If sounding it out fails, poor readers have no alternatives.
• Good readers self-correct if they make a mistake that does not make sense; poor readers ignore their reading errors.
• Good readers read for meaning; poor readers read to pronounce words correctly.
• Good readers reread favorite books and become fluent readers; poor readers seldom reread and thus rarely experience fluency.
• Good readers seek out books by favorite authors; poor readers don't notice who wrote the books they read.
• Good readers read for their own pleasure; poor readers read only if it is a school assignment.
• Good readers discuss books with their friends and exchange opinions on good books to read; poor readers do not discuss reading.