1. The First Days of School
CAFÉ Step-by-Step:
The First Days of School

2. Primary: Comprehension
Check for understanding
Back up and reread
Monitor and fix up
Retell the story
Use prior knowledge to connect with text
Make a picture or mental image
Ask questions throughout the reading process
Predict what will happen: use text to confirm
Summarize text; include sequence of main events
Recognize literacy elements (genre, plot, character, setting, problem/resolution, theme)
11 of the 17 strategies are introduced in the primary. All of the accuracy and fluency strategies are introduced.

3. Primary: Expand Vocabulary
Voracious reading
Tune in to interesting words and use new vocabulary in speaking and writing
Use pictures, illustrations, and diagrams
3 of 7 of the strategies are introduced for vocabulary.`

4. Book List Available on page 31-32 Available on website:
under CAFÉ synopses
Read aloud: 1 picture book and portion of chapter book daily

5. Introduce the CAFÉ Menu board
Compare d to a menu in a restaurant
Choose different strategies to understand different types of books
Only explain the heading for that read aloud
Board must be anchored in experience or personal background knowledge

6. Cross Checking
Does what I just read look right; do the letters and/or pictures match what I am saying?
Does it sound right?
Does it make sense?

7. Strategies Check for Understanding Cross Checking
Tune In to Interesting Words
Back Up and Reread
Just like ordering from a menu … you don’t always order just one thing. Readers use several strategies when they struggle or get confused to make sense of a text.

8. Assessment to Instruction
Assess individual student.
Discuss findings with student.
Set goal and identify strategies with student.
Student declares goal on menu and in notebook.
Teacher fills our individual Reading Conference form.
Teacher fills out Strategy Groups form.
Instruction.

9. Assess individual student.
DRA or IRI (Individual Reading Inventory)
Concepts of print (emergent readers)
Fluency check (more advanced readers)

10. Discuss findings with student.
Tell me about yourself as a reader.
Listening during read alouds could be listed as a strength.
Common language of classroom

11. Set goal and identify strategies with student.
After conversation about strengths
“One of the areas I am gong to help you with to become a better reader this year is …”
Check student’s CAFÉ menu and select one or two strategies.
Strategy selection can always be adjusted as necessary. Teachers can learn from the error to improve their conferences with other students.

12. Student declares goal on menu and in notebook.
Sticky note to post on menu board
Older students mark their goal in their reader’s notebook on their personal CAFÉ menu with a highlighter and the date.

13. Teacher fills out individual Reading Conference form.
While student puts sticky on menu board …
Teacher makes notes on Reading Conference form.

14. Teacher fills out Strategy Groups form.
Either start a new strategy group form OR
Add student’s name to an existing group list.
Student repeats the reading goal before returning to work.

15. Instruction.