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  • Is the child familiar with the handling of books?
  • Does the child understand that print conveys a message?
  • What does the child know about the purposes of reading?
  • Does the child know that speech can be converted into print?
  • Does the child know that print can be converted into speech?
  • Does the child have any concept of producing a printed message; write own name?
  • Are there any concepts of print such as knowledge of letters, words and directionality evident in the child's attempts to write?
  • Does the child understand the concept of “word”?
  • Does the child understand the concept of “letter”?
  • Does the child understand that letter order within a word has significance?
  • Does the child understand that words in a sentence have an order?
  • Does the child understand the system of direction; i.e. left to right, down the page, line under line?
  • Does the child realise spaces separate words in a sentence?
  • Does the child use prediction to determine what comes next?
  • If the child is making sense of a text, what cues are being used?
  • Can the child construct a message from print which matches that of the author?
  • Does the child adjust reading style and create according to purpose of reading task?
  • Can the child locate books to satisfy needs?
  • Can the child use reading to obtain information?
  • Can the child relate what is read to his/her own knowledge about the world?
  • Does the child enjoy reading?
  • How often is the child reading?
  • How often does the child vary the types of materials he/she is reading?
  • Can the child read silently?
  • Does the child ask for help if he/she is having difficulty in any aspect of reading?
  • Can the child scan to obtain information from texts?
  • How long does the child spend reading at one time?
  • Does the child follow the story when read out loud or just follow words?
  • Has the child been exposed to reading aloud experiences that are enjoyable?
  • Does the child see other people reading /reading aloud?
  • Is the child confident reading aloud?
  • Does the child talk about what he/she has read?
  • Can they use table of contents and indexes?

This checklist is taken from Chapter 9 Checklists in Getting Started with Hoemschooling Practical Considerations by Beverley Paine, available from Always Learning Books.

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The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.

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