The Literacy CAFE Menu

The CAFE Book: Engaging All Students in Daily Literacy Assessment and Instruction by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, The Sisters. Copyright 2009. Stenhouse Publishers.

Comprehension Accuracy Fluency Expand Vocabulary

I understand what I read I can read the words I can read accurately, I know, find, and use
with expression, and interesting words
Strategies
understand what I read
Check for understanding
Strategies Strategies Strategies
Back up and reread
Monitor and fix up Cross checking . . . Do Voracious reading Voracious reading
Retell the story the pictures and/or Read appropriate-level Tune in to interesting
Use prior knowledge to connect with text words look right? Do texts that are a good words and use new
Make a picture or mental image they sound right? Do fit vocabulary in
Ask questions throughout the reading process they make sense? Reread text speaking and writing
Predict what will happen; use text to confirm Use the pictures . . . Do Practice common sight Use pictures, illustrations,
Infer and support with evidence the words and words and high- and diagrams
Use text features (titles, headings, captions, pictures match? frequency words Use word parts to
graphic features) Use beginning and Adjust and apply determine the
Summarize text; include sequence of main ending sounds different reading meaning of words
events Blend sounds; stretch rates to match text (prefixes, suffixes,
Use main idea and supporting details to and reread Use punctuation to origins, abbreviations,
determine importance Flip the sound enhance phrasing etc.)
Determine and analyze authors purpose Chunk letters and and prosody (end Use prior knowledge
and support with text sounds together marks, commas, etc.) and context to
Recognize literacy elements (genre, plot, Skip the word, then predict and confirm
character, setting, problem/resolution, come back meaning
theme) Trade a word/guess a Ask someone to define
Recognize and explain cause-and-effect word that makes the word for you
relationships sense Use dictionaries,
Compare and contrast within and between thesauruses, and
text glossaries as tools

Behaviors That Support Reading

Get started right away Stay in one place Work quietly Read the whole time Increase stamina Select and read good-fit books