Ben and Jake ~ Building Fluency and Comprehension

How to Use This Book:

Before Reading:

• Show the cover and point to the title. Ask students to share what they notice.
• Break down the words "Ben" and "Jake" phonetically, emphasizing letter sounds.
• Review key vocabulary words to support comprehension.

During Reading:

• Explain: “Today we are going to review dialogue. Dialogue is when characters in a story talk to each other. It’s like a conversation happening between the characters.”
• Model fluent reading, changing your voice to match the characters' emotions and tone.
• Pause to ask: "How can we tell which character is speaking?"

After Reading:

• Discuss how dialogue helps us understand characters better.
• Ask: "How are Ben and Jake different? How are they alike?"
• Encourage students to practice reading with expression by taking turns reading different characters’ lines.