Reading Guide Strips
Cut out a strip. Put it under the line you are reading and slide it down as you go.
Need more than one? Tap + for extra copies (up to 10).
How to do it
- Cut out a strip.
- Put it under the line you are reading.
- Slide it down one line at a time.
Teaching tip
Glue them to card stock. A finger under the line works just as well and is always with you.
About this worksheet
Three cut-out strips that help keep your place on a page, plus tips for grown-ups.
What kids practice
These sheets practice the skills that are hardest for kids who struggle to read: hearing each sound in a word, connecting sounds to letters, telling look-alike letters apart, and reading smoothly in phrases. They follow the same ideas as structured literacy programs. They help any beginning reader. They are not a test and not a diagnosis. If reading is a struggle, ask your child's school or doctor about an evaluation. Only a qualified professional can diagnose dyslexia.
Watch for
- Guessing from the first letter or the picture. Point to each letter and blend the whole word.
- Special dyslexia fonts and colored overlays. Research hasn't found that they help most children read better, so time is better spent on sound and letter practice.
- Waiting to see if it gets better on its own. Early help works best, so ask the school if reading is still hard by the middle of first grade.
- Rushing for speed. Accurate first, then smooth, then quicker.
It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full reading helpers (dyslexia-friendly) guide for 1st grade.
More sheets in this set
1. Tap the SoundsShort words split into sounds, with a dot to tap for each one. Some words have two letters that make one sound.
2. b or d?The bed trick for b and d, then ten pictures that start with b or d.
4. Letter Hunt b d p qRows of b, d, p and q to scan for one target letter.
5. Clap the SyllablesPictures with one to four syllables, with circles to color for each clap.
6. Word LaddersTwo ladders of short-vowel words. Each step changes just one letter.
7. Letter Sound Speed GridA grid of five letters mixed up in rows, to read three times for smooth letter-sound practice.
8. Scooping PhrasesSentences with scoops under each phrase, then sentences for your child to scoop.