Literacy Volunteers in Mercer County, Inc.
Language Experience Story Technique
LES - Language Experience Story Techniques
- Converse with your student to identify an experience or topic.
- Record the student's words.
Neatly print the words your student says. Use the manuscript
writing style to make it easy for your student to read what you
have written. When teaching a beginning reader, keep the first
dictated story as short as possible.
- Read the story to your student.
- Ask your student to select three or four meaningful words from the story that he/she wants to learn first. Underline each of those words in the story and copy each word on a word card. Your word card might be a 3x5-index card.
- Teach each selected word.
Ask your student to look at each word carefully. Say the word as written, asking the student to repeat the word. Ask the student to place each word card under its duplicate in the story, reading the word as matching takes place. Then ask the student to mix up the
cards and ask the student to read each word again, referring to
the story if necessary.
- Reread the story.
- Give your student a copy of the story and word cards.