Our biggest challenge after helping students identify reading goals is to narrow down the strategies that would be most useful for them. Most of our new readers need every strategy on the CAFE menu and our eyes race from one strategy to the next as our minds hope to settle on the perfect strategy. We use to worry about not picking the "perfect" strategy to move a child forward. We are relieved to report nothing dreadful has ever happened from picking a strategy and moving forward with it. Here is why. Once a strategy is chosen and recorded, we focus on it every time we meet with the child, whether in a small group or during a one on one conference. We note his or her progress each time. If the strategy doesn't seem to be working for the student, we change to another strategy. If the child is moving forward, we continue to deepen their knowledge of the strategy.

Our more advanced readers challenge us in other ways. They have often mastered many strategies on the CAFE Menu. As with any advancing reader, we ask them to discuss what they know about themselves as a reader and we listen carefully. They frequently know what they want and need to work on. Because our advanced readers are typically proficient with Accuracy and Fluency already, their goals tend to lie in the Comprehension and Vocabulary categories.

Like everything else we do, the more you practice, the more confident you'll become in your ability to strategically match students with the strategies that will help them advance as readers. Until then, rely on data, trust your instincts, and just jump in.