Finding Space for the CAFE Menu
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The CAFE Menu is a visual aid of reading strategies, a tool that all students can see and use while accessing their reading material. Because it is a central tool for teaching and learning, finding a visible place for it is important. Here are a few things to consider when planning your CAFE Menu:
Size
- The size can be adapted to fit your space and your class’s needs.
- You’ll need room for four columns, one for each letter, C A F E.
- Each column needs to be as wide as the paper you will be posting under it, so if you have lots of room, the strategy cards can be big. If your space is limited, make the cards smaller.
Location
- It is helpful to have the menu close to your gathering place where you teach literacy. This allows you to refer to it often during instruction.
- Think creatively! Here are a few locations where we have seen the menu posted:
- bulletin boards
- cinder-block walls
- cabinets
- windows
- doors
- movable project boards
A little ingenuity will make this tool a vibrant part of your students’ literacy lives all year.
