More reading tips for parents!

Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Reading:

When should I stop reading to my child?

Never!!! Children of all ages reap the benefits of hearing a story read aloud. Read aloud to your children from birth (some studies suggest even before) through college. Many adults enjoy hearing others read aloud whether it is a passage from a novel, a poem or an excerpt from a newspaper or magazine article.

Is it OK for my child to read the same book/novel again?

Yes, just as adults sometimes enjoy hearing a good story again, so do children. Let your child have fun reading.

Should I force my child to finish a book before starting another?

Reading should be enjoyable. Don't force him/her to read a book that s/he doesn't enjoy. Your child's teacher or public librarian might be able to recommend some popular titles.

How can I get my child interested in reading?

This is a frequently asked question. Try a magazine subscription geared toward your child's age group. Try and find several books related to a topic in which your child shows interest. Don't force the books on the child, but make them available. Model reading and share your enthusiasm for a good book. Create an environment rich in literature.

How can I get my child to read more and spend less time watching TV/computer.

Television is fierce competition for children's free time. Be active in your child's TV viewing. Control the quantity and quality of the programs your child watches. Establish a daily reading time for everyone in the house. Turn off the TV.

 

-from:  http://www.tooter4kids.com/classroom/reading_tips.html

Sight words: Tips for Parents

Some nights I send home sight word rings. These are words that your child has been practicing to read in isolation, in books, and also to write. There are many things you can do to help your kids learn these essential words.
 

Try some of the activities listed below to help your child recognize basic sight words. Work for a few minutes each day.

What are sight words? The 220 Dolch Words comprise from 60% to 85% of the text in children's early reading materials.

BLIND PICK Place several sight words on a large poster board and hang it on the wall at your child's eye level. Like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey," tie a scarf around the child's eyes and spin them in place three times. Have them place their finger on a sight word on the poster. Remove the scarf and have the child read the word.

WORD SCAVENGER HUNT Hide sight words around the room.

SKIP JUMP WORDS Using lighter colored vinyl, cut out shapes, put a sight word on each one with a marker, and tape them to the floor. Your child can jump from word to word, saying each word as they land.

WORD WAR Write sight words on a stack of index cards. A parent or older sibling can play this game with the child. Each player takes turns flipping a card over and the first one to read the sight word wins that card. Parents should count to 10 slowly before telling their child the sight word.

OH NO! Write the sight words on note cards.  On one of the note cards, write "Oh No!"  Turn the note cards over and place them in a stack.  Ask your child to pick up one of the note cards.  If they can read the word, they can keep the card.  If they cannot read the word, tell your child the word and then put the card on the bottom of the pile.  Whomever picks the "Oh No!" card has to put all of their cards back in the stack. The person with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner!
*This is definitely one of the students' favorite games!*

UNIFIX CUBES Practice reading sight words that are taped onto the cubes. Make a tower of correct and incorrect words. Try the incorrect words again. Try to make a giant tower with all the sight words correct.

-More tips can be found on: http://voices.yahoo.com/sight-words-tips-parents-1895164.html?cat=25

The importance of practicing reading...

I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to the kindergarteners from Mrs. Bagurdes' and Mrs. Bohne's classes share their knowledge of the letters and the sounds the letters make on the reading wall!  The students in these classes have been working hard all year to learn their letters and sounds.  They are well on their way to becoming successful readers.  Now they can take their knowledge to begin to blend the sounds together to read "popcorn" words.  I'm soooo proud of them!


I'd also like to take this chance to thank my wonderful Title One readers for reading every night to the adults in their home.  Have you ever wondered why you have to read every single night?

Title One Reading Facts

Facts about Title One Reading

Q: How was my child selected for Title One Reading support?
A: All Jefferson Elementary students were given various school wide assessments and the results were evaluated across the grade level. After reviewing these scores, students were selected to receive this support by collaboration of classroom teacher, title one reading teacher and principal. Parents were then notified of recommended placement into Title One Reading support.
Q: Will my child miss important classroom instruction while receiving additional reading instruction?
A: The Title One teacher and your child’s classroom teacher work to schedule times when the student would not miss core instruction. Most times students are pulled out during stations or independent practice.
Q: How long will my child be in reading support?
A: The length of the intervention depends on how much progress is made and how quickly it is made.  Most students receive 13 weeks of reading help and some students make grade level benchmarks and are released from Title One Reading earlier than this. A few students will receive intensive reading intervention beyond the title one reading program with the reading teacher in a small group.  Once a child has been dismissed, he or she will continue to be monitored to ensure continued progress.

Building a Reader at Home

Parents often ask me how they can help their child grow as a reader at home.  The following tips are ones that I recommend!

Lots to celebrate in room 204!

Our first round of interventions have wrapped up and three second graders share with you some new learning about nonfiction features.  This new learning will help them to read nonfiction books with ease!

"I learned that photographs are real  pictures of a  person, place or a thing." By Kayla

"I learned that labels are words that explain the picture." By Camren

"I learned that maps are drawings of where plants, people, or animals live." By Anthony

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Wow! Jefferson was named as an Outstanding School for Excellent Participation in the West Allis Public Library Summer Reading Club for having the third largest number of readers that completed the library summer reading program from among the West Allis-West Milwaukee schools! The reading teachers shared  the West Allis library's summer reading program information last May at our literacy night and our K5 students also took a walking field trip to the library.  This award displays that reading should be done every day and in every season in order for children to grow as readers.  :)

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Congratulations to Camren M. and Nathaniel C. who no longer need Title One reading! These awesome readers have worked hard this quarter and are now reading in the middle level in their classrooms. Keep up the great work!

"Falling" for reading!

-A big thank you goes out to the boy scouts of pack 584 at Jefferson for helping to fill three boxes to the brim of gently used books! Through the donations of Jefferson students, our classrooms will enjoy reading these books!

-The PTA has begun their reading program for this year "Get Buggy for Reading".  Make sure to read each day and record your minutes and pages read to win some great prizes!

-Are you looking for some great books to read inside during these chilly fall days?  Check out these great books from the Jefferson and West Allis libraries:
The Little Scarecrow Boy by David Diaz
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall