Our new reading record as of June 27, 2016 -- our class has read...
1,680 books!
in our Take Home Reading program.
A new record for Gr 1B!
Thanks to parents for all your support.
1,680 books!
in our Take Home Reading program.
A new record for Gr 1B!
Thanks to parents for all your support.
I wonder how many books I can read
over the summer?
over the summer?
Remember: Readers read! Every day!
Reading Programs
Sharing Books
Sharing books will be used on occasion and will have a poem or learning activity sent home for you to complete with your child. There are instructions on how to use these activities on the back of the title page. This is not mandatory homework, but your child will earn stamps and stickers for completing the On the Back activities and for getting the front signed when they practise their reading with you. Consider these activities one more way to stay involved in your child's learning this year. Additional practice sheets may be sent home in your child's Sharing Book should the need arise.
Take Home Reading
Although this program is voluntary there is a direct connection between how frequently a child reads and his/her reading achievement. Frequency is more important than duration -- at this point in your child's academic career, 5 to 10 minutes of reading practice at one sitting is plenty. If your child wants to read for longer, follow his/her lead. PLEASE make sure the book is returned in the Book Tote. They are difficult to replace, even if you do pay for the cost.
Please make sure to let me know if your child's book was...
E easy (Your child can read all or almost all of the words.)
A appropriate (Your child can read 90 to 95% of the words.)
C challenging (Your child can read 85 to 90% of the words, but needs lots of coaching.)
H too hard (Your child needs help with almost all the words, or his/her pace is word by word.)
... by writing one of these letters in the last column of your child's reading card.
Your child has been instructed to choose a book at his/her level using the I-PICK method.
I I get to pick the book.
-
P I have a purpose for reading it -- for fun, or to learn something.
I I am interested in this book.
C I comprehend what I am reading and can tell you about what I have read.
K I know most of the words.
Of course, I will still be providing guidance during book choice time. Happy reading!
Sharing books will be used on occasion and will have a poem or learning activity sent home for you to complete with your child. There are instructions on how to use these activities on the back of the title page. This is not mandatory homework, but your child will earn stamps and stickers for completing the On the Back activities and for getting the front signed when they practise their reading with you. Consider these activities one more way to stay involved in your child's learning this year. Additional practice sheets may be sent home in your child's Sharing Book should the need arise.
Take Home Reading
Although this program is voluntary there is a direct connection between how frequently a child reads and his/her reading achievement. Frequency is more important than duration -- at this point in your child's academic career, 5 to 10 minutes of reading practice at one sitting is plenty. If your child wants to read for longer, follow his/her lead. PLEASE make sure the book is returned in the Book Tote. They are difficult to replace, even if you do pay for the cost.
Please make sure to let me know if your child's book was...
E easy (Your child can read all or almost all of the words.)
A appropriate (Your child can read 90 to 95% of the words.)
C challenging (Your child can read 85 to 90% of the words, but needs lots of coaching.)
H too hard (Your child needs help with almost all the words, or his/her pace is word by word.)
... by writing one of these letters in the last column of your child's reading card.
Your child has been instructed to choose a book at his/her level using the I-PICK method.
I I get to pick the book.
-
P I have a purpose for reading it -- for fun, or to learn something.
I I am interested in this book.
C I comprehend what I am reading and can tell you about what I have read.
K I know most of the words.
Of course, I will still be providing guidance during book choice time. Happy reading!
Ways to Read a Book
Believe it or not, there are more ways than one to read a book and all are valid uses of your reading time with your child.
Read the Pictures
As your child looks at the book, have him/her tell you what is going on in the pictures. This is a lot of talking. Try to encourage them to use words like "now," "then," "next," "finally," "last." This helps him/her figure out what the book is about and helps them make better guesses when they read the words later. This is an excellent first-look-at-the-book activity. There is more to the story than just the words anyway. Even fluent readers will enjoy the book more and get more meaning from the words by connecting them to the pictures. Illustrators often put a second story or even jokes in the pictures for observant readers to find.
Read the Words
This is the what we generally think of when we "read." Say the sounds, blend them together and use all the other reading tools we have studied. Please see the Reading Toolbox for ideas (coming home later this year).
Retell the Story
This is a great after-you-read or second-night activity. Using some of the words and the pictures from the book to retell what the book is about, have your child share about what they read. This also works for a favourite story that you have read to your child that would be way too hard for him/her to read. The idea is to practise recalling details and plot, but also to see if your child understood what he/she has read. You may be surprised what they tell you! When your child gets really good at this, have him/her retell the story with the book closed!
This is also an excellent time to make a connection with the book -- "This reminds me of that other book we read...," "This reminds me of that time...," "This is just like that movie...," etc.
I Read, You Read
One person reads a sentence, page, or paragraph and the partner rereads the same words. This is especially good to build fluency. The most fluent reader goes first to enable the less fluent reader to hear the pace, intonation, and correct words. Then the less fluent reader imitates the fluent reader using the same pace, intonation, and correct words. Exaggeration makes this fun!
Choral Read
Readers read the same words in the book at the same time. This is good for additional practice when rereading the book for fluency and expression.
Reading One Book
One reader reads a page or paragraph, then the other reader reads the next page or paragraph, taking turns. We have a few books in our Take Home Reading bins that are specifically designed for this type of reading, but any book that is at your child's reading level will work.
Read the Pictures
As your child looks at the book, have him/her tell you what is going on in the pictures. This is a lot of talking. Try to encourage them to use words like "now," "then," "next," "finally," "last." This helps him/her figure out what the book is about and helps them make better guesses when they read the words later. This is an excellent first-look-at-the-book activity. There is more to the story than just the words anyway. Even fluent readers will enjoy the book more and get more meaning from the words by connecting them to the pictures. Illustrators often put a second story or even jokes in the pictures for observant readers to find.
Read the Words
This is the what we generally think of when we "read." Say the sounds, blend them together and use all the other reading tools we have studied. Please see the Reading Toolbox for ideas (coming home later this year).
Retell the Story
This is a great after-you-read or second-night activity. Using some of the words and the pictures from the book to retell what the book is about, have your child share about what they read. This also works for a favourite story that you have read to your child that would be way too hard for him/her to read. The idea is to practise recalling details and plot, but also to see if your child understood what he/she has read. You may be surprised what they tell you! When your child gets really good at this, have him/her retell the story with the book closed!
This is also an excellent time to make a connection with the book -- "This reminds me of that other book we read...," "This reminds me of that time...," "This is just like that movie...," etc.
I Read, You Read
One person reads a sentence, page, or paragraph and the partner rereads the same words. This is especially good to build fluency. The most fluent reader goes first to enable the less fluent reader to hear the pace, intonation, and correct words. Then the less fluent reader imitates the fluent reader using the same pace, intonation, and correct words. Exaggeration makes this fun!
Choral Read
Readers read the same words in the book at the same time. This is good for additional practice when rereading the book for fluency and expression.
Reading One Book
One reader reads a page or paragraph, then the other reader reads the next page or paragraph, taking turns. We have a few books in our Take Home Reading bins that are specifically designed for this type of reading, but any book that is at your child's reading level will work.
A Message from your friendly GECDSB Speech and Language Pathologist: Rachel Freer
Oral Language • Conversation Starters in the Car
Getting your child to have a rich conversation after school is tricky at times. Use these fun conversation starters to escape the infamous one word answers like: “How was your day? Fine. What did you do? Nothing. Take turns asking and answering different questions with your child. Have fun!
Your child could even choose to write the answers in a family journal to which everyone contributes. Write the question at the top and have everyone write an answer to it. Share it at dinner.
Getting your child to have a rich conversation after school is tricky at times. Use these fun conversation starters to escape the infamous one word answers like: “How was your day? Fine. What did you do? Nothing. Take turns asking and answering different questions with your child. Have fun!
- What has been the happiest part of your day?
- What is your favourite movie of all time and why?
- Describe your perfect day.
- If you met an alien what would you say (all ideas found when Google search: kid conversation starters)
- Five things my teacher (co-workers/boss) doesn’t know about me yet are…
- Now that summer is over I am really looking forward to…
- List as many food/drinks that are made with apples…
- When I think of fall I picture…
Your child could even choose to write the answers in a family journal to which everyone contributes. Write the question at the top and have everyone write an answer to it. Share it at dinner.
Reading Fluency
Sometimes students choose books from levels that seem much more advanced than their true reading level. Although they can struggle through the book, or even read it pretty well, they are sacrificing fluency and comprehension for an advanced reading level.
I may be sending home a book that your child considers too easy for him/her. What I would like you to concentrate on during home practice is making the reading "sound like talking," in other words, making it fluent. Here are some ways to practice:
- Have your child sound out all the words in a sentence. Then go back and read it again, and again, until, he, stops,
saying, every, word, separately, and it sounds smooth.
- After your child has sounded out all the words in a sentence, read it aloud yourself using smooth reading and expression.
Have your child repeat it back to you, while looking and pointing to the words, imitating your smooth, expressive reading.
- Encourage your child to read in phrases by blending the little words into the big ones. I always say, "It's more like skating
than marching." For example: We are going to the park with our friends.
To practice comprehension, have your child retell the events of the story, using the names of all the characters, using the words "first," "then," "next," and "finally." For non-fiction books, have your child list the things the book tells about and what he/she learned from it. For both, have your child make a connection (to personal experiences, a movie, another book, a tv show, a friend). Ask: "What did this story make you think of?" "What does this book remind you of?"
I may be sending home a book that your child considers too easy for him/her. What I would like you to concentrate on during home practice is making the reading "sound like talking," in other words, making it fluent. Here are some ways to practice:
- Have your child sound out all the words in a sentence. Then go back and read it again, and again, until, he, stops,
saying, every, word, separately, and it sounds smooth.
- After your child has sounded out all the words in a sentence, read it aloud yourself using smooth reading and expression.
Have your child repeat it back to you, while looking and pointing to the words, imitating your smooth, expressive reading.
- Encourage your child to read in phrases by blending the little words into the big ones. I always say, "It's more like skating
than marching." For example: We are going to the park with our friends.
To practice comprehension, have your child retell the events of the story, using the names of all the characters, using the words "first," "then," "next," and "finally." For non-fiction books, have your child list the things the book tells about and what he/she learned from it. For both, have your child make a connection (to personal experiences, a movie, another book, a tv show, a friend). Ask: "What did this story make you think of?" "What does this book remind you of?"
Making Connections
In addition to remembering the story or text, another reading comprehension skill is to relate what you have read to something else in your life. It could be that this book reminded you of something that happened to you. I could be that this book reminded you of a movie or tv show. The book may remind you of another book, magazine, or cereal box you read before. It could remind you of something that is happening in Amherstburg, Windsor, or the world! Discussing what the book reminded your child of and remembering things the book made you think of, is a great way to start a conversation about reading and to help your child remember the story. After all, what's the point of all that reading if you don't even remember what you read?