Reading Time

Each day we are engaged in reading activities, whether in large group or small group. When in small groups children learn how to listen for letter sounds, write, recall words, and read leveled books. Children have a variety of skills and we try to offer children skills where they are, skills range from beginning readers to fluent readers. How can you help at home?
1. Read to your child daily, for the enjoyment of reading.
2. Help your child to learn their sight words. This is key to our reading program, when your child can recall the sight words confidently, sounding out new words is less of a challenge. Work on 3 words at a time, when they have those under their belt, add 3 more.
When your child discovers their own power of decoding words their confidence soars and their reading takes off.
3. For simple homework have your child to use their words to do some simple writing. When used together sight words can form simple sentences. ( I can......I see a .....I have.....I like....etc.) Your child can fill in words by either using inventive spelling, sounding our words by the sounds they hear in the word or having your help in stretching out words to hear the sounds clearly. Occasionally you may need to throw in some rules to follow in writing. For example "there is a silent letter at the end of the word, what is it? 'e' or "Y sometimes has an e sound in a word" or "these letters work together to make the ow sound." etc.
4. Supply your child with books that they can read. Simple repetitive books are best. Dr. Seuss books are too challenging for most of our class although some children will be able to read these. Look for books that have our sight words in them so that your child can have success in reading them.
5. Reading is developmental and we can give children rich support that helps them develop skills that help them become lifelong readers. Children learn in a variety of styles, some need step by step instruction until they can take off on their own. Some children are able to decode right away and are already strong readers, they may require more experiences with writing. This is an exciting time in learning as reading opens up a new, challenging way to access many wonderful adventures.
6. Last, let your child see you reading. They learn from this that reading is important and it is something that you value.