Once kids start reading on their own, you can’t beat Captain Underpants or other fun books. But today I’m talking about classic core literature, time-tested beloved junior novels, which always delight and make you think. By second or third grade you can start moving into family friendly novels from early reader or short chapter books. Parents, it’s important to keep reading long past toddler time. The 20 minutes a day pleasure reading goal is a good baseline. But why not…..
New Year’s is over, but this is the best early reader party in town! Let’s look at some basic skills to teach or review with your new or ‘catching up’ reader. Then see how many of these favorite, time-tested emergent reader books you already enjoy with your child. Sharpen your skills and enliven your lessons with heartwarming beloved stories. Let me know how your mini lessons go. I’d love to hear from you! Here are must-do skills to teach or…..
We need to keep reading to our kids. We need to keep writing with our kids. Parents read to their toddlers, but how many of us continue reading to our elementary and middle school children? Moms and dads probably read the most right before bedtime, the cherished ritual of the bedtime story. Perhaps schools should revamp homework policies that give little free time for individual or family reading and make it a school-wide priority. I always recommend each member of the…..
I was born on Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. Perhaps that is why I have always had such a strong social conscience. I’ve been teaching reading nearly my whole life. When I was six, I was dragging neighborhood kids into my “schoolroom.” In addition to teaching in a 9-12 reading lab, Title I teacher, etc. I was also connected to various literacy-related boards and organizations, including school boards, Literacy Volunteers of America, neighborhood study centers, Fantasy Theatre, Harmony Arts, Laubach…..
Go Ducks! Holidays and the big Eugene game are over. Teachers everywhere are writing lesson plans while I finish this post which I started and deleted many times already. I am now stuffed, hearing Norman The Worm (U Tube) in my head, and Frozen is screaming out at me. Yikes. Since I believe all children learn best, differently, mini lessons are the perfect answer to meeting the literacy goals of Common Core. I like the intent of Common Core, universal…..
Every family member makes a New Year’s reading goal. Make sure your child has a need to know, a reason for learning or reading something. Assess background knowledge. Capitalize on it, or add it. “Schema” is prior knowledge (“schemata“, plural). Anticipate what the reading will be about. “Guess what it’s about.” Note the author’s paragraph writing pattern. Is the main idea at the top, middle, or end? Preview, read, and review text in DRA’s. Directed Reading Activities. Previewing includes questioning, predicting, and determining…..
This is the perfect time to help your emergent or struggling reader prepare for upcoming standardized tests. Common Core is around the corner. WORD STUDY. FIRST, REVIEW THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF READING. Go back to the beginning: sounds, letters. Then fill in the gaps, as needed. Review, repeat like crazy. Use this time-tested, pattern- based decoding sequence. Consonants: Consistent consonants: b,d,f,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,r,v,z. Inconsistent consonants: c,g,q,s,t,y,w. Digraphs (2 letters, one sound): ch,sh,th,wh,ph,gh,ck,ng. Blends: (two letters, two sounds); (three letters, three sounds): bl,…..
Santa wants you to know what a phoneme is. I just got back from Morgan’s preschool recital. It was great fun watching these toddlers singing, ringing bells and tap dancing. Morgan showed her “moves” and this year managed to stay on stage looking pretty much with the action. How cool that they learned the words to the movie Frozen and holiday songs. Too cute for words. Left footprints on this nana’s heart. Morgan is the reason I made the move to…..
Teaching a ‘gap kid’ to read. Today I finally met Luke. His mom brought him over, in this busy season because Luke got all zeroes on his last first grade assessment. So I’ll walk you through what we did, because something drastic has to happen right now. Can’t wait another day. I need to help this Mom fill in the gaps once I model how to do it. ME- Model Everything. Then, practice makes the learning stick. Taught, today under…..
Parents are the first and best teachers. Sitting by the fire, in a post-Thanksgiving food coma, with three young children running around me, I watch these darling girls in their tutus role playing, twirling, quarreling then hugging. In another year they will be in kindergarten. My kindergarten daughter is now a mother. And I can honestly tell you, she is a truly great teacher. It seems to come naturally. She says she learned it from me. Children learn language by being immersed…..