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Reading Online Resources
Reading Online Resources
Reading on the Road
Reading on the Road
We spend so much time in our cars every day getting to school and after-school activities. It's a great built-in routine to practice learning and keep your child engaged in the car.
FIND A LETTER
(Skill: letter recognition)
Adult: Find the letter A.
Reader: I see the letter A on the Apple store sign!
Adult: Great! Now you tell me a letter to look for.
Reader: Find the letter G.
Adult: I see the letter G on the Google sign!
-repeat-
I SEE SOMETHING (beginning sound)
(Skill: Isolation of beginning sound)
Adult: I see something that starts with the /b/ sound.
Reader: Is it a bus?
Adult: I like your thinking. It is not a bus. Look for something else that starts with the /b/ sound.
Reader: Is it a bike?
Adult: It is!!!
-repeat-
I SEE SOMETHING (rhyme)
(Skill: identifying rhyme)
Adult: I see something that rhymes with “car.”
Reader: Is it “star?”
Adult: It is!!!
-repeat-
ROBOT TALK
(Skill: blending sounds)
Adult: I am going to tell you a word, but I’m going to talk like a robot. When you know the word I’m saying, shout it out. Ready?
B-e-d.
Student: Bed!
Adult: Great! Here’s the next robot word…c-u-p.
Student: Cup!
-repeat-
Prevent the summer slide
Prevent the summer slide
Summer is a welcome break from the busy schedule of the school year. But it’s important to keep the learning going! It is important to read and write all year round to prevent any learning loss. Summer is a time for relaxation and fun, but it's also an opportunity to maintain the progress your child has made throughout the school year. "Summer slide" is when students lose some of their academic skills during the long break. However, with your support, you can keep your child's learning momentum going strong.
What does the Research Say?
Research has consistently shown that summer reading loss is one of the most significant causes of the achievement gap between poorer and wealthier students. On average, economically disadvantaged students lose more than two months of reading achievement over the summer months. By the time students reach sixth grade, the cumulative impact of summer reading loss results in a gap of 18 months or more between struggling readers and their proficient peers. This summer reading loss accounts for approximately two-thirds of the overall achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and their wealthier counterparts.
Suggestion for Keeping Reading Fun During Summer
Read with your child every day, and make sure that your child has access to books at home.
Read to your child. It fosters a strong bond between parent and child and enhances language development, fluency, and comprehension skills.
Apply for a library card and have weekly visits to the library. They often offer fun, free summer events.
Invest in a journal and give your students different writing prompts. Try narrative writing, poetry, persuasive writing, and informational essays.
Encourage family reading time, where everyone gathers together to read independently. When your child sees you reading, it shows that you enjoy reading!
Talk to your child about books. Ask about the books they are reading, and share your own thoughts and ideas about books. This can help to spark conversations about books and encourage your child to think critically about what they are reading.
Consider starting a kid’s book club. Student love to read and talk about the books their reading with others. The social aspect of a book club can really encourage hesitant readers.
Make reading fun by switching up where you read. Have a reading picnic, go to the beach, read to a pet, ask to read to a neighbor, or even read in the dark with a flashlight.
How to improve reading comprehension at home
How to improve reading comprehension at home
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret what you read. It involves recognizing words, making meaning of them, connecting them to prior experiences, and drawing conclusions. Strong reading comprehension skills are crucial for academic success and lifelong learning. They enable children to gather information from various sources and effectively communicate their thoughts. In a world filled with information, comprehending what we read is essential for making informed decisions, solving problems, and confidently navigating everyday situations.
Children can enhance their reading comprehension skills not only by reading books but also by listening to them. Parents can leverage today's technology by incorporating audiobooks and story-focused podcasts into their daily routines. Audio adds excitement to stories and offers a refreshing change to summer routines. It's also an excellent way for students to continue learning in English if their home language is different. Audio provides a wonderful opportunity for the entire family to listen, learn, and enjoy stories together.
Five Finger Retell
The five-finger retell strategy is an effective method for improving reading comprehension by breaking a story down into essential elements. Think of your hand as you read – each finger represents a different part of the story. The thumb stands for the characters, the index finger for the setting, the middle finger for the beginning, the ring finger for the middle, and the pinky for the end. By mentally "counting" through these elements, readers can better organize their thoughts and understand the structure and meaning of the text. A copy of the Five-Finger Retell can be found on the following page, which you can print out and have children color if you wish. Use this tool while reading a story to help your child recall the events of the story afterward.
Comprehension Questions
What is the main idea of the story?
How does the story conclude?
What transformations occur from the beginning to the end of the story?
What are some significant actions taken by the characters?
What are some notable things the characters say?
Why do you believe the author wrote this story?
What do you think the author wants the readers to learn?
How does the story make you feel, and why?
Who are the key characters in the story?
What do you like or dislike about the characters?
What challenges do the characters face?
Where is the story set, and how can you tell?
What is the most thrilling part of the story, and why is it exciting?
Are there any recurring images or words in the story? What do you think they signify?
What do you believe is the moral or message of the story?
Would you suggest this book to a friend? Why or why not?
How do the characters evolve throughout the story?
What was your favorite part of the story?
Can you relate to any of the characters or situations in the story? How?
What would you change about the story if you could?
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