- " The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!"
- "Be Awesome! Be a book nut!"
- "You have to be a speedy reader because there's so so much to read."
- "You're never to old, too wacky, to wild, to pick up a book and read to a child."
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Dr. Seuss Quotes
Now for a "fun" post... one of my favorite authors... Dr. Seuss has some fabulous quotes on reading...
Resources
A compiled (growing) list of resources for parents needing more information.
- Author, Patricia M. Cunningham has written MANY wonderful books that are filled with fun activities to help your child with his/her reading skills.
- Reading Rockets - Help for Struggling Readers
Above All...
READ.
If you honestly do not have the time to meet with your child's teacher and learn how you can best help your young reader... if you truly don't have the time to enjoy the suggested activities with your young reader... then I first ask you - are you sure? Being able to read is IMPORTANT for the rest of your child's life! They will learn best when they are young. Make time. However if not, then... just READ. At LEAST make time for reading, of any type.
Read with your child.
Read alongside your child.
Take turns reading with your child.
Read aloud to your child.
Listen to your child read to you.
Just read. Read. READ.
Pros and Cons of E-Readers
E-Readers are still a fairly new technology, especially when being used within a classroom. There is much to be learned about the advantages and disadvantages of e-readers within the classroom. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on this topic! Many thanks, in advance!
I have a kindle, and I absolutely love it. The benefits for my personal use, are the most obvious - just one tablet to bring along on those long car trips, instead of multiple books. Another benefit, as well as distraction, is the many game applications available for download. I also adore it for allowing me to read in the darkness of my room, without needing an additional source of light.
Speaking mainly of pros and cons relating to students in high school and below, some benefits I see to e-readers are simply that they are technology! Students today LOVE technology and are always interested in it. They seem to learn so quickly as technology changes. Because it is a piece of technology, they are interested, therefore some may read more on an e-reader than from a book. Another benefit to some e-readers is that you can highlight a word to find its definition! There is no stopping to go and look in a dictionary... just highlight the word on the screen, and there is the definition. I believe students are more likely to look up the meaning of an unknown word when reading from a e-reader, than when reading from a book. There is also an option to change the size of text. This may help many students when reading. Then again, a pair of glasses may be all that they need, in the same case.
When discussing special education students, the e-readers may be a better option for many who have trouble turning the pages of a book. With an e-reader, one only needs to push a button or slide a finger across the screen, to turn a page. There is also the "text-to-speech" function that some e-readers offer. If a student is really having a hard time pronouncing a word, he/she can use this function to hear the correct pronunciation of the word.
Some disadvantages of e-readers are the fact that many people read texts by first skimming the contents, reading headlines, etc. This option is quite difficult on an e-reader due to the fact that you would have to turn many pages to skim the headlines, which is easier done with a book, newspaper, magazine, etc. in hand. Another disadvantage is the amount of applications available for e-readers. They are often more than just readers. There are many very fun addicting games available. While you think your child may be reading, he/she could actually be playing games. This is not to say that there aren't distractions from reading all around us while we read, however, when they are all located within the same place as the texts, it can be difficult to avoid them.
One topic I have yet to understand is how schools are comfortable with giving e-readers to students. In many cases they are given grants to buy these e-readers, however, I still wonder at the ability of students to take care of the e-readers. I envision smashing them in backpacks, dropping them, losing them at home, etc. If your child has an e-reader from school, please explain. Thank you!
Lastly, a link from Scholastic, on the use of E-Readers. Thanks!
I have a kindle, and I absolutely love it. The benefits for my personal use, are the most obvious - just one tablet to bring along on those long car trips, instead of multiple books. Another benefit, as well as distraction, is the many game applications available for download. I also adore it for allowing me to read in the darkness of my room, without needing an additional source of light.
Speaking mainly of pros and cons relating to students in high school and below, some benefits I see to e-readers are simply that they are technology! Students today LOVE technology and are always interested in it. They seem to learn so quickly as technology changes. Because it is a piece of technology, they are interested, therefore some may read more on an e-reader than from a book. Another benefit to some e-readers is that you can highlight a word to find its definition! There is no stopping to go and look in a dictionary... just highlight the word on the screen, and there is the definition. I believe students are more likely to look up the meaning of an unknown word when reading from a e-reader, than when reading from a book. There is also an option to change the size of text. This may help many students when reading. Then again, a pair of glasses may be all that they need, in the same case.
When discussing special education students, the e-readers may be a better option for many who have trouble turning the pages of a book. With an e-reader, one only needs to push a button or slide a finger across the screen, to turn a page. There is also the "text-to-speech" function that some e-readers offer. If a student is really having a hard time pronouncing a word, he/she can use this function to hear the correct pronunciation of the word.
Some disadvantages of e-readers are the fact that many people read texts by first skimming the contents, reading headlines, etc. This option is quite difficult on an e-reader due to the fact that you would have to turn many pages to skim the headlines, which is easier done with a book, newspaper, magazine, etc. in hand. Another disadvantage is the amount of applications available for e-readers. They are often more than just readers. There are many very fun addicting games available. While you think your child may be reading, he/she could actually be playing games. This is not to say that there aren't distractions from reading all around us while we read, however, when they are all located within the same place as the texts, it can be difficult to avoid them.
One topic I have yet to understand is how schools are comfortable with giving e-readers to students. In many cases they are given grants to buy these e-readers, however, I still wonder at the ability of students to take care of the e-readers. I envision smashing them in backpacks, dropping them, losing them at home, etc. If your child has an e-reader from school, please explain. Thank you!
Lastly, a link from Scholastic, on the use of E-Readers. Thanks!
Finding the Right Book
There are many factors that play into what kind of book any child might prefer. Essentially, absolutely everything that makes one book different from another book, could play into it. Because there is such a wide variety of books and a wide variety of children, I cannot explain here what kind of book your child is interested in. You, as a parent, will need to look through books with your child and ask questions about why they do or do not want to read certain books. Take notes, even if just mentally, on what interests they have and what kind of books they search for. Spend a morning in the library, taking note of the books your child pulls out to bring home. Request catalogs of books from companies who sell them, and encourage your child to circle the ones that interest him/her.
Remember to just encourage reading. If your child always chooses "how-to" books, or comic books, etc., encourage him/her to try reading a variety of genres. Everyone has a favorite, yet we should all have the skills to read all genres. Getting those skills built up for the future is important. Perhaps your child reads one genre quite often, at home, but you are hearing from his/her teacher that he/she is having difficulty with textbooks at school. This means you need to work on reading informational texts, with your child.
Despite my inability to show you the "right book", I can point you to some tips that, once you have found that book, will help you “sell the book” to him/her… creating interest and a desire to read the book. One suggestion is to begin reading to your child. If you read aloud to your child, with great expression to create interest, up until a book comes to a very critical point, your child will likely want to read on, if you put the book down and stop reading. You can also do a form of this in simple conversation. Think of it as a preview to a movie. Talk about the book, creating a big question, leaving your child curious as to how it plays out in the story.
Lastly, remember that though your child may take interest in a book due to the topic, he/she may find the text to be at a very dependent level. Request the help of your child's teacher in choosing books that are at your child's reading level.
Despite my inability to show you the "right book", I can point you to some tips that, once you have found that book, will help you “sell the book” to him/her… creating interest and a desire to read the book. One suggestion is to begin reading to your child. If you read aloud to your child, with great expression to create interest, up until a book comes to a very critical point, your child will likely want to read on, if you put the book down and stop reading. You can also do a form of this in simple conversation. Think of it as a preview to a movie. Talk about the book, creating a big question, leaving your child curious as to how it plays out in the story.
Lastly, remember that though your child may take interest in a book due to the topic, he/she may find the text to be at a very dependent level. Request the help of your child's teacher in choosing books that are at your child's reading level.
Creating Confidence in your Struggling Reader
As we all well know, humans are generally not motivated to participate in something they have previously failed many times at. Add along with that, the fact that most often, your student is reading in school, surrounded by many peers whose opinions he/she greatly admires. To top that off, depending on what age your child is, he/she may be getting picked on in school for being a struggling reader. Middle and High school students often seem to be especially cruel to one another. All of these things combined, create a great need for confidence in your child, in order to motivate him/her to continue reading.
Confidence can be created, no matter what the background of the child’s reading experiences. Encourage your child to keep trying. Praise the effort he/she makes, whether or not the reading was fluent. Encourage risk-taking and personal connections to the stories. Discuss what he/she has read each time. Move beyond the question and answer worksheets and go in-depth into the stories, encouraging your child to take a greater interest in the story. Be sure that whatever your child is reading, is appropriate for him/her. Appropriate literature is something that is at his/her independent reading level. Be sure to speak with your child’s teacher if you need help determining your child’s independent reading level. Allow your child to have time alone to read. While reading out loud is very good practice for struggling readers, it is also extremely good for them to have some time alone for personal reading as well.
Confidence can be created, no matter what the background of the child’s reading experiences. Encourage your child to keep trying. Praise the effort he/she makes, whether or not the reading was fluent. Encourage risk-taking and personal connections to the stories. Discuss what he/she has read each time. Move beyond the question and answer worksheets and go in-depth into the stories, encouraging your child to take a greater interest in the story. Be sure that whatever your child is reading, is appropriate for him/her. Appropriate literature is something that is at his/her independent reading level. Be sure to speak with your child’s teacher if you need help determining your child’s independent reading level. Allow your child to have time alone to read. While reading out loud is very good practice for struggling readers, it is also extremely good for them to have some time alone for personal reading as well.
Strategies to Help a Struggling Reader
What follows is a list of some strategies you can use to help your struggling reader, or even to "polish" the skills of your independent reader!
Pre-reading strategies
• KWL Chart
KWL stands for KNOW, WANT TO LEARN, and LEARNED. On a piece of paper, whatever size you choose, make three columns. K, W, and L go at the top of each column. Before you begin reading, fill in the "KNOW" section with the facts that you already know about what you are about to read, or have read. Fill in the "W" section with facts you want to learn about the story, or informative text topic. After reading, fill out the "L" section with the facts that you have learned, after reading. This activity will help with comprehension, and recognizing that we read with a purpose in mind.
• Discussion / Predictions
Without using a chart, discuss and make predictions on what you are about to read. Write them down if you desire. Enjoy this time, thinking of every possibility when questioning what you are about to read.
During-reading strategies
• Say Something
The say something strategy is very straightforward. Pair up (2 or more) with your child and as you read, stop periodically to "say something!" Set a timer, or mark every few pages or paragraphs. Stop every time you reach that mark, and say something! What should you say? You can predict, ask a question, make a simple comment on something you liked or disliked, connect it to a real-life occurrence, find the meaning of an unknown word, or summarize or clarify what just happened in the text.
• Post-it notes
Sticky notes are a great tool for readers! As you read, you can make notes on post-its, stuck into your book, on things you want to discuss. Similar to the "Say Something" strategy, except this would be without stopping reading, instead making notes to discuss later upon completion of the reading.
After-reading strategies
• Retelling
Upon completion of reading the text, retell the story!
• Somebody Wanted But So
This strategy works especially well for readers who have trouble recalling the plot line of a story. On a sheet of paper, create four columns with each word "Somebody Wanted But So" at the top of each column. In the "somebody" section, write the main character's name. In the "wanted" section, write what that character's goal was in the story. In the "but" section, write what happened at the climax, typically, when something got in the way of that character's goal. Finally, in the "so" section, write what ended up happening at the close of the story, in relation to the character's original goal. Often, you can repeat this strategy with a secondary character from the story.
Vocabulary strategies
• Word Collection
Pretty self-explanatory. Make collections of words on notecards, on a chart, in a notebook, etc. Choose words that are either interesting, hard, or simply because you enjoy the use of the word within the text! Take time to discuss each word, the root and meaning of the word, etc.
• Using context as clue
When helping your child figure out the meaning of a word, be sure to always point out the context the word is used in, and question your child towards making educated guesses as to what the word means.
Fluency strategies
• Echo reading
Echo reading is just as it sounds. A parent reads a sentence, and the child repeats. The key to assisting your child in fluency skills, will be read fluently, and encourage your child to repeat with the same intonations and speed.
• Reread texts
By simply rereading texts fairly often, your child will become more familiar with the texts, and will therefore be able to focus more on fluency, rather than the word recognition, vocabulary, etc, which has become automatic for him/her after many repeated readings.
• Read Aloud to your child
As you read out loud to your child, he/she will be hearing the sound of fluent reading, much the same as we speak. By repeatedly hearing the same texts, he/she will be able to more easily read these texts independently with fluency. It is important that you read with expression.
Word Recognition strategies
• Word wall
Create a word wall with your child. On a large sheet of paper posted in a place your child will frequent, write words! You can write words that your child has trouble with, frequently used words, or words of interest. Create games when reading these words each day. Rehearse them, discuss them, award your child for mastering difficult words.
• Prefixes, suffixes, root words, and high-frequency words
On a word wall, or elsewhere, be continually discussing words! Look at the prefixes, suffixes, and roots of words, noting other words that share the same parts, the meaning of each part, etc. Practice high-frequency words frequently! These are words that we read many times, they are everywhere!
This is simply a summary of a few suggestions for ways to help your child with his/her reading skills. If you have questions about the posted suggestions, or need a new suggestion for a certain skill, please be sure to comment and ask for help! There are many many more strategies available, tried and true!
Thank you!
Pre-reading strategies
• KWL Chart
KWL stands for KNOW, WANT TO LEARN, and LEARNED. On a piece of paper, whatever size you choose, make three columns. K, W, and L go at the top of each column. Before you begin reading, fill in the "KNOW" section with the facts that you already know about what you are about to read, or have read. Fill in the "W" section with facts you want to learn about the story, or informative text topic. After reading, fill out the "L" section with the facts that you have learned, after reading. This activity will help with comprehension, and recognizing that we read with a purpose in mind.
• Discussion / Predictions
Without using a chart, discuss and make predictions on what you are about to read. Write them down if you desire. Enjoy this time, thinking of every possibility when questioning what you are about to read.
During-reading strategies
• Say Something
The say something strategy is very straightforward. Pair up (2 or more) with your child and as you read, stop periodically to "say something!" Set a timer, or mark every few pages or paragraphs. Stop every time you reach that mark, and say something! What should you say? You can predict, ask a question, make a simple comment on something you liked or disliked, connect it to a real-life occurrence, find the meaning of an unknown word, or summarize or clarify what just happened in the text.
• Post-it notes
Sticky notes are a great tool for readers! As you read, you can make notes on post-its, stuck into your book, on things you want to discuss. Similar to the "Say Something" strategy, except this would be without stopping reading, instead making notes to discuss later upon completion of the reading.
After-reading strategies
• Retelling
Upon completion of reading the text, retell the story!
• Somebody Wanted But So
This strategy works especially well for readers who have trouble recalling the plot line of a story. On a sheet of paper, create four columns with each word "Somebody Wanted But So" at the top of each column. In the "somebody" section, write the main character's name. In the "wanted" section, write what that character's goal was in the story. In the "but" section, write what happened at the climax, typically, when something got in the way of that character's goal. Finally, in the "so" section, write what ended up happening at the close of the story, in relation to the character's original goal. Often, you can repeat this strategy with a secondary character from the story.
Vocabulary strategies
• Word Collection
Pretty self-explanatory. Make collections of words on notecards, on a chart, in a notebook, etc. Choose words that are either interesting, hard, or simply because you enjoy the use of the word within the text! Take time to discuss each word, the root and meaning of the word, etc.
• Using context as clue
When helping your child figure out the meaning of a word, be sure to always point out the context the word is used in, and question your child towards making educated guesses as to what the word means.
Fluency strategies
• Echo reading
Echo reading is just as it sounds. A parent reads a sentence, and the child repeats. The key to assisting your child in fluency skills, will be read fluently, and encourage your child to repeat with the same intonations and speed.
• Reread texts
By simply rereading texts fairly often, your child will become more familiar with the texts, and will therefore be able to focus more on fluency, rather than the word recognition, vocabulary, etc, which has become automatic for him/her after many repeated readings.
• Read Aloud to your child
As you read out loud to your child, he/she will be hearing the sound of fluent reading, much the same as we speak. By repeatedly hearing the same texts, he/she will be able to more easily read these texts independently with fluency. It is important that you read with expression.
Word Recognition strategies
• Word wall
Create a word wall with your child. On a large sheet of paper posted in a place your child will frequent, write words! You can write words that your child has trouble with, frequently used words, or words of interest. Create games when reading these words each day. Rehearse them, discuss them, award your child for mastering difficult words.
• Prefixes, suffixes, root words, and high-frequency words
On a word wall, or elsewhere, be continually discussing words! Look at the prefixes, suffixes, and roots of words, noting other words that share the same parts, the meaning of each part, etc. Practice high-frequency words frequently! These are words that we read many times, they are everywhere!
This is simply a summary of a few suggestions for ways to help your child with his/her reading skills. If you have questions about the posted suggestions, or need a new suggestion for a certain skill, please be sure to comment and ask for help! There are many many more strategies available, tried and true!
Thank you!
What Aspect of Reading He/She Struggles With
How do I know what aspect of reading he/she struggles with?
This question may be answered by some of the below characteristics of readers.
• Word Recognition
o has trouble with many words
o reads very slowly
o “sounds out” many words
o mixes up words that are similar
• Fluency
o reads slowly
o reads without expression
o does not comprehend texts
• Comprehension
o has trouble answering questions about the text
o cannot summarize the text
o cannot make connections between the text and personal experience
• Vocabulary
o cannot figure out meaning to unknown words
o cannot answer questions about the text
o does not picture anything while reading
• Confidence
o lacks any motivation to put effort into reading homework
o complains about reading classes
o does not read, outside of required school work
• Book Interest
o demonstrates good reading skills, yet…
o seems uninterested in reading
o exclaims that there is nothing interesting to read about
If your reader cannot be described using any of these points, feel free to contact me with questions! Thank you!
This question may be answered by some of the below characteristics of readers.
• Word Recognition
o has trouble with many words
o reads very slowly
o “sounds out” many words
o mixes up words that are similar
• Fluency
o reads slowly
o reads without expression
o does not comprehend texts
• Comprehension
o has trouble answering questions about the text
o cannot summarize the text
o cannot make connections between the text and personal experience
• Vocabulary
o cannot figure out meaning to unknown words
o cannot answer questions about the text
o does not picture anything while reading
• Confidence
o lacks any motivation to put effort into reading homework
o complains about reading classes
o does not read, outside of required school work
• Book Interest
o demonstrates good reading skills, yet…
o seems uninterested in reading
o exclaims that there is nothing interesting to read about
If your reader cannot be described using any of these points, feel free to contact me with questions! Thank you!
Dependent and Independent Readers
Here are some general characteristics of independent readers, that is, readers who may struggle from time to time, but who have the skills to figure out the difficult parts. They are independent readers, though they may struggle occasionally.
An independent reader may…
-read fluently and quickly through the majority of texts
-struggle with a certain genre of text, yet has the skills necessary to figure out words, meaning, and can successfully read the text with a little more effort than typically necessary for him/her
-understand that reading is necessary to learn and be knowledgeable
-be able to summarize and recall details of a text after having read it
-read aloud with much expression
-enjoy reading, often picking up reading materials to find out what they have to say, even reading texts that are not required by school classes
And, here are some characteristics of readers who could use some help developing reading strategies that will turn them into independent readers….
A dependent reader may…
-not easily recognize words
-have trouble recalling information or summarizing what has been read
-not recognize the purpose of reading beyond completing school assignments
-not be able to recall events in a text, in the correct order
-read very slowly with limited or incorrect expression
-read in a “choppy” manner, typically one or two words at a time
-have only a small amount of words that are quickly recognizable (sight words)
-not be able to connect information gathered in a text, to real-life experiences
-stop reading or skip over words and continue reading when something becomes too hard
-grow frustrated with reading, avoiding it whenever possible
Remember, an independent reader is a reader that does indeed struggle with reading certain genres, etc. Yet he/she has the skills necessary to successfully read any text. A dependent reader does not have the skills necessary to read difficult texts.
An independent reader may…
-read fluently and quickly through the majority of texts
-struggle with a certain genre of text, yet has the skills necessary to figure out words, meaning, and can successfully read the text with a little more effort than typically necessary for him/her
-understand that reading is necessary to learn and be knowledgeable
-be able to summarize and recall details of a text after having read it
-read aloud with much expression
-enjoy reading, often picking up reading materials to find out what they have to say, even reading texts that are not required by school classes
And, here are some characteristics of readers who could use some help developing reading strategies that will turn them into independent readers….
A dependent reader may…
-not easily recognize words
-have trouble recalling information or summarizing what has been read
-not recognize the purpose of reading beyond completing school assignments
-not be able to recall events in a text, in the correct order
-read very slowly with limited or incorrect expression
-read in a “choppy” manner, typically one or two words at a time
-have only a small amount of words that are quickly recognizable (sight words)
-not be able to connect information gathered in a text, to real-life experiences
-stop reading or skip over words and continue reading when something becomes too hard
-grow frustrated with reading, avoiding it whenever possible
Remember, an independent reader is a reader that does indeed struggle with reading certain genres, etc. Yet he/she has the skills necessary to successfully read any text. A dependent reader does not have the skills necessary to read difficult texts.
If your child is a dependent reader, but you would like him/her to become an EXPERT reader... the answer is easy! Read on! Read, read, and read some more! Read in a variety of ways, a variety of places, a variety of genres, etc. READ. Do the suggested activities for struggling readers, except they will be easier, and a whole lot of fun! Still keeping in mind that your child is an individual and it may turn out that you are picking interesting books, yet he/she is not enjoying reading as much as you wish he/she would. This is ok. When you have a dependent reader, you have a child who is able to learn all the world has to offer.
I'm concerned my child is a struggling reader...
Anyone who is concerned about his/her child’s reading skills, needs to remember that all children are different and develop skills at different times, etc. Just because your child could use help with his/her reading skills, does not mean that there is something wrong with your child. It simply means there is room for improvement, to make it easier for your child to read, and even enjoy reading. Perhaps he/she is exactly where they need to be, but you’d just like to know how you can help them advance even further. Perhaps he/she really does struggle with reading to the point that he/she cannot read independently. It is important to realize that above all, to determine where your child is at in his/her reading development, you must communicate with your child’s teacher(s). Please be sure to read through the “Parent/Teacher Communication” post (prior to this one) before taking any further action in regards to your child’s reading. Let me also thank you, at this point, for taking the first steps and taking a genuine interest in helping your child to further his/her reading skills. It is concerned parents like you, that teachers will welcome with open arms, as opposed to the parent who takes no interest in helping his/her child, and simply leaves it all up to the hours a child spends in school.
Parent/Teacher Communication
Please realize, above all, that communicating with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis is very important, in order for you to do all that you can to help your child. Regular communication, initiated by you as a concerned parent, whether things are going well or not so well, is going to leave you informed, rather than in the dark, about what is going on with your child at school. Depending on the grade level of your child, the school, the teacher, etc… your experience with your child’s teacher can vary quite a bit. Recognize that the more involved you become, the more confident you will feel with your child’s teacher and your child’s progress.
Every teacher should be communicating with parents. However, this may or may not happen to varying degrees. Often, the communication that goes home from the secondary level schools, is professional, notes or e-mails sent out. Often, when asked for feedback from parents, teachers get none. Many teachers feel as though the majority of their student’s parents could really care less about their child’s progress. They feel as though they are attempting to maintain communication, though unsuccessfully. Some teachers give up. This is not your responsibility, but YOUR role IS up to you, and no one else. Initiate communication. Regularly. Also realize that in-person or over the phone communication is best. E-mails tend to relay a tone that wasn’t meant to be there. Not everyone takes the written word in the same way. There is much more room for miscommunicating with the written word.
You are the parent. Your child’s teacher is the teacher. There is a reason he/she is standing in front of a classroom of students every day. He/she has had the training necessary to teach. Please respect that and work together with the teachers, as a team, towards your child’s progress. Ask your child’s teacher how you can help out, at home, to improve your child’s reading. Be interested and willing to do anything. Follow through on promises to work with your child. This is YOUR child… not the teacher’s child. Always appreciate and thank the teacher for his/her hard work with your child every day. Teachers will naturally want to work hard when parents and students are appreciating their efforts.
Know your child. Notice when there are problems and do what you can to help out. Communicate with the teacher(s). Ask what you can do. If no response is given, ask again. Be sure to understand strategies you can use, before you try them with your child at home. Do whatever you can to understand the situations happening at school and learn from the teachers how you can help.
Every teacher should be communicating with parents. However, this may or may not happen to varying degrees. Often, the communication that goes home from the secondary level schools, is professional, notes or e-mails sent out. Often, when asked for feedback from parents, teachers get none. Many teachers feel as though the majority of their student’s parents could really care less about their child’s progress. They feel as though they are attempting to maintain communication, though unsuccessfully. Some teachers give up. This is not your responsibility, but YOUR role IS up to you, and no one else. Initiate communication. Regularly. Also realize that in-person or over the phone communication is best. E-mails tend to relay a tone that wasn’t meant to be there. Not everyone takes the written word in the same way. There is much more room for miscommunicating with the written word.
You are the parent. Your child’s teacher is the teacher. There is a reason he/she is standing in front of a classroom of students every day. He/she has had the training necessary to teach. Please respect that and work together with the teachers, as a team, towards your child’s progress. Ask your child’s teacher how you can help out, at home, to improve your child’s reading. Be interested and willing to do anything. Follow through on promises to work with your child. This is YOUR child… not the teacher’s child. Always appreciate and thank the teacher for his/her hard work with your child every day. Teachers will naturally want to work hard when parents and students are appreciating their efforts.
Know your child. Notice when there are problems and do what you can to help out. Communicate with the teacher(s). Ask what you can do. If no response is given, ask again. Be sure to understand strategies you can use, before you try them with your child at home. Do whatever you can to understand the situations happening at school and learn from the teachers how you can help.
Content
What I hope to share with you in this blog...
I will do my best to keep some logical order to the posts, but no guarantees! Below is a list of much of the content I hope to post here, at least initially. Reading is ever changing with the use of technology (E-Readers, for example), therefore this blog will be ongoing and ever changing as well!
Read on...
-How to know if your child needs help with his/her reading
-How to help your child advance his/her reading skills whether or not he/she is "behind" in reading
-Differences between independent readers and dependent readers
-Communicating with your child's teacher
-How to determine what aspect of reading your child may be struggling with
-Strategies to help your struggling reader, including...pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading strategies; Word recognition, fluency, and vocabulary strategies
-Finding books that interest and encourage your reader
-Creating confidence in your reader
-Resources to help struggling readers
-Important points for parents of all readers
-Pros and Cons of E-readers
These are all topics I have come up with that I believe will assist parents in helping their children become better readers. If there is ever a topic that you are curious about, or need assistance with, or just want my personal opinion on, please do share and feel free to comment with a question. Thank you!
I will do my best to keep some logical order to the posts, but no guarantees! Below is a list of much of the content I hope to post here, at least initially. Reading is ever changing with the use of technology (E-Readers, for example), therefore this blog will be ongoing and ever changing as well!
Read on...
-How to know if your child needs help with his/her reading
-How to help your child advance his/her reading skills whether or not he/she is "behind" in reading
-Differences between independent readers and dependent readers
-Communicating with your child's teacher
-How to determine what aspect of reading your child may be struggling with
-Strategies to help your struggling reader, including...pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading strategies; Word recognition, fluency, and vocabulary strategies
-Finding books that interest and encourage your reader
-Creating confidence in your reader
-Resources to help struggling readers
-Important points for parents of all readers
-Pros and Cons of E-readers
These are all topics I have come up with that I believe will assist parents in helping their children become better readers. If there is ever a topic that you are curious about, or need assistance with, or just want my personal opinion on, please do share and feel free to comment with a question. Thank you!
The Importance of Reading
Welcome to my blog!
My name is Stephanie Arndt, and I am a graduate student hoping to accomplish two things through this blog.
The first goal being that I truly want anyone and everyone reading this to realize the importance of READING. I love to read. Before you get this image of me in your heads as "one of those people" who always has her head in a book... I'll stop you. That is not who I am. I adore those people and many days I wish I was that absorbed in books! Yet I am into reading about as much as I am into my other hobbies... I read a lot, often, for a period of time, and then the books get put down for quite some time while I pick up another hobby for awhile. Later, I come back to reading again. Perhaps that is the preschool teacher in me... a rather short attention span. However, my reading habits are not to undermine my second goal...
Secondly, I would like to be a source of help for any parent out there who is struggling to find a way to help his/her child with reading. I have always loved reading, and I would like to help you towards helping your children love reading as well! I am a teacher, with my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, and I am currently fairly close to getting my Master's degree in Teaching Reading. I realize there are MANY people out there who are far more qualified than I am, yet I know I can still be a source of help for parents.
Having said all of that, reading is extremely important! Think of how many things we would miss out on in this world, if we could not read. There is so much information coming at us every day, every hour, every minute, especially with the advancing use of technology, that we are sure to gain so much more if we are able to read. Thank you for visiting my blog! Let's read on!
My name is Stephanie Arndt, and I am a graduate student hoping to accomplish two things through this blog.
The first goal being that I truly want anyone and everyone reading this to realize the importance of READING. I love to read. Before you get this image of me in your heads as "one of those people" who always has her head in a book... I'll stop you. That is not who I am. I adore those people and many days I wish I was that absorbed in books! Yet I am into reading about as much as I am into my other hobbies... I read a lot, often, for a period of time, and then the books get put down for quite some time while I pick up another hobby for awhile. Later, I come back to reading again. Perhaps that is the preschool teacher in me... a rather short attention span. However, my reading habits are not to undermine my second goal...
Secondly, I would like to be a source of help for any parent out there who is struggling to find a way to help his/her child with reading. I have always loved reading, and I would like to help you towards helping your children love reading as well! I am a teacher, with my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, and I am currently fairly close to getting my Master's degree in Teaching Reading. I realize there are MANY people out there who are far more qualified than I am, yet I know I can still be a source of help for parents.
Having said all of that, reading is extremely important! Think of how many things we would miss out on in this world, if we could not read. There is so much information coming at us every day, every hour, every minute, especially with the advancing use of technology, that we are sure to gain so much more if we are able to read. Thank you for visiting my blog! Let's read on!
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