Dear Parents,
During these last few weeks before the new school year begins, there are many ways to help your child prepare for the reading experiences that lay ahead in the coming months. In addition to finishing up their Reading Treasure Hunt activities, you could help your child using the following tips!
- Encourage your child to tell a friend about a good book that he/she read this summer.
- Help your child make a list of books that they hope to read, or reading goals that they hope to accomplish during the new school year.
- Talk to your child about what they enjoyed most about the Reading Treasure Hunt experience.
Happy reading and see you soon!
Dear Parents,
As the summer begins to wind down, do not forget about the importance of reading wherever you are! Literature experiences may be in more places than you realize. Take a look at the following tips and see if your child responds to experiencing literature in these ways.
- Visit a bookstore or the library and see what catches your child’s eye.
- Help your child explore their interests through literature (animals, sports, music, science, humor, history, famous people and places).
- Find reading in new places! (Signs, word puzzles, comics, magazines)
Happy reading!
Dear Parents,
We hope that this Summer Reading Blog update finds you and your children well, and enjoying the pleasures of reading throughout the summer! Remember that the most important gift you can give your child is the gift of your time and that time spent reading is always time well spent! If your child seems stuck in a routine that they need a break from, try out the following tips!
During the next two weeks, you could…
- Play word games with your child (Mad Libs, collect words you love, word searches and crossword puzzles on www.puzzlemaker.com).
- Read with your child in a new favorite reading place.
- Spend an afternoon enjoying your child’s first favorite books.
Happy reading!
Dear Parents,
We hope that your child’s summer reading experience is starting off strong! If you have lost focus or need a few new ideas, try out the following three tips to motivate your child to read and help your child enjoy reading during these hot summer days.
During the next two weeks, you could…
- Start a conversation with your child at dinner or in the car about reading – books they are currently reading, books they have recently read, or books they plan to read.
- Experience literature in a new way with your child – watch a film that was based on a book, listen to a book on tape, see a play, have a puppet show. The possibilities are endless!
- Talk with your child about a favorite book from your childhood or a book that you are reading right now.
Happy reading!
Dear Parents,
Here are some helpful hints to help your child choose books that they can read and want to read…a “Just Right” book. A “Just Right” book means that your child:
Is interested in the book.
Can read and knows almost all the words.
Understands what they are reading and can retell the story.
(Can your child tell you who the characters are? What the setting is? What the problem or goal in the story is? The events that occur and how the problem is resolved?)
Can read fluently and smoothly. (If your child is stumbling over many words, they will not be able to focus on comprehension.)
In helping your child choose a “Just Right” book at home, try the five finger rule. As your child reads, have them count on one hand any unknown words. If there are five or more different unknown words on ONE page, the book is too difficult for them. Sometimes, a book that may seem to hard at first is “Just Right.” The meaning may kick in once your child has read enough pages. If you feel this is so, have your child retell you the story.
It is important to talk to your child about what they are reading. Don’t quiz them; rather, keep your conversations relaxed and informal.
During the next few weeks, see if you can help your child find a “Just Right” Book at home, at the library or in a local bookstore! Help your child go through their Scavenger Hunt to see what other reading experiences they can find around!
Happy Reading!
