Read to your child, read “together” and/or have your child read to you!
Parents are models for their children! Let your child see you enjoying reading every day!
We respond to literature in a variety of ways. Please allow your child
to be creative. The ideas listed are ONLY a guide.
Strategies for Home Reading
The most important component of our home reading program is to allow your child to experience and enjoy literature. The books that he/she takes home SHOULD be easy for him/her to read AND understand. Here are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind when you are reading with your child:
- Read for meaning. If your child has come to a difficult word and needs help, ask them about the strategies we use in class (covered word, sounding out, looking for smaller words within the bigger word, chunking the word) and/or say it for them.
- Read for pleasure. Enjoy this special time together with your child.
- Respond to the literature:
* Have your child predict what they think the story will be about by looking at the title, the cover, the pictures (ask them to explain their thinking…)
* Have your child re-tell the story in their own words (verbally or written)
* Orally discuss a new ending to the story
·* Ask why they think the author included certain information
* Discuss whether they liked the story or not…and WHY? What made it an enjoyable story?
* What would you have done differently if you were the author?
* Ask about the characters they liked or disliked and explain why
* Write a sentence describing the characters or draw a picture of what the characters look like
* Make a story map (including characters, problem, setting, events and solution)
* Record the story on tape
* Read the story over using expression or take turns reading it
* Ask if the story is fiction or non fiction and how they know it
* Draw a picture of their favorite part or character of the story
* Ask what the story reminds them of
* Create a new title for the story
Praise your child for a job well done!