READING
Learning to read is a strong desire of many students in the early years of school. Using reading, listening, and viewing strategies while working towards reading fluently at grade level are some of the English Language Arts Curricular Competencies that you can explore by clicking on the link. Below are ways that you can help reinforce this growth at home.
A quick Google search will lead you to a wealth of sites that share research on the benefits of reading with your child for 20 minutes a day; this article, "Why Read 20 Minutes a Day?" provides a good overview of the research. When reading with your child, encourage him/her to use the reading strategies outlined on the Reading Strategies Posters and Bookmarks below.
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Reading Strategies Posters and Bookmarks | |
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LIBRARY BOOK EXCHANGE
Students are encouraged to read for 20 minutes at home each night. We exchange library books once a week which gives students access to books that are close to their reading levels as well as picture books that can be shared with more skilled readers at home.
POEM OF THE WEEK
On most Fridays, students bring home mini-books of the poem, song, or short story that we had been practicing reading throughout the week. These pieces were selected for the grade-appropriate skills they develop (such as sight words) as well as their seasonal relevance. As homework, students are asked to read the Poem of the Week to at least one adult. Housing these mini-books in a small bin at home will provide your child with a collection of familiar reading material that fosters grade level skills.
PRINTING PRACTICE
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In Grades One and Two, students are encouraged to form letters correctly and they are introduced to the proper use of capital letters. |
Why do you start your letters at the top? Have you ever noticed how some children start their letters? Sometimes they start them at the top, and sometimes they start them at the bottom. Does it really matter? Yes, it does! The English language has specific rules for reading and writing. We live in a top-to-bottom, left-to-right society. Developing good starting habits for printing is essential to success. Did you know that there are no capital or lowercase letters that start at the bottom? When you form letters slowly, it doesn’t really matter where you start but when you add speed, it does matter where you start. Children who start at the top can be fast and neat! - excerpt from Handwriting Without Tears; see hwtears.com for more information
LETTERS and LETTER SOUNDS
Students learn that letters go together to make words that they can read and write. We begin the year by recognizing letters, printing letters, and spelling three letter words with short vowels. Letters are taught one at a time in a sequence that includes a short vowel. Students learn the name of the letter, how to print the letter, the sound the letter represents, and what we do with our mouth to form the sound. As vowels are introduced, students learn to spell consonant-vowel-consonant words and multi-syllable words. You can reinforce these concepts at home by helping your child work through the videos and activities below.
If you are looking for a free, printable home practice booklet for reinforcement of letters and letter sounds, I suggest the Starfall Listening and Writing Journal.
WORD FAMILIES
Word families teach chunks, or patterns, of words that have the same ending and rhyme. Learning word families helps students read more fluently because they are not pausing to sound out individual letters.
FAIRY TALES
Students are enjoying fairy tales while learning about story elements and the parts of a story.
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MAGIC E
E is added to the end of consonant-vowel-consonant words to make the vowel before it long. Students learn to add the silent e to make the vowel say its name.
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SIGHT WORDS
Sight words are the most frequently used and repeated words in the English language. Learning sight words builds fluency when reading. Many sight words cannot be sounded out or illustrated by a picture so students need to learn them by seeing them repeatedly. Below you will find online sight word flash cards up to Grade One. I recommend beginning with the pre-primer, then primer, and finally the First Grade list. Reading and rereading the Poems of the Week as well as accessing your child's Kids A-Z account (coming in September) provides your child with a wealth of books featuring these sight words.
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SENTENCE BUILDING
Students are learning that sentences are complete thoughts. Sentences begin with a capital letter, have finger spaces between words, and end in a punctuation mark. Some students are learning to identify nouns and verbs as well as to add adjectives to their sentences to make them more interesting.
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