Practicing Sight Words
Try making writing tools at home with sand or salt and a small cookie sheet or container. These can be used to write letters or sight words. The kinesthetic aspect of this activity helps to solidify the concept. Always require your child to verbalize what they are writing, as research has shown that you have a better chance of remembering something when you verbalize and read rather than just read it.
Tips for Reading Nonfiction Text with your Child
how_to_read_nonfiction_text.pdf |
Ways To Practice Sight Words/Spelling/Vocabulary
ways_to_practice_words.pdf |
Helping with Spelling
Fingertapping
Fingertapping is used as a tool to assist children with the sound/symbol relationship. Fingertapping is for phonetic words only; it is not used for sight words. With their off-hand (the one not holding the pencil) the child pounds the syllable and finger taps each sound from left-right. Remember that some sounds have more than one letter (ex. ch) but only one sound is shown per finger. Leaving the opposite hand to fingertap leaves students free to write with the other hand. Right-handed students can tap with the left hand. Left-hand students tap with the right. This strategy will help students when they get to writing more complex, multi-syllable words.
Fingertapping is used as a tool to assist children with the sound/symbol relationship. Fingertapping is for phonetic words only; it is not used for sight words. With their off-hand (the one not holding the pencil) the child pounds the syllable and finger taps each sound from left-right. Remember that some sounds have more than one letter (ex. ch) but only one sound is shown per finger. Leaving the opposite hand to fingertap leaves students free to write with the other hand. Right-handed students can tap with the left hand. Left-hand students tap with the right. This strategy will help students when they get to writing more complex, multi-syllable words.
Before, During and After Reading
Before Reading
Previewing- use term "picture walk" in earlier grades but move to "preview" in grades 3 and up
Talk about genre, text structure (highlight features of non-fiction text) , build background and vocabulary- look at back flap, think about names of chapters to help make predictions through discussion - develop questions
During Reading
Decoding - if your child makes a decoding error let him/her finish to the end of the sentence. Sometimes the child will self-correct when using the context as they read to the end of the sentence. If they don't self-correct by the end of the sentence bring them back to some prompts:
"Let’s revisit – you said barn but the word begins with a “f”, can you try again?'
"You know ai says ‘a’, try that word again. . .
"Cover up the 2nd syllable and just focus on the first – now sound that out." Does that make sense?
Be careful not to over rely on just using comprehension when prompting – if the decoding error is not pointed out then they won’t internalize using what they know about sound/symbol relationships and they will continue to guess – if you have to do that too many times within one read then the book is at the frustration level– either read it aloud or choose a book more at their level.
Comprehension- If your child is not sure about an answer to a question you are asking, prompt with "Let’s go back and look" – bringing them back to the text is a very important strategy – have them reread a short amount of text to find the answer.
Continue to have them use the following strategies while reading: Picturing/Visualizing and Questioning
After Reading
Revisit predictions and questions from beginning
Discuss opinions or connections
Discuss the overall theme or message – or facts that you learned
Would you recommend this article/book to someone else? Discuss.
Previewing- use term "picture walk" in earlier grades but move to "preview" in grades 3 and up
Talk about genre, text structure (highlight features of non-fiction text) , build background and vocabulary- look at back flap, think about names of chapters to help make predictions through discussion - develop questions
During Reading
Decoding - if your child makes a decoding error let him/her finish to the end of the sentence. Sometimes the child will self-correct when using the context as they read to the end of the sentence. If they don't self-correct by the end of the sentence bring them back to some prompts:
"Let’s revisit – you said barn but the word begins with a “f”, can you try again?'
"You know ai says ‘a’, try that word again. . .
"Cover up the 2nd syllable and just focus on the first – now sound that out." Does that make sense?
Be careful not to over rely on just using comprehension when prompting – if the decoding error is not pointed out then they won’t internalize using what they know about sound/symbol relationships and they will continue to guess – if you have to do that too many times within one read then the book is at the frustration level– either read it aloud or choose a book more at their level.
Comprehension- If your child is not sure about an answer to a question you are asking, prompt with "Let’s go back and look" – bringing them back to the text is a very important strategy – have them reread a short amount of text to find the answer.
Continue to have them use the following strategies while reading: Picturing/Visualizing and Questioning
After Reading
Revisit predictions and questions from beginning
Discuss opinions or connections
Discuss the overall theme or message – or facts that you learned
Would you recommend this article/book to someone else? Discuss.
Building Vocabulary
What Kids Read Matters
Students who read a lot about a variety of subjects deepen their vocabulary, background knowledge and comprehension. A well rounded reader has an expanded understanding of the world. You can help your child expand their learning by providing them access to materials that they might not be familiar with. For the holidays this year what about giving a subscription to a magazine? National Geographic, Highlights, Ranger Rick and Boys/Girls Life are just a few favorites. Watch Arthur, Nature Cat, Wild Kratts or National Geographic with them or suggest learning websites such as Time For Kids, Learning Network and CNN Student News which are all fantastic at building knowledge. (Shanahan, 2019)
What Kids Read Matters
Students who read a lot about a variety of subjects deepen their vocabulary, background knowledge and comprehension. A well rounded reader has an expanded understanding of the world. You can help your child expand their learning by providing them access to materials that they might not be familiar with. For the holidays this year what about giving a subscription to a magazine? National Geographic, Highlights, Ranger Rick and Boys/Girls Life are just a few favorites. Watch Arthur, Nature Cat, Wild Kratts or National Geographic with them or suggest learning websites such as Time For Kids, Learning Network and CNN Student News which are all fantastic at building knowledge. (Shanahan, 2019)
Choosing Read Alouds
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