Your children have bloomed, too! I always stand in awe at the acquired knowledge that children gain from the beginning of the year to this time as we head into the home stretch. This transformation occurs because of the collective commitment and dedicated work of students, parents and teachers. So, how do we sustain this momentum for K-5 students into the spring and continue through the summer months? The National Institute for Literacy has published booklets for teachers and parents that address the building blocks of Reading and Writing along with literacy benchmarks for specific grade levels. This information is based on decades of research that indicate what children need to learn to become successful readers as well as how adults can best support student learning. In a nutshell, children need to be immersed in daily literacy activities that cover the building blocks of literacy including: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Simply stated, the booklet entitled A Child Becomes a Reader suggests three very basic behaviors listed below:
What to do at Home
- Talk often with your child to build listening and talking skills.
- Read to and with your child - often. Talk to him/her about the words and ideas in books.
- Ask your child's teacher how you can help your child practice at home what he/she is learning at school. What skills does your child need to strengthen over the summer months?
Visit the website: www.nifl.gov for the the following booklets:
- A Child Becomes a Reader: Birth through Preschool
- A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten through Grade 3
Avoid the Summer Slide: http://bce456.wikispaces.com/Summer+Slide
Remember to make reading and literacy a priority in your home ~ go to the library, listen to books on tape, have a picnic in the park and read under the shade of a tree, visit a museum, have a literacy night that includes reading, writing & playing games.
Spring into reading ~ you will plant the seed of success and your child will reap the benefits!
Enjoy!
