Quick thought on new school year

As another school year is approaching, I am thinking about my great-niece entering first grade. Being bossy, or maybe it's nosey, I've asked her parents to make sure they engage her in recognizing words as often as possible.

This does not have to come from a book. Teachable moments can come from a cereal box, magazine, TV commercial, anywhere!!!

Always be on the lookout for something to share with your child that will aid in their learning. The unplanned is sometimes the best.

Parents, even though your child will read and be read to at school, please read to or with your child everyday! This is a greater gift that can be purchased for any amount of money...the love of reading.

Word Recognition Strategies

Look at the picture/pictures on the page you are reading. The pictures may give you clues to the word/words you are having trouble with. If there is a picture of a giraffe and the child doesn’t know it, ask them to look at the picture and is there a word that starts the same way.
Are there people, objects, or actions (what they are doing) in the picture that might make sense in the sentence?

Start with the first letter, and ask for the sound. Is there a blend in the word the reader knows? Does the word used by the reader make sense in the sentence?

Asking these things or using these ideas can help children learn to use word recognition skills on their own.
The phrase “sound it out” has been over-used, there are better statements.

Chunks are a word used in teaching reading…just one of those new catchy words. Chunks can be prefixes, suffixes, endings, base words…….or groups of letters like –ain . We can use this chunk to make pain, train, plain, etc.
If a reader knows the chunk sound, then adding the beginning and ending sounds will allow for easier word recognition.
Once again, ask if the word used makes sense in the sentence.

Making connections with unfamiliar words to familiar words helps. Look for the word chunk, and see if it familiar to a know word.
Explaining is an example. The –ain chunk is there from easier words. Plus, the reader may recognize the word plain……how wonderful. Then all that is left are the affixes (a fancy name given to prefixes and suffixes).
Read the sentence more than once if having trouble recognizing a word.
Think about what might make sense in the sentence. Try the word you come up with, used it in the sentence….make sense? Readers will recognize sentences that make no sense, and usually will change from the original word or recognize the unfamiliar word.

Even if the word is not know yet, keep reading. What follows may help the reader recognize or understand what word was used previously.
Look for clues. If the next sentence repeats the word, compare sentences. What word might make sense in both?
It’s quicker and easier to ask for the word or for parents to give the word. When children are reading silently to themselves or for themselves, they need strategies to help them with unfamiliar words.
Stop and think about what you already know about what you are reading…subject of the book, paragraph, story, or sentence.
Think about what might make sense in the sentence. Read with a word to see if it makes sense…..for emergent readers, they may know the word plane or airplane, but may not recognize crane. The chunk –ane can help, plus being in the blend pl-. Also, in context, they would know that a crane (machine) can’t fly.

Discuss and use these strategies with your reader. I am going to include a list of chunks and blends that can be worked with to grow readers' word recognition skills as soon as I can find it.

Let me know if these strategies work for you. I’d love to know!!!

Happy Birthday America

We are almost ready to celebrate the birthday of our country. How much do children know about this celebration?

The White House has a site with quizzes and games concerning the history around the date of July 4th.

There is information and activities for all!!! Click on Happy 4th and enjoy.

Reading is Fundamental RIF

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Click and view the many activities that the Reading is Fundamental website has for your children. It includes books, contests, information for parents, kids section, school information for
RIF book distribution.

It's a quick source for fun and information!!!

Special places we love to go

The Pink House is an illustrated story of an extended family's annual vacation to Edisto Beach, SC. The story, told by one of the young cousins, is a warm account of a single day when all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and even Grandma come to the "Pink House." They swim, go fishing with Uncle Jim, hunt for petrified shark's teeth with Aunt Margaret, sing songs with Aunt Kate, read books, eat the fish and crabs caught in the surf, play games...and then go to bed to await whatever surprises will be washed up by the surf the next day. http://www.warbranchpress.com/pink.html

Mrs. Palmer visited our school a few years ago and was delightful. The kids were mesmorized by her pictures of her extended family and how they were really the characters in her book. There really is a pink house at Edisto Beach. On the site above is a comment about someone who stayed there.

The book is delightful and anyone who vacations with their extended family would love the book.

Parents, it is a good book to encourage you children to write about their family or a trip they've taken. Remember, children write best about what they know.

Encourage your child to make their own book about family. What a fun, family activity, also!