Literacy

READING IS FUN!

Reading at Home

Hi Parents,

We’re about to start an exciting new chapter in Grade 1- we’re sending home reading books!  We have been reading regularly at school and have been spending time each day reading independently.  We have been practicing looking at the pictures (to better understand the text),looking for familiar sight words and using our finger to touch each word so that we are really focusing our attention.  We are only now beginning the practice of decoding (breaking apart unknown words) and this strategy will be one we will be working on from now until the end of the year.

So, what does the at-home reading program look like?  It’s designed to be enjoyable- for you and your child.  Your child will bring home 2 reading books for the week that he/she has chosen.  In the beginning, please focus on finding familiar sight words, looking at the first letter as a clue, as well as looking at the pictures in the text for better understanding.  As we work on sounds in class, we will also work on the strategy of breaking apart unknown words.  Please don’t worry if your child doesn’t know many (or any) of the words in the texts yet- reading is a process and it requires lots of practice- and we’re just getting started.  However, if you do feel that the book your child is reading is too hard, please send it back in your child’s pochette and we’ll switch it for a new one (the same goes for a book that you feel is too easy, please send it back and we’ll get your child a different one).  Thanks!

So, as I mentioned, your child will be bringing home 2 reading books- you can set up your reading any way you would like but I was thinking 1 book a night.  It’s good practice to re-read a book a few times-it inspires confidence and better understanding.  We’ll keep going with counting, the alphabet and the phonological awareness activities (always keeping in mind that homework should only last between 10-15 minutes or so).  I understand all about busy home lives- so please never worry if you can’t get to everything every night.  If you were ever wondering what to prioritize- for me it would be the reading.  The little books work everything- reading strategies, sight words and sounds.  Great!

I have more reading tips to share with you over the next few months.  This is an amazing journey we are all embarking on- together let’s foster a life-long love for reading in our children!

Happy Reading!

Paula 😀