Author: Ana (Page 6 of 8)

Seven Year-Old Super Reader

May 7, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

Here’s an example of a child who reads to learn and shows it off. Gary from Homeschoolbuzz shares a story about seven year-old Emily Salva, a homeschooled student from Franklin, TN, who decided to make a film for her history project on Ancient Greece. This seven year-old narrated and created all of the graphics for her film, Odysseus and The Cyclops, with the help of her dad (a fellow film maker). Her film was so noteworthy that it was accepted into Nashville’s Film Festival. Very impressive indeed!

Most impressive is the fact that she understood The Odyssey. I know high schoolers who didn’t get it! Check it out and pay attention to her effortless reading…great fluency!

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On My Way… Lesson Idea #18

May 7, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

A fun and educational way to spend some time…

Tell your child that you will pretend to go somewhere (park, beach, store, etc.) and see lots of things that start with the letter /(target sound)/ sound.
Practice words that start with the sound you are working with. For example: /p/ – porcupine, potato, pants, panda.
Then you can start by saying or singing, “On my way to the store, I saw a panda, that starts with a /p/.”
Then they can take a turn saying it once they get the hang of it. This game is great in the car, while you’re waiting for an appointment, or where ever. The sillier the answers the better!

Kids Prefer To Read Classics

May 6, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

According to a Washington Post survey, kids still prefer to read the classics when given the choice.

Children have welcomed the Harry Potter books in recent years like free ice cream in the cafeteria, but the largest survey ever of youthful reading in the United States revealed today that none of J.K. Rowling’s phenomenally popular books has been able to dislodge the works of longtime favorites Dr. Seuss, E.B. White, Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton and Harper Lee as the most read.

I remember reading many of these authors when I was growing up and I also read them to my classes when I was a teacher. There’s something special about kids and these classics that go together like green eggs and ham. They never seem to get old as they transcend generations and continue to be young kids’ favorites. It’s nice to see the cycle created by great writing and comforting stories. It’s also pretty cool to know that we’re not too old to relate to something our kids like!

In honor of these cool findings I’d like to share my top favorite books from some of these classic authors. Here they are in no particular order:

Dr. Suess’s There’s a Wocket in My Pocket: I actually didn’t know how to speak English when I was first introduced to this book (2nd grade), but I remember how much I loved the silly creatures and the way the words sounded. I still smile when I read this book as an adult for the same reasons.

E.B. White’s Charlette’s Web: I think this book will always be a favorite! I never thought I’d care so much about a spider…or a rat.

Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice: This was a tough choice for me because I have a couple of other favorites (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and SuperFudge), but this one won out because I made the most connections with it. I always wanted freckles because my mom and siblings had them and I didn’t have any! So it was easy for me to relate with Andrew’s fervent desire for these spots.

Maybe you can share them with your child (if you haven’t already) and keep the cycle going!

Fill In The Rhyme – Lesson Idea #17

May 6, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

1. Say these sentences, stressing the words that rhyme:

The cat wore a hat.
The ball rolled down the hall.
Your shoe is blue.

2. Now tell your child that they’ll have to finish your sentence with a word that rhymes. You can get as silly as you want just as long as the words rhyme. You’ll be amazed at some of the responses you get!
3. Sample sentences:

The hog chased the ________. (frog, dog)
Let’s look at a _________. (book)
The pig wore a _________. (wig)

‘Reading First’ Not Working…Why Not?

May 6, 2008 / Ana / 1 Comment

The Reading First initiative is a federally funded program that aims to raise student performance by improving reading comprehension (as measured by state tests). The program has very strict guidelines that states and districts must follow in order to receive and maintain funding. Some of these guidelines include:

Having a reading coach – a person that works to train teachers and make sure they are up to date on the latest research on teaching the five components of reading. This person is to work side by side with teachers in and out of their classrooms to help them accomplish these goals.

Using approved scientific research-based curricula

Provide students with an uninterrupted 90-minute reading block each day

A set amount of time for teacher professional development in reading instruction

You’d think all of those efforts should pay off, right? Well, according to a preliminary report published by the Department Of Education, students who attend a Reading First school have shown no more gains than those whose schools lack the program. The program weighs in at about $1 billion dollars a year so far (for a total of $6 billion), so you can see why this would be disturbing to some. A final report that looks at the effects of the program guidelines on student comprehension is due out in late 2008.

So why is the initiative not working as intended? I don’t think it’s because of faulty research. I suspect the reasons why it’s not working as anticipated are due to the implementation, management, and expectations of the program. My experience as a reading coach in one such school lends me a bit of insight into the matter. While I definitely don’t think the following applies to all schools, it may still be true for many. Here are three reasons why I think Reading First may not be working to its full potential:

Misuse of resources at the school level: I found that my time as a reading coach was not used effectively by the administration. Much of my time was diverted towards taking care of discipline issues instead of working with teachers.
Lack of teacher “buy-in”: Teachers oftentimes need to buy into and feel like they own ideas in order to change. I found that many teachers were so bogged down with the other guidelines they were placed under (NCBL, state, and district mandates) that they simply couldn’t find the time to change and grow professionally, or, in a few cases, simply didn’t want to.
Unrealistic expectations: Many of the children being served in the targeted public schools come in with such limited language and literacy skills, that it’s really hard to catch them up to “grade level” in a couple of years (at least to the point where they score well on state tests) . These kids would likely make great gains quickly if they had individual instruction on a daily basis, but that’s just not realistic in today’s schools.

Could this be the beginning of the end of The Reading First initiative? Surely people will not stand behind something that costs that amount of money with no proven results, but it would be a shame if the instructional methods of Reading First are dismissed as being ineffective. I truly feel that the research that has been done to support the program and reading instruction in general is solid and strong. I’ve personally seen it work and make a difference in helping many children learn to read. I guess we shall have to wait and see how it all plays out!

Exit This Way – Lesson Idea #16

May 5, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

This activity will really help your child learn to analyze, pay attention to details, and comprehend select stories and books while allowing them to develop and express their creativity. This can be done as a post reading activity to reinforce comprehension.

Choose a book that your child can read independently and that he/she has read before.
Tell your child that they are going to have to think of an alternate ending for the story. This means that they have to go through and analyze what has happened so far in order to decide what will happen to the characters and events in the story.
You can help them out and come up with ideas together to make sure the ending will still make sense with the rest of the story. Using a graphic organizer to map out the story is a great strategy to help them organize their thoughts!
Your child can either dictate their ideas to you or write them on their own. Reread the story together using the new ending and enjoy!

You can make this as easy or as challenging as you like depending upon your child’s abilities – just pick a simple book or a more complex one to accomplish this.

Don’t Let The Term “Research-Based” Turn You Off

May 2, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

Some people tend to veer away from things that claim to be “research-based” and I can’t blame them. These days everything claims to be scientifically researched in some way and there always seems to be some “study” available to support or refute just about any idea. So it’s no wonder that people tend to be skeptical! However, don’t let that scare you away or make you decide that all research holds no value. Research holds an important place in making decisions about a lot of things in life…especially in education.

Providing your child with an education is no easy task and there are what seem to be millions of programs and methods out there. Which curriculum and/or techniques should you choose? Almost all of them have value and are effective in some way with some kids, but many are better than others. So I advise you to choose wisely based on your individual child, your teaching style, and what works best for your family’s philosophy. But I also encourage you to look at the research that’s out there on the subject and that has been done on various programs. The reason that some are better than others is probably because they are built around research-based practices.

So what does “research-based” mean as it relates to reading programs and teaching techniques? It means that educators and scientists have been studying the way kids learn how to read over many years in order to find out what works best for most kids. They also look into reasons why reading is difficult for some kids and what can be done in order to prevent reading problems as well as techniques that can be used to help kids who do struggle. Researchers have even gone so far as using brain scans to see how our minds work while reading! The information that has been collected over decades is now at our fingertips to be used to guide our decisions for educating our kids.

So don’t shy away from the term, it can really help to guide you in the direction you want to take on your child’s educational journey. Just be really careful that you check all references and sources of things that claim to be research-based to make sure you are receiving quality information.

We Love Free and We Love Spanish

May 2, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

I love it when big companies reach out to help communities and make resources available for free! To honor El Dia de Los Niños – a Latin holiday that celebrates children as the center of the Latino family, the NCFL (National Center for Family Literacy) has released a new Spanish version of their magazine Cultivating Readers (Cultivando el hábito de la lectura). The magazine gives parents activities, ideas, and support to help their kids learn literacy and language skills.

“Parents are in the best position to instill in their children a lifelong love of learning,” said Sharon Darling, president & founder of NCFL. “Studies show that children who spend time reading with their parents are more likely to become accomplished readers themselves. This magazine will help parents incorporate effective, research-based literacy and reading activities into their daily routines. Many Hispanic parents need information in their native language, so that they can fully understand the reading continuum and become comfortable with the information without worrying about translation.”

The 16-page magazine includes activities and strategies to increase the reading readiness and school success specifically for three age groups — infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and students from kindergarten through grade three.

I think this is a wonderful thing and I hope many parents take advantage of it! Read the whole article here.

Reading’s Fab Five

May 1, 2008 / Ana / 1 Comment

Better known as The Five Components of Reading, the Fab Five are the crucial instruments that research has shown kids need in order to become successful readers. Research is great . . . but are these really so important and are they necessary? My answer to both questions is a big resounding YES! Each one is important and they are absolutely necessary to teach so that your kids not only build a strong foundation of skills, but also continue to develop them in order to become accomplished readers that go on to do well in other subject areas.

Before I break down each of the Fab Five, it’s important to note that these components are not “steps to reading”. They are not meant to be introduced one at a time and mastered before moving on to the other. While it’s true that children will have to learn parts of some components before they can work on others, they are meant to work together throughout the process of learning to read. This means that you will be working on different aspects of the five components as your child’s skills grow. For example: Your child may need to work on some phonemic awareness skills before he/she can work on phonics. Yet another child can be working on vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension all at once in the same story. It may sound confusing at first, but you’ll get the hang of it once you see examples in the teaching methods and lesson ideas!
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Let’s Read It This Way – Lesson Idea #15

May 1, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

Big books work well for this, but you can use any book with large print. Try to use a book that you’ve already read with your child and one that has a good amount of dialog in it.

Tell your child that you’ll be reading xyz book, but that you’ll be hunting for different things this time. Write, or show them what an exclamation mark (!) and question mark (?) look like.
Tell them that you’ll be hunting for these in the book and that they should let you know when they see one because you’re going to have to read it differently.
Begin reading the book (maybe with less expression than you normally do) until your child lets you know that they’ve spotted one of the marks. Say “Oh, thanks – that’s an (!), that mark means that we have to read this sentence with a lot of expression. Listen to me first and then we’ll try it together.”
Reread the sentence modeling good expression and then have them read it (or repeat after you if they can’t read yet) with you. Try to have them imitate you as much as possible so that they get into the habit of learning to change their voice when they see these marks.
Do the same with question marks – Teach them that our voices sound different when we ask questions and that they should sound like that when we read questions too.

This is one of those easy activities that you can do to lay a strong foundation for good reading habits and fluency. It can be done whether your child can read or not because all they have to do is practice sounding like you (a good reader)!
Change this up for older kids (2nd grade and up) that need help with expression by skipping the “hunt” and just calling their attention to the marks when they read. Having them listen to you, reread it with you, and then again by themselves will give them the practice they need to improve their fluency.

Show Me How – Lesson Idea #14

May 1, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

You’ll need a book that’s on the bigger side of normal and your “dunce cap” on for this one.

Tell your child that you’re getting ready to read a book and get into a position where he/she can clearly see the book. Hold the book upside down and announce that you’re ready to begin. Hopefully your child will look at you funny and tell you that’s not how you hold a book.
You (in total disbelief) ask him/ her “Why not?” – they give you an answer and you say “Oh, ok, I got it”. Then you fix it by holding the book sideways and telling them that now you’re ready. They’ll laugh and point at you and tell you you’re doing it all wrong!
Do this a couple of times in different ways until you “give up” and say “Ok, show me how to read this book the right way”. See if you can get them to explain to you why it should be read that way. You’re looking for them to tell you things like: the front cover needs to be right side up, the title should be on top, we can’t read upside down, you need to open the book up this way, we need to turn the pages in this direction, the pictures can’t be upside down, the words can’t be upside down, etc. If you need to, point these things out to your child.

This simple pretend play can be very beneficial in helping your child understand the concepts of print. Kids love to be right and they’ll have fun telling you that you’re wrong! Don’t we all?

Phonemic Awareness

April 30, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

What Is Phonemic Awareness?

Phonemic awareness (PA) is the ability to hear and manipulate the different sounds in our language. Basically that means that kids should be able to hear, put together, and separate the sounds in spoken words.
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Phonics

April 29, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

You may have memories of learning phonics in school and being continuously drilled on letter sounds and spelling rules until you thought you would explode. Or you may be a product of whole language instruction (like me) and have very little knowledge of the intricate workings of our written language – you know how to read and write, but you’re not sure how it all works. It just depends on when and where you went to school. So which way is best? Recent research has shown that along with phonemic awareness instruction, both phonics and whole language instruction is best. You can read more about the differences between the two and why they should work together in this article. Either way, phonics instruction has come a long way since we were in school and there are ways to make it fun! So let’s get started on what you need to know to teach your child phonics.
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Fluency

April 29, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

Fluency … the great bridge. Fluency acts as the bridge between decoding words and comprehending what they mean. But what does fluency mean? Here’s the National Reading Panel’s official definition:

Fluency: The ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with proper expression.

Vocabulary

April 29, 2008 / Ana / 0 Comments

Words, words, words! The more words your child knows, the better reader he or she will become. The great news is that you don’t have to wait until your child is of reading age to start building the vocabulary they will need in order to be great readers. This is because there are four different kinds of vocabulary that we use in our lives: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Studies show that children with larger listening and speaking vocabularies experience greater comprehension, therefore success as readers than children with a more limited listening and speaking word bank. This is because a child can know the meanings of thousands of words without having to know what they look like or how to spell them. Once they know the meaning of a word or a concept, they can just attach that knowledge to the visual representations (the words) later on as they are exposed to them in reading and writing. This large listening/speaking word bank helps them be more efficient readers because they don’t have to spend time learning to read the word and the meaning, they just have to learn to attach a known meaning to a new word.
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Gettin’ After It!