10 Tips to help your child with reading
1. Cuddle up and read. Quiet times together are opportunities to bond...and read. The cuddling can be as important as the reading. Make it exciting: put some drama into your voice or let your child read every other page. As you go, explain any new words or ideas. 2. Public libraries today are worlds to explore so try to go regularly. Your library has great resources – books, computer games, DVDs, CDs, magazines, newspapers and Internet access. There are also terrific in-house programs such as reading circles for little ones and homework clubs for older children. If you have access to a public library, talk to the librarian about what is available. 3. Make your kitchen part of your "reading zone". Have fridge magnets available so children can start making words and short sentences. 4. Words are everywhere – take everyday opportunities to read with your child. Your child's world is filled with words – on cereal boxes, street signs, stores, posters, subway ads, etc. Wherever you go, you can always find new words and point them out. 5. Games can be great learning tools. Board games or card games such as word bingo or memory and rhyming cards can be a fun way to learn about words, letter sounds, and reading. They can help children realize how much fun learning can be. Check out your local school fair or second-hand stores for gently used games. You can even create your own by cutting out pictures, writing words on cards and getting you child to match them. 6. Computers are reader friendly too! Though many worry that kids may spend too much time on the computer, there are some great games that help kids learn to read and allow them to create their own stories. Look for "parent approved" on the packaging in stores and in the library. Find some kid-friendly websites, like TVOKids and Cana dian Geoillustrated for Kids, that have games you can play along with your child. 7. Books make great gifts. Ask family and friends to give a book instead of a toy as a gift. Make sure to tell them about your child's reading level and interests. To build up a home library find almost-new books at garage sales and school fairs. 8. Subscribe to a magazine. There's no substitute for the excitement of receiving mail. Let your kids subscribe to their favourite age-appropriate magazine and watch their eyes light up with the arrival of each new issue. Great magazines for younger children include Chirp® and Chickadee®. 9. Be a reading role model. When your kids see you reading, they will want to imitate you. It won't be long until they learn that reading is fun, interesting, and a "grown up" thing to do. 10. Keep books, magazines and newspapers handy. Keep a box in the kitchen or living room for easy access. Excerpt taken from the Ministry of Education website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/readkto3.html 10 Tips to help your son with reading Research demonstrates that boys as a group are lagging in reading and writing skills. If your son is having difficulty, he may need different approaches to encourage interest in reading. Here are 10 simple tips you can use at home to improve your son's literacy skills. 1. It takes time to build confidence and skill. It's not how hard the book is that counts, it's the amount of reading that matters. Let your son choose the books he wants to read, even if it's below his reading level. This will help him feel better about his reading skills and give him confidence to try more challenging material. 2. Let him make his own choices. If it's his choice, then he'll want to read it. Don't worry if he chooses the same types of books to read over and over or if they have edgy humour. Remind yourself that he's actually reading and enjoying it. 3. Everybody enjoys a good story, so read to him. If your son finds a story interesting but the book too hard, share the reading. This will also make the book more fun to read. 4. Be a role model. Make sure your son sees you reading and writing. If he sees you doing it, he'll respect you and the activity more. 5. Challenge his mind in other ways. Reading and writing are only a couple of ways to challenge your son's mind. Spend time with him and share some brain teasing games like chess, crossword puzzles, board games – even video games. An active mind is better prepared for reading. 6. Give his teacher a call. Next to you, his teacher knows him best. Talk to your son's teacher for updates on his reading and writing. Discuss ways that you can help encourage your boy's literacy skills. 7. Have him read all sorts of material. There's much more to read that just books. Try reading the instructions to a model airplane or new video game. It's all reading and it's all good practice. 8. Tap into your son's hobbies and interests. Turn his interest in sports and music into a reason for reading. Give him books and magazines about things that he already finds fun and interesting and he'll soon discover that reading can be interesting too. 9. Use the Net. Just because it's on a computer screen doesn't mean it's not reading. The Internet is loaded with great sites and games that are perfect for your son. Let his interests be his guide to the sites he'll want to read. Exchanging emails with friends and family is also a great way to practise writing. Just be sure he knows all about Internet safety and that the parental controls are on. 10. Make his day with a positive word. A pat on the back, school work on the fridge, a smile and the words "good going"... these are gestures that will motivate your son to love reading and writing. So whenever your son finishes a reading or writing assignment, has read a new book or written a story, show genuine interest in it and tell him you're proud. Excerpt taken from Ministry of Education website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/readboys.html 5 Tips to help choose books for your child Here are some tips to help you choose books that will keep your children enthusiastic about reading. 1. Select books that match your children’s skill level. The Five Finger Rule can help you find out if a book is easy, just right or too hard. Ask your children to hold up a finger for every word they do not understand on a page. Ifthere are more than 4 or 5 words on a page they do not know, the book is probably too hard and may prove frustrating. Try suggesting another book or reading the book together. 2. Rhymes, repetition, humour and pictures. Younger children enjoy books that use word repetition, rhymes and familiar words. Most children also like books that are funny. Look for books with colourful pictures and simple words. 3. Use books to learn about life events. Reading books about events affecting your children’s lives (new brother or sister, moving, new school) can help them deal with fears and feelings. Choose books that relate to what’s happening in your family. 4. Find favourite authors and popular books. If your child has a favourite book, try to find other books written by the same author. Ask friends, family, and teachers what books their children have enjoyed and try a book swap. The children’s librarian at your local library can also be a great source for popular book suggestions. 5. Read languages other than English or French. Any kind of reading can help your children develop their skills, so encourage them to read books in languages besides English. If your children know how to read in their first language, they will find it easier to learn English. Excerpt taken from the Ministry of Education website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/chooseBooks.html |
Online Resources***New Resource:
http://livresvideo.net Visit the site above and log in using either of the following information: Username: mr1 Password: bien Username2: mr2 Password: bien Tumble Books This site provides talking picture books, read-alouds, puzzles and games for children in French, English and Spanish! Maple Ridge now has its own login and password. The login for our school is: mapleridge. Please ask your child for the password (or write a note in the agenda) English link: http://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/auto_login.aspx?u=mapleridge&p=books French link: http://www.biblioenfants.com/auto_login.aspx?u=mapleridge&p=books website. TFO Education This is a great website to expand a student's vocabulary, math skills and computer know-how. The games section (les jeux) is divided by age group for easy searching and there is even a link for help with homework (SOS devoirs). I strongly recommend exploring this website. French Reader and Translator Not sure how to pronounce a word? Check out this website. You can type a word and the website can read it to you, or you can look up the meaning of the word. Word Reference Online Dictionary This site offers a comprehensive French-English dictionary. Toupty.com Check out this website for a variety of math and language activities in French. |