Preschool Through Grade 3

 

 

Success in school starts with reading.  When children become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond. 

 

Learning to read is hard work for children.  Becoming a reader involves the development of important skills, including learning to:

Preschool and kindergarten teachers set the stage for your child to learn to read with some critical early skills.

 

First, second and third grade teachers then take up the building of the skills that children will use every day for the rest of their lives.

 

As parents, you can help by understanding what teachers are teaching and by asking questions about your child's progress and the classroom reading program.  You can also help your children become readers.  Learning to read takes practice........... more practice than children get during the school day.

 

 

If your child is just BEGINNING to read....

 

At school you should see teachers:

Systematically teaching phonics...how sounds and letters are related.  Giving children the opportunity to practice the letter sound relationships they are learning.  Children have the chance to practice sounds and letters by reading easy books that use words with the letter-sound relationships they are learning.  Helping children write the letter-sound relationships they know by using them in words, sentences, messages, and their own stories.  Showing children ways to think about and understand what they are reading.  The teacher asks children questions to show them how to think about the meaning of what they read.  

 

At home you can help by....

 Pointing out the letter-sound your child is learning on labels, boxes, newspapers, magazines and signs.  Listening to your child read words and books from school.  Be patient and listen as your child practices.  Let your child know you are proud of their reading. 

 

to be continued............