Reading

 
 Reading  
 Balanced Literacy 

At Nassau Elementary School, we incorporate the various components of a 
Balanced Literacy program into our reading and writing instruction. Balanced 
Literacy is a framework designed to help all students learn to read and 
write effectively. The children are given the opportunity to read and write 
on a daily basis at their individual instructional levels. 

A Balanced Literacy program consists of the following components: 

Reading Aloud to children 
Shared Reading - whole class 
Guided Reading - small groups 
Independent Reading 
Shared Writing - whole class 
Interactive Writing - whole class 
Writer's Workshop - small groups or individual 
Independent Writing 
In addition to the components listed above, children are provided with daily 
instruction and practice in the manipulation of letters, sounds, and words. 


Reading is Fun! 

The single most important thing for building knowledge required for eventual 
success in reading is Reading Aloud To Your Child! Read with and to your 
child every day. Some effective ways to help your child improve their 
reading skills include: 

Read yourself! Your actions really do speak louder than your words. When 
your child sees you reading, they will want nothing more than to follow your 
example and read themselves. 
Make sure your child reads every day. Reading, like shooting baskets and 
playing the piano, is a skill. Just as with any other skill, in order to 
improve you must practice. Children who read more, become better readers. 
Make sure everyone in the family has a library card. It is not necessary to 
purchase a lot of new books when there are so many "free" choices available 
to everyone at the local library. 
Read aloud to your child. Research has shown that reading aloud to children 
on a daily basis is the most important thing parents can do to help their 
children become better readers. Even a small amount of time, such as 15 
minutes per day, can make an enormous impact on a child's reading success.