First graders should spend at least 20 minutes engaged in reading each
night. This should include time of independent reading and being read to by
a family member. Daily reading will be part of your child's homework each
week.
You may include your child's homework reading minutes in the library's
Read Along Program. Forms can be found here...
http://teacherweb.com/TX/FernBluffElementary/Library/photo3.aspx
Once your child completes his/her form, they
should return it to school, receive their prize, and begin a new form.
Reading expectations:
End of 1st 9 Weeks-level 6
End of December- level 10
End of January- level 12
End of 3rd 9 weeks- level 14
Exit- level 16
Suggestions to help your child at home:
As you are reading with your child at home, give your child time to decode
new words independently if you are reading an instructional level book (the
guided reading books for example). A good rule of thumb is if the first
page or so has less than five difficult words for your child, it is "just
right" for reading instruction. This will not only reinforce strategies we
learn at school, but it will also boost confidence when a new word
is "figured out" rather than just being told to the student! Here are a
few prompts you may want to try to encourage your child to use reading
strategies we have learned...
1. Does that word make sense in the sentence?
2. Look for key clues in the pictures.
3. Does that word sound right? Is it a real word? Does that word look
right? Does what you are reading match the letters you see?
4. Is there a little word in the big word that you know?
5. Search for word chunks that you know. (blends, word family endings, etc)
6. Sound out the first letter and see if the word pops in your head.
7. Backtrack to the beginning of the sentence at start again to look for
clues you may have missed the first time.
8. Skip the word and read the rest of the sentence. Then go back and try to
fill in the blank.
9. Most of all, make reading fun and the skills will come! Happy Reading!
Comprehension of stories your child reads or listens to is equally important!
As you read aloud to your child or listen to them read to you, stop occasionally and check for
understanding. Ask your child what surprised them about what just happened in the story, what
confused them, or what they are reminded of. Maybe the story is reminding your student of
something they've done personally (text to self connection), another book they've read (text to text
connection), or something else they know about the world such as a spaceship that just launched for
outer space (text to world connection).
If your child is not comprehending a text FINISH the story, so your child does not get frustrated with
himself. Then take time to discuss new vocabulary words or build background knowledge for your
child before reading the story again either immediately or another time. If the story was about a
family who lived near the ocean and he/she have never been to the ocean look at real pictures or
video of the ocean together or take a trip there to build background knowledge. Discuss how life
near the ocean might be different than life here in Round Rock. Next time you read the story, your
child will have a better understanding.
Good luck and HAVE FUN watching your child grow into a lifelong reader this year!