Parents/Guardians!
Visit these great (FREE) web sites at home, at your convenience- in various ways, each supports your
child in his/her literacy growth and development in a medium that is perhaps even more familiar to
them than a "book with pages"- the computer!
Help your child to "connect-the dots" by linking their growing awareness and interest in both
TECHNOLOGY and BOOKS...
Most importantly...HAVE FUN- YES, Reading is SUPPOSED to be FUN!!!
Developed by noted author James Patterson, this site is dedicated to supporting a lifelong love of
reading PARTICULARLY struggling and/or BOY readers who often lack the motivation to sit and get
involved with a book. He has book suggestions, tips, an e-mail newsletter you can subscribe to,
and much more!
http://www.readkiddoread.com/home#
This web site was developed by Sylvan Learning Center, but it is FREE! Once you've created a
user name and password, your student(s) can search for book titles based on interest level or
reading level- you'd have to locate (through the library, book store, school, etc) the book- your
student reads the book independently (or with your help) then takes an on-line quiz...he/she can
rack up points, earn prizes, and so on...there's also a KidZone which has other fun activities for
your child(ren) to do! I'm trying out the teacher/school version this year with some students also!
http://www.bookadventure.org/
You've probably hear already of "Reading Rainbow" on PBS- quality children's literature read by
notable authors and personalities- this web site is chock-ful of more of the same, plus many
different activities at various levels for your child to develop his/her literacy in many adreas!
http://www.pbs.org/parents/readingrainbow/activities.html
You may have already heard or known about this site from your child's teacher- many, many
games/activities and on-line "mini-books" that work with phonemic awareness (the "sounds" of our
language") phonics (decoding using visual-sound clues in words), sight words, and so on!
http://www.starfall.com/
CAVEAT: Other than some free samples, this web site is NOT free and does require a year's
subscription. (You may have seen examples of what this site has to offer if i have sent "little" books
to create and accompanying "worksheet" activities" to complete at home)- however, it IS a wonderful
resource for leveled books and supplemental materials that adequately match what we are doing in
school.
http://www.readinga-z.com/