Word Sorts

Word Sorts are an excellent way to study parts of words or words and their sounds by grouping together words that have similar sounds and/or spellings.

Word Sorts usually have several headings or sample words at the top. Children then match words that have the same sounds under the heading words. Students need to first be able to break words apart into smaller "chunks" or syllables or sounds. Students who can do this will be successful in this activity for usually grades 1st and up.

There are worksheets online that children can cut out or color to match the heading words. Or you can create your own word cards with one word per card. Or you can use a white board and brainstorm words with your child that have similar characteristics. Here is a link of many great examples of words to work with in word sorts:
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/sv/books/content/wordsort/

Alisa

Reading To, With, and By Your Child

"Reading To, With, and By Children" is the title of a book by Margaret Mooney, an educator in New Zealand. She presents the stages of reading. She also talks about the importance of children being read to aloud, reading together with children, and allowing children to read independently by themselves. They are all helpful to children in allowing them to listen to language, read, and say language.

1) Read to children
2) Read with children
3) Reading done by children independently

Many don't understand how to read WITH their child or "share read. Students who listen while following the words in a book gain confidence. When they are reading and don't know a word, if the word is given to them, they can continue reading and understand what they read. Parents don't need to tell their child EVERY word. But if a child can't read more than 10 words in a simple book, they are likely to get frustrated and not have the comprehension to enjoy the book.

Sit next to each other or use two copies of the same book and read together. Start reading and allow them to complete the sentences or say words they know. Pause for a second and allow them to say the next word, finish a rhyme, or point to the picture in the part of the sentence that matches the word. Kids can get very good at following along and reading together. When a student struggles with a word and tries to sound it out, but still doesn't say the word correctly, say the word for them. The key is for the child to have good comprehension and ENJOY reading! Make it fun. Afterwards, talk about the story. Find out their favorite parts. Ask them to retell part or all of the story. This is one of my favorite thing to do. Enjoy!
Alisa

Choosing Books to Read

Enjoyment Remember children like us pick books because it is filling a purpose for them usually enjoyment. Even if a book looks way too difficult for a child and a child chooses to read that book. Let them read it anyway. Getting kids to want to read is the most important thing.

In the schools:
AR There are several systems for leveling books for students to read. One common system found in school libraries is the AR (Accelerated Reader) program that has a pre-test at the beginning of the year and post-test at the end of the year in participating schools. Students are assigned a level based on their responses to reading comprehension questions. Students are encouraged to choose books at this level. They then take comprehension tests. Once a given number of these tests is passed, they may move on to the next level.

The theory behind this type of reading is that students will show the most growth if they are learning in the zone of proximal development. This zone is not where the student can read on their own without help and it is not difficult or at the frustration level. But it is at the level where students are challenged and where they can read most of the words in the text.

To go to the AR book finder website click on this link: http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx You can type in the title of many books and be told the book's AR reading level. This is helpful when attending a public library or to know the AR level of the books in your personal library.

Reading Recovery There is also the Reading Recovery system organized alphabetically. To see a list of Reading Recovery levels and the corresponding grade levels visit the link below:
http://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/library/libraries/firsttuesdays/ReadingChart.pdf

Alisa

Pattern Books & Predictable Texts

Pattern Books or predictable texts are another helpful tool for early readers. Predictable books have a repeated phrase or similar phrases throughout the book while changing just one word or a few words. These new words can be difficult with a picture of that word. While students are repeating the same phrase over and over again, they are gaining security in sight words. They also gain confidence they were able to "read" the book, which gives them a positive reading experience.

Well-known books like "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" is typical of this type of book. Read to your child or if they are confident they can read to you. Let them read the book as many times as they need to own the language and enjoy it.
Alisa

Most Frequently Used Words in Books -- "Sight Words"

  Many parents ask me what they can do to help their children on a Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade

reading level to increase their reading vocabulary. One basic and easy thing to do is to help them learn sight words. The Fry's sight word list of the first 100 to 1,000 words most often found in books is a helpful tool. These words are listed in order of how frequently they are found in books. Here is a link to these lists:
http://www.uen.org/k-2educator/word_lists.shtml

Here are links to free printable flash cards of this list. I glue them to card stock or print them on card stock to play the games mentioned later in this post:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frys-First-Grade-Sight-Word-Flashcards-231889

http://www.studenthandouts.com/01-Web-Pages/001-Pages/fry-300-instant-sight-words-printable-flashcards.htm

Some ideas for working with these lists include printing up flash cards twice and then playing a game of Memory. Ask your child to first read the Fry's word list to you starting at the top. I let them color with a coloring crayon the words they read correctly immediately. Once they have a good number of words that they didn't recognize by sight immediately, find these words as flash cards and use them to practice with your student. Go over the flash card words with them before you play the game. These cards can also be used to play Go Fish. They actually love this and it is fun for adults too.
Alisa

Welcome!

Impromptu Wizard of Oz skit/puppet show- Family reunion 2012