Students in grade 1/2, and 3/4 are practicing the reading strategy of inferring. We have learned that we have to use clues from the text and what we already know to fill in what isn't said in a text. Students have discovered that we also need to use inferring when we look at pictures, look at advertisements and read body language.
Here is a file that students have been using. We have been learning and practicing many strategies to decode unfamiliar vocabulary above and beyond just asking someone or checking a dictionary. Students have made their own versions of this chart with their own preferred strategies. This may help at home for those of you who are trying to encourage their child to decode vocabulary.
A few weeks ago we had the "Kids on The Block" puppet show come to the school. They discussed children with a range of disabilities in a very positive light. They also left a terrific bins of resources. I have been reading some books and doing activities from this bin. This has lead to some fabulous discussions in class and increased awareness towards students with special needs.
In the grade 1/2 class we read the book "The Don't Give-up Kid: and Learning Disabilities" by Jeanne Gehret. It is a fabulous book about perseverance and how success is possible, but the learning may take a bit more time and have to be done in a different way. This book may be of benefit to many students if you would like to get a copy. The bin has a number of fabulous books on a wide range of disabilities. If you would like suggestions of more books to read and start a discussion with your child, please send me an e-mail and I would be happy to do this. The books include topics such as general disabilities, learning disabilities, adhd, anxiety and behavioural concerns, blindness, deafness and physical disabilities. Both the grade 1/2 class, and the grade 3/4 class are working on visualising as we are reading. Students have discovered that they "make a movie" in their head while reading. They have also noticed that at times they use their other senses and can imagine the smell, touch, taste, or sounds that are described in a book. Finally students have been comparing their visuals and have discovered that sometimes perspectives are slightly different and we may read the same text but have inserted our own details that aren't discussed in the text. As students are reading at home you may wish to ask them to explain what they are visualising from a story.
A few parents have mentioned that it is difficult to find advanced reading material for their child. Some students find that they can read several years higher then their age, but the issue is that the content is too mature. I have compiled a list of strategies and suggestions for these children and have also included a few suggested books. More lists can be found by conducting a google search along the lines of “books for advanced 3rd graders”. Just sub the grade of your student in to the search query.
Tips and Suggestions - Award winning books and classics are often excellent for these readers. These books have a depth of content and richness in both content and language that is beneficial for students. You can find a list and brief summary of Newberry Award winning books at http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7931 - Try encouraging your child with new genres of books. Poetry is also excellent and exposes the reader to rich language and use of literary devices. - Although it is beneficial to challenge and encourage students to read a wide variety of texts, and to read challenging material, there is also a huge benefit to a child reading what he or she wants for pleasure. Choice is really important in reading so that students see themselves as readers. Most advanced readers are voracious readers and it is beneficial to encourage this, you can do this by having the child read what they enjoy, even if it is at a lower level then they are capable of reading. This encourages the child to develop a lifelong enjoyment of reading and see himself or herself as a reader. Suggested books I have compiled a list of suggested books, that should give you some ideas. Please note I have not read all these books so if you are concerned about themes and content you may want to read the book first. Also many parents and students have contributed to this list, so Thank You, if you have additional suggestions I encourage you to add them in the comments section. Happy Reading! Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson Call of the Wild by Jack London Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams The Chronicles of Narnia Series Anything by Roald Dahl A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle The Giver or anything by Lois Lowry Frindle or anything by Andrew Clements Hugo Cabret or anything by Brian Selznick Inkheart by Cornelia Funke The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster Count by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan Books by Eva Ibbotson The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata The Redwall series by Brian Jacques The Silverwing Series by Kenneth Opel The school is beginning a Read-a-Thon to encourage reading. The students enjoyed a presentation about MS and the Read-a-thon today, and asked some very thoughtful questions! Donations will support the Multiple Sclerosis Society. I have attached a poster with some information on the program. Please refer to the e-mails sent, or e-mail me if you have additional questions. Thank you for your support of this great cause!
The following are some suggestions and ideas for encouraging beginner readers at home!
In class we are learning that readers think while they read. We are learning many strategies to use while we read. The first strategy that all grades are working on is to make connections while they read. I am providing this information so that you know what we are doing in class and have some ideas of additional ways to talk to your child about their reading. We are learning that their are 3 types of connections that you can make.
1) text-to-self connections - connecting what you are reading to your own life, ideas and experiences.
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March 2016
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