Growing Readers Together
September Tips for Second and Third Grade Parents
How to Help Your Child With Comprehension
The purpose of reading is to gain meaning from the text. As you listen to your child read each evening, be sure to talk, talk, talk about the book. Be sure to share YOUR thinking with your child, too. You are modeling the way readers think.
Talk with your child about the book BEFORE she reads it.
- What do you think this book will be about? What makes you think this?
- What is the genre of this book? Does it look like a fiction or nonfiction book? What makes you think this?
Talk about the book AS she reads it.
- Stop every few pages and discuss what is happening. For fiction texts, ask, "What do you think will happen next?" For nonfiction texts, "What do you think you will learn in this next section?" Be sure to ask your child to explain why.
- Stop every few pages to discuss the main character. Ask these questions: "What do you think (the character) will do next? Why do you think this?" "Why do you think (the character) did that?" "What would you have done if you were (the character)?" "What do the character's actions tell you about him/her?"
Talk about the book AFTER she reads it.
- Did the book end the way you thought it might? Why or why not?
- What was this book mostly about? Is this what you thought it was going to be about when you first picked it up? How did your thinking change?
- Why do you think the author wrote this book?
- What lesson do you think the author wants us to learn from this book?
- How did the author organize the information in this book?
- Did you enjoy reading this book? Why or why not?
- What does this book remind you of in your own life? What other book does it remind you of?
Be sure to share YOUR thinking with your child, too. You are modeling the deep thinking that readers do when they read.
How to Help Your Child Become a Fluent Reader
Reading fluency is the ability to read with accuracy, expression, phrasing, and appropriate rate. Students who are fluent readers are better able to devote their attention to comprehending the text, and gaining meaning from the text is the goal of reading. Have your child reread books that he has read before. Many experts believe that repeated reading of familiar texts is the best way to improve fluency. Look for books to come home from school each night. Sit beside your child as he reads to you. This additional practice is an important step in helping your child become a fluent reader.
How to Help Your Child with High Frequency Words
High-frequency words are the most commonly used words in printed text. Since over 50 percent of all text is composed of these types of words, books are a great opportunity for readers to learn them in context. Repeated practice is important for students to learn to read high-frequency words quickly and fluently. Here are some ways that you can help your child learn to read these very important words:
- Play Make and Break. Use magnetic letters to make one of the high-frequency words that your child needs to learn. Read it to your child, and then break apart the word and scramble the letters. Have your child remake the word, point to it, and read it to you. Then have him break it apart. Repeat this process several times until your child is able to quickly remake the word. Variation: Use letter cards instead of magnetic letters.
- Play Tic Tac Toe. Draw a Tic Tac Toe grid on a piece of paper. Rather than playing the game with Xs and Os, choose high-frequency words that your child needs to learn. Let your child begin by spelling and writing his word in one of the squares. After writing his word, he must read it. Next, you will spell and write your word, and read it. Who will be first to get three in a row?
- Play Concentration. Write several high-frequency words on cards. Each word should have at least two cards. Place several pairs of word cards face down on a table. Take turns with your child uncovering and reading two cards, looking for pairs. If the two cards are not a pair, turn them back over. When you or your child find a pair, read the word and take the cards. Who will have the most pairs at the end of the game?
- Play What Do You Notice? Analyze each word by looking for familiar parts. Do you see 'ing'? Do you see 'th'? Does the word look like another word you know? If you can read 'would', then can you also read 'could' and 'should'?
Thank you for reading! Have fun reading with you child!!!