FAQ

Question 1

How much time should I spend on homework with my student?

Initially 30 minutes a day is more than enough to start a first grade student out with. As the year progresses and their skills increase, they will be more willing and interested to do more as they begin to feel more successful. Remember to celebrate all of their successes with praise!

Question 2

How can I teach my student the letters of the alphabet?

Start with a game, using flashcards. If your student knows a few letters, start with those and add a letter or two. Then as more letters are mastered, add more letters. If your student does not know any letters, start with three or four and as they learn the letter, they get to keep the card. What they forget you get to keep. You will find most of the time, the idea of "winning" the card from you is exciting and motivates the student to remember the cards until they know them all. The more fun you have with the mini-competition, the quicker they will learn and you will both be caught up in the excitement of their learning!

Question 3

Is it ok to read the same book over and over to my student?

Yes! Learning a book by hearing it over and over, while pointing to the words is another way to learn sight words as well as improve a student's fluency. Remember to ask your student about the book and have them compare and contrast the book with other books they have heard by asking questions like, "How is the character in this story, different from the character in another story?" Your student will be tested on these abilities to communicate information they have heard in a story. So practicing the same book and asking these questions really helps to build that comprehension ability!