Spelling:
Practice the spelling words as needed.
Math:
Sign up for Xtra Math ( www.xtramath.org ) to practice addition and subtraction facts.
Language Arts:
* Read to your child. Your child will learn how to read fluently and with expression by listening to you read.
* Read with your child.
Echo Read - Read a sentence (pointing to each word read). Have your child read the same sentence (pointing to each word). Remember to read smoothly and with expression!
Choral Read - Read the words at the same time. This will increase your child's reading fluency.
Reread books that you have already read. Rereading increases comprehension, fluency, and expression.
*Listen to your child read aloud. We become better readers by reading!
* Talk about books.
What is this story about?
Where does this story take place?
Who is in the story?
Tell me about the story.
What happened in the beginning? Middle? End?
What is the problem in the story? How is the problem solved?
What does this story remind you of?
What did you like best about this story?
"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." - Walt Disney
These are general suggestions, meant to be useful for almost any child. All of these suggestions come from research on the way children learn to read. If you do some of them regularly in a motivating and supportive way, they will help your child make faster progress in learning to read. Many of these activities, such as those that build vocabulary and teach children to think while they read, will also help your child ultimately be a much better reader than he or she might otherwise become.
1. Create a special workspace and schedule daily quiet time for your child to do his/her homework from school. Be sure this is a time you are available to help if needed.
2. Schedule 15 minutes of special time every day to read with your child. Take turns reading a page at a time. Or, read a sentence and then have your child reread that same sentence until you read through the whole book.
3. Plan to go to the school library, public library, or the local bookstore once each week and read a new book together. After each story is read, ask her to retell the story to you. Go back to the story to reread sections if she needs help retelling the story in sequence.
4. Play the "say the word slowly" game. Say a word at a normal rate and then have your child say that same word slowly, one sound at a time. For example, say the word, "mat." Then your child will say that same word slowly, one sound at a time, "/m/ /a/ /t/." Play this game using about five to ten short words each day.
5. Fold a piece of paper into three parts. Let your child draw a picture of something he did in sequence. Then help your child write one sentence under each picture explaining what he did first, next, and last.
6. Take turns thinking of two words that end with the same sound. Examples: mom, some; dog, rug; fun, ran; paper, feather.
7. Take every opportunity you can to help increase your child's vocabulary. You can do this by pointing to things and asking the child to tell you what they are, or you can stop and explain the meaning of any words in your reading that the child may not understand. The more you talk to your child, the faster their vocabulary will grow.
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go." Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"