Nightly Reading

When reading at home, students are asked to read at a comfortable, independent reading level. This means that your child should be able to read the book with no more than five errors per page. (We often call this The Five Finger Test.) There are, however, other reading experiences that will benefit your child that can be shared with other family members. Some experiences you might want to try:

Reading to a Sibling or Younger Child

This is a great way for students to practice their fluency. It supports students in their observation of punctuation, phrasing, and developing strong characters through their character interpretations using different voices.

Partner Reading

Some families read with their children sharing the reading one page for the adult, one page for the child, etc. This allows students to share their thinking as well as receive support with text that might be more challenging.

Reading the Same Text as/with Your Child

Reading the same text as your child encourages conversations about the book and the elements of the genre. For example, in a piece of realistic fiction, characters, setting, conflict, plot and theme can be explored.

Beginning a Conversation with Your Child about what He/She is Reading

If your child is reading independently and you would like to begin a conversation about what he/she is reading, here are some conversation starters that may make it easier for your child to respond:

1. What are you reading?

2. I haven't read this book before. Could you tell me what's happened so far?

3. Are you enjoying your book? What are you enjoying about the book?

4. Have you ever read another book by this author?

5. Would you read out loud to me?