Ideas for Parents

From One Parent to Another...

My daughters are in their early adult years now, but I fondly remember their elementary years.  Here are some helpful strategies for supporting your child with reading....

Supporting Decoding Strategies with Sound and Word Reading Practice

By fourth grade, most students know and use phonetic strategies to decode words in text.  If your child is struggling with decoding, review common sounds with your child by downloading and using the mini-flashcards linked below. Also use the word sets linked below to practice words with particular sound patterns.  If your child makes an error, review the sound and/or rule and have him/her reread. You may also use a whiteboard and write word pairs or sets for practice instead of using the practice sheets directly.  For additional information on helping your child read longer words, read the following link about the six syllable types. 

      Reading Rockets - Six Syllable Types

High frequency words in reading should also be a focus for practice if your child is a struggling reader. Make flashcards of common words your child misses while reading and mix them for practice -- or attach them to a wall for easy daily review. You can also create flashcards with groups of high frequency words arranged into phrases.  It is also helpful to assist students in identifying high frequency words by cueing them for words that are “rule-followers” (make sense according to phonetic rules) or “rule-breakers” (irregular words that break phonetic patterns).  

Supporting Fluency and Comprehension with Supported Reading Practice 

The best strategy you can do at home to build your child's fluency and comprehension is to read together and engage in quality reading discussions each day.  Check out my favorite author page to see my favorites and to explore links to books recommended by experts. Visit the Codington Library or New Hanover Library with your child to select books of interest.  Proficient fourth grade readers should be reading chapter books as well as complex nonfiction books!

Have your child read outloud and discuss the book with you.  Ensure that beginning readers track the text with a finger, tracker, or bookmark for accuracy.  Proficient readers will readily track the text without the need for a tracking aid.  Wait until the end of each sentence to make any corrections. Prompt your child to reread or read the sentence yourself to model fluency. Support your child as needed with decoding so reading is not a frustrating experience.

For many children, reading comprehension comes easily and naturally as they learn to read; for others, specific strategies are needed to directly teach them how to think about the text as they are reading.  For home practice, comprehension discussions will help facilitate your child’s thought process as he/she is reading.

Focus your discussions on having your child periodically stop to retell the events or information in the text. Also ask specific questions about the text to ensure that your child understands the events and information.  Ensure that your questions extend beyond the basic “who, what, where, when, how, and why” to ask deeper questions about the text. Have your child share his/her thoughts while reading, and follow up on important information or events in the text to ensure that your child has a full understanding. 

Use the SMART strategy acronym I created to help your child focus on key comprehension strategies:

   S – Survey - Preview the reading selection and examine the text features and structure to help to identify                    the genre, purpose, and organization of the text.

   M – Make Connections - Connect information or events in the text to background knowledge or personal                                  experiences.

   A – Ask Questions - Wonder about the information or events in the text.

   R – Retell - Explain the information or set of events within the text.

   T – Think Beyond - Extend thinking beyond the text to visualize events, as well as form predictions,                           conclusions, and inferences based on the text.

Of the above strategies, students who struggle with reading comprehension have the most difficulty with the “think beyond” strategy; they take in the information while reading and can often restate literal events or information, but struggle to form the deeper conclusions and inferences needed for solid comprehension.  I frequently remind students that authors like their writing to be interesting and exciting, so they leave clues behind to keep the reader thinking and wondering.  It would be boring to read a book in which every detail is explicitly recorded and explained to the reader; instead hints are given that must be noticed and thought about to gain a full understanding of the text.  A SMART bookmark set is also attached below with sentence starters to engage your child in the required types of thinking. 

If your child dislikes reading, try an audio recording. Have your child track the text or read along outloud while the recording plays. This is a good way to enjoy reading without having the stress of struggling with the text.

Many children who dislike traditional books enjoy comic books or graphic novels, and many popular novels now have a secondary graphic novel format that students will enjoy.  Look into the ones for kids by Rick Riordan and James Patterson for proficient readers.

Magazines and guides in areas of interest are also great reading choices.  Your child may prefer to read about dirt bike racing, endangered animals, soccer, hairstyles, or famous celebrities.  Check out magazines for children at your local bookstore. 

Other Fun Reading Options

Tumblebooks Reading -- Tumblebooks is an online reading collection that you can access through your home computer using a link from the New Hanover County Library.  Go to the library using the link on my student reading page, then click on “Tumblebooks.”  Use your library card number or your child's student ID number to log into the site and select a book to read.  Levels are given for most books, and some books also have games, too.  Your child will also enjoy listening to and discussing some books that are above his/her reading level.

Reading Apps -- There are numerous apps to support reading. The Reading Rainbow app gives the option of reading a book independently or hearing it read aloud.  I think this app is worth the charge for additional books, and it is very engaging.

Supporting Language and Critical Thinking with Everyday Activities

Read aloud is also still a recommended activity for proficient readers, as well as beginning ones.  Select a book that is very engaging but above your child’s reading level.  Read nightly for 20 minutes, and stop to ask questions that involve your child in making predictions, identifying the meaning of new vocabulary words using the context, summarizing events, and demonstrating comprehension beyond the literal text.

Following recipes, playing board games, playing with toys with directions or diagrams to follow, finding specific items or brands in the grocery store, researching places to travel, reading to a younger sibling, and even playing some types of video games are all great ways to practice reading in the everyday environment, as well.  Be creative in engaging your child in reading!

Finally, the most important activity you can do to build your child's vocabulary and background knowledge for reading is to have daily conversations about anything and everything,  Children gain knowledge incidentally as they observe the world around them and interact within it.  Use high-level vocabulary around your child and explain the meaning of your words and phrases.  Discuss topics clearly and review what he/she has learned.  Riding in the car, running errands, and eating dinner are prime opportunities for conversations (my children learned the names of planets, presidents, and US states from dinner placements), in addition to structured opportunities to build knowledge, like visiting the Fort Fisher Aquarium, Cameron Art Museum, or the NC Battleship.  Children who know facts and information about things like animals, space, community workers, government, geography, history, artists, and sports have a distinct advantage in the classroom.  Does your child know what a wombat is or how a road is paved?  Does he/she know we swim in the Atlantic ocean or who John Adams is? 

Most of all, have a great time learning with your child!

Here is the link to our Fourth Grade Literacy Night!