As the school’s literacy coach, I believe families play a HUGE role in helping students succeed. This page is filled with simple tips, helpful tools, and free resources to support your child’s reading and writing journey at home.
You don’t need a teaching degree to support your child’s literacy at home! Here are some easy ways to make a big difference:
Set a daily reading routine – Just 15–20 minutes a day makes a huge impact.
Let them choose – Kids are more likely to read what they want to read (comic books, cookbooks, animal facts—yes, they all count!).
Read aloud together – Even older kids benefit from hearing fluent reading.
Talk about what you read – Ask questions like:
“What do you think will happen next?”
“Why did the character do that?”
“What was your favorite part?”
Reading at home should feel fun, not like homework. Make it cozy—snacks and silly voices encouraged!
Check out these free and safe websites for reading fun:
Storyline Online – Celebrities read picture books aloud!
Unite for Literacy – Tons of books with audio in multiple languages.
Epic! – Free with a class code from your teacher (ask us if you need it!).
Oxford Owl – eBooks and reading tips for all ages.
YouTube Read-Alouds – Search for your child’s favorite book + “read aloud.”
Don't forget about your local public library—ours offers free eBook apps like Libby and Hoopla!
Learning can be playful! Here are a few fun, low-prep ways to build skills:
Sight Word Scavenger Hunt – Hide flashcards around the house.
Magnetic Letter Spelling – Use the fridge to build words together.
Rhyming Races – Call out a word and see how many rhymes your child can think of.
Word Family Bingo – Create a bingo card with -at, -an, -op words.
Online Vocabulary Games:
Free Rice (This website is directly connected to a GREAT cause)
Online Phonics Games:
These games sneak in lots of learning without feeling like work!
We use the CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) curriculum at our school. It builds strong readers by combining phonics (Skills Strand) and knowledge-rich topics (Knowledge Strand). Here's a sneak peek at what your child might be learning:
Kindergarten–2nd grade:
Letters and sounds
Sounding out words
Listening to read-alouds about fables, animals, and world history
3rd–5th grade:
Reading longer texts
Writing full paragraphs and essays
Learning about Ancient Egypt, the human body, early America, and more!
Want to talk more about what your child is learning? Reach out any time!
Phonics is how we teach kids to “crack the code” of reading. At school, we focus on:
Blending – Putting sounds together (like /c/ /a/ /t/ = “cat”)
Segmenting – Breaking words into sounds (“dog” = /d/ /o/ /g/)
Spelling patterns – Like long vowels (a_e, ai) or r-controlled vowels (ar, er)
Need help with tricky spelling patterns or decoding strategies? Just ask—I’d be happy to send home tips or videos.
If your child is part of an intervention group, it simply means we’re giving them a little extra time and attention to help them grow in reading. I work closely with teachers to:
Monitor student progress
Adjust instruction to meet specific needs
Make sure no one falls through the cracks
We want every child to feel successful and supported—and we’ll keep you in the loop with updates and progress along the way.
Helping your child at home shouldn’t feel stressful. You don’t have to be an expert—we’re in this together. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need:
Ideas for supporting your child at home
Help understanding your child’s reading level
A friendly ear (or a good book recommendation!)