Now That I Can Read

I used to need somebody
To sit and read to me.
I'd look at every page they read
And listen carefully.

But now that I am in first grade,
I'm filling up a shelf
With stories, poems, and other books
That I can read myself.

-Ruth Etkin

 

Storytown Reading

StoryTown is a research-based,  developmental reading and language arts program for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.  The foundation of the program is its high-quality children's literature, as well as informational texts. 

Through the student editions, students are exposed to a variety of genres.  StoryTown  reflects current, confirmed research and prioritizes and sequences essential skills and strategies into a clear, organized model for instruction. 

StoryTown features an organized, direct approach to teaching reading.  The program emphasizes  explicit, systematic instruction in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency comprehension and writing. 

Following instruction, the program provides ample  practice and application of these skills, using a variety of meaningful tools and activities suited to different types of learners and classroom settings to reinforce instruction and learning.

Reading Practice

          

As with any new skill, the more you practice the better you become. The best athletes, artists, and  musicians get that way because they PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Reading also needs to be practiced. You can help!

  • Read to and with your child every day.
  • Ask questions about what is being read to make sure your child understands.
  • Rereading stories and books is fine.
  • Take your child to the library and stay awhile to read together (then borrow more books to take home).
  • Make reading a priority in your home.
  • Remember, you are your child's most important teacher.  Children learn to do what you do!

 

Read To Me
By Jane Yolen

Read to me riddles and read to me rhymes,
Read to me stories of magical times.
Read to me tales about castles and kings.
Read to me stories of fabulous things.
Read to me pirates and read to me knights,
Read to me dragons and dragon-book fights.
Read to me spaceships and cowboys and then,
When you are finished -- please read them again.  

 

 

 When helping your child read at home these strategies may be used to help.

 

      

Look at the pictures.  Sometimes the word is something that is seen in the picture.    

Look for “chunks” in the word, such as it in sit, or at in mat.  

Get your mouth ready to say the word by shaping the mouth for the beginning letter.  

Does it look like another word?  Does red look like bed, for example?  

Read to the end of the sentence.  By reading the rest of the words in context, the child may figure out the unknown word.  

If the child says the wrong word while reading, ask questions like:

                         Does it make sense?

                          Does it sound right?

                          Does it look right?

Here are some fun sites to practice reading and language arts:

 

 

Here are some of our favorite authors and series:

 

 

 

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