mollydog Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi, everyone. I was wondering if I can get some thoughts on whether I should formally afterschool (more like weekend-school) reading. Both of my guys are in the first grade. The kids need to read at a level H (on an A to Z scale) by June; 2nd grade starts at level I. This scale is part of the Scholastic reading program. One of my guys is already reading at level H. The other is reading at level E, so a little behind. A couple of key differences, among other things, that distinguishes level E from H is fluency and being able to recognize the role of the punctuations used. I just received the Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. I was flipping through it and wondered whether or not I should be fortifying reading via this formalized method. Or whether I should just encourage practice. One of the things I plan to start soon is reading the Sunday paper together. Since we have so little time to afterschool, I thought I'd address many different subjects all at one time. I can hit on reading, geography, history, world events, art, literature, you get the idea. Do you think this would be enough? Or do you think a formalized approach would be better? I'm concerned about recognizing the need for remedial learning too late. Thoughts? Thank you! Molly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 It sounds as if the KNOW how to read, i.e. that letters make sounds and that sounds blend into words. If so, then all they need is more practice. I would just read with each of them at night, have them read to you, read together. Punctuation is something you just train - breathe where there is a comma, make a short pause at the end of the sentence... they learn that by reading to and with you. If the kids know how letters blend to sounds and words, then I see no need for more formal reading instruction. They just need to read. A lot. I do not think the Sunday paper makes appropriate reading for 1st graders. I would rather get age appropriate books from the library, have them select, and institute a daily reading time before bed.Typically, for beginning readers there is a discrepancy between the material they are able to read on their own and the information they could process if told/shown to them - so if you want to use content rich material, they will be frustrated because the reading level is too high, and if you use appropriate reading, that can't cover much content. I would separate the tow things and not try to do both at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mich311e Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi, everyone. I was wondering if I can get some thoughts on whether I should formally afterschool (more like weekend-school) reading. Both of my guys are in the first grade. The kids need to read at a level H (on an A to Z scale) by June; 2nd grade starts at level I. This scale is part of the Scholastic reading program. One of my guys is already reading at level H. The other is reading at level E, so a little behind. A couple of key differences, among other things, that distinguishes level E from H is fluency and being able to recognize the role of the punctuations used. I just received the Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. I was flipping through it and wondered whether or not I should be fortifying reading via this formalized method. Or whether I should just encourage practice. One of the things I plan to start soon is reading the Sunday paper together. Since we have so little time to afterschool, I thought I'd address many different subjects all at one time. I can hit on reading, geography, history, world events, art, literature, you get the idea. Do you think this would be enough? Or do you think a formalized approach would be better? I'm concerned about recognizing the need for remedial learning too late. Thoughts? Thank you! Molly. I'm not familiar with Ordinary Parent's Guide but I used Hooked on Phonics. I'd focus on getting your kids at grade level before the end of the year and increase their reading ability over the summer. When my son was learning to read I'd just go to the library and dig through the "reader" section. Books like "Step Into Reading", Usborne Early Readers, Rookie Reader, etc. I just made sure he read those and I kept reading aloud to him. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJinLOCA Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 When my son was learning to read I'd just go to the library and dig through the "reader" section. Books like "Step Into Reading", Usborne Early Readers, Rookie Reader, etc. I just made sure he read those and I kept reading aloud to him. We did much the same with our kids. The best way I found to encourage them was to find books at their level on topics that interested them. My daughter learned to read by sounding out Batman picture books! :D My son was crazy about dinosaurs, so we just kept checking out early readers that featured dinosaurs. If they require phonics instruction in order to learn to sound out the words better, I'd recommend "Phonics Pathways" - it worked wonders for my son when he was learning to read. The lessons are very short and easy to do in a few minutes a day. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mich311e Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 If they require phonics instruction in order to learn to sound out the words better, I'd recommend "Phonics Pathways" - it worked wonders for my son when he was learning to read. The lessons are very short and easy to do in a few minutes a day. Good luck! :iagree: We use Phonics Pathways, too. Still. My son is in 1st grade and can read at a much higher level but he will still pronounce a word from Phonics Pathways wrong now and then. I then remind him that's why we do it :) just a page a night (although we've been on a break from it for about a month)...we're almost done with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytalemama Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 We love OPGTR here! My dd is on lesson 190 out of 231 now and she was seriously reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe today independently. My recommendation is to page through the book and pick up at a point where you think they might not know the material. Then go at an accelerated pace until you hit a lesson where they don't know it pat and then go at a one lesson a day pace. Keep having them practice reading to you and read aloud to them as well. I cannot rave enough about OPGTR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Since you have OPGTR, I'd use that. It is solid and you can fill in any blanks. My dd greatly improved her fluency last summer by reading....a LOT. We did the summer library reading program and she found a series of books that she inhaled all summer. Reading the punctuation is demonstrated well with modeling. When you read to them, exaggerate the exclamation points. Occasionally, point out how you are pausing for commas and periods or exaggerate the question mark. Have them over-exaggerate with silly books. Ham it up and make it fun. I would also skip the paper, in favor of Highlights or other kid magazines. If they like sports, you could pick Sports Illustrated for kids or a science kid magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Another good resource for you would be E.D. Hirsch's Books to Build On in which he lists books by grade and subject matter: language arts, history and geography, visual arts, music, science, and math. I had a tough time finding non-fiction for little ones, but this book helped fill that void. A few other things that helped us: 1. Establish the habit of reading. For example, we read together as a family for a period of time in the living room most evenings. When the kids were young, I'd read aloud, but now that the youngest is in junior high, we all read silently together. 2. Visit the library often as a family. I'm guessing you probably already do this. 3. We had no TV, video games or computer games when the kids were young so that they would either read books or use books on tape while they played. At that age they were too young to self-regulate (and I was too busy to police them!). Good luck and HTH. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollydog Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I'll keep with the Original Parents guide and pick up with material that's new to them. I had thought to work in the newspaper with a hope that the relevancy of the material to life would make reading more interesting. There are so many parts to the Sunday paper. It's not all high level reading. I'll continue with the library trips. I hadn't thought about graphic novels and comic books to0 much, but you're right. Reading is reading. I'll lighten up on that stuff and help the kids pick out age appropriate materials. Thanks for the feedback and your support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 If they got sight words, and it sound like they did, they are typical in a program with leveled readers, you may need to work on some nonsense words to help them become fluent readers. My free phonics concentration game makes both real and nonsense words and is a fun way to practice phonics: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html Also, over the summer and spring break, I would work them through my program for remedial students, it is designed for students who got sight words and leveled readers, the links at the end of the page are what you need. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html You could also try my online lessons, they teach the same things, but they are a bit tough for 1st graders to sit through, you can see what you think. Most of my remedial students gain 1 or 2 reading grade levels in a few months of work following this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkMaid Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I say read to him if it is a pleasurable experience for him & if he wants to read to you, then GREAT! But if it's not pleasureble to him it will only turn him against reading. Just be creative & most of all have fun. Kids don't want to leave school to just come home to more school work. Just read to him the most. Go with the flow of him reading to you. Play games where everyone reads to the whole family if that's an option that he likes. Just be sure he is enjoying it or it will turn him off to reading. Blessings!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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