Posts Tagged ‘learning to read’

5 Terrific Picture Books About Children Having Problems Learning to Read

Posted on July 19th, 2019 by Carolyn Hart


5 Picture Books About Characters Having Trouble Learning to Read

If you are supporting a child who is having difficulty learning to read, these are picture books that share an encouraging message. Reading well involves learning a variety of strategies and practising them with increasingly difficult text. For a child who has difficulty with letter recognition, dyslexia, phonemic awareness or comprehension, reading can be a terrible struggle. Hearing about the experiences of other children can be a help.

Here, we share five picture books that will be helpful for children who are having trouble learning to read.

“Learning to read and read well is already hard enough: it takes years of practice to make knowledge of reading automatic, transparent and fluid. When children practice reading in a context that’s kind– with books they love, teachers who understand reading, and systems devised to make a hard thing easier — they’re more inclined to practice, remember, make sense of, get better at, and love reading.”

Nancie Atwell in The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers

5 Terrific Picture Books About Children Having Problems Learning to Read Click To Tweet

I Don't Like to Ready by Nancy CarlsonI Don’t Like to Read! written and illustrate by Nancy Carlson
Picture book about Having Trouble Learning to Read published by Puffin

Henry likes first grade but he does not like reading. He avoids it at school and at home. One day, his teacher asks him what the problem is and he confides. His teacher offers extra help and before too long, when a babysitter is not available to read aloud to Henry and his sibling, Henry takes over, reading with increasing confidence and emerges with a love of reading at home and at school.

Ms Carson’s illustrations are a highlight of this engaging picture book. Henry’s body language, especially as a non-reader, is a terrific addition to her delightful story.

Level of Reading Intervention – Resource teacher at school, extra practice at home
Reason for reading difficulty (if any identified) – N/A

I Don’t Like to Read! at Amazon.com

I Don’t Like to Read! at Amazon.ca


Lily and the Mixed Up Letters is a story about difficulty learning to readLily and the Mixed Up Letters written by Deborah Hodge and illustrated by Fance Brassard
Picture Book about Having Trouble Learning to Read published by Tundra Books

Lily enjoys school and especially opportunities to create art. Unfortunately, grade two is not as much fun as kindergarten and grade one were. Reading aloud is especially worrisome for Lily and, when her teacher announces Parent Day will include having each student read out loud, Lily confides her lack of confidence reading to her mom,

I can’t do it,” she sobs. “I can’t read my page on Parent Day. It’s too hard. All the other kids can read their pages, but I can’t read mine.”

Lily’s mom is empathetic and requests that she receive extra help at school. Her teacher assigns a peer Reading Buddy and Lily also practices at home. By Parent Day, Lily is ready for the challenge.

Level of Reading Intervention – Peer reading buddy at school, extra practice at home
Reason for reading difficulty (if any identified) – N/A

Lily and the Mixed-Up Letters at Amazon.com

Lily and the Mixed-Up Letters at Amazon.ca


Children's books about learning disabilities, Miss Little's Gift
Miss Little’s Gift written by Douglas Wood and illustrated by Jim Burke
Autobiographical Picture Book about Living with ADHD and Difficulty Learning to Read published by Candlewick Press

Douglas is in grade two and he doesn’t like having to sit still. He interrupts his teacher; he has problems with reading and on the playground. He is very resistant to staying after school in order to get extra help with reading but Miss Little is firm and determined. She finds a book to match his interests, she encourages him and she gives him just enough help. Miss Little’s Gift is a celebration of the difference a wonderful, caring teacher can make.

Level of Reading Intervention – extra time with a classroom teacher
Reason for reading difficulty (if any identified) – ADHD in Author’s Note

Miss Little’s Gift at Amazon.com

Miss Little’s Gift at Amazon.ca


Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader BehindMiss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind written by Judy Finchler and Kevin O’Malley and illustrated by Kevin O’Malley
Picture book about a reluctant reader and a persistent teacher published by Bloomsbury USA

In Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind, we meet a student who is able to read but simply does not like reading. He much prefers playing video games with his friend. His very determined book-loving teacher spends the entire school year trying to find a book that will captivate him. One by one she wins over his classmates but it is not until the year is almost over that she finds the key to unlocking a love of reading and books.

This picture book would be a good read-aloud at the start of a school year, especially for teachers and librarians who have an extensive classroom library and a very good knowledge of books that will appeal to hard-to-reach students.

We also suggest reading our series, Journey of a Reluctant Reader

Level of Reading Intervention – Classroom teacher
Reason for reading difficulty (if any identified) – Reluctant reader

Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind at Amazon.com

Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind at Amazon.ca


Thank You, Storytime Standouts looks at picture books about children having difficulty learning to read including Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia PolaccoThank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Picture book about Having Trouble Learning to Read published by The Penguin Group

Thank you, Mr. Falker is an autobiographical picture book about Ms. Polacco’s difficulty learning to read and the help she finally received in grade five. A detailed, thoughtful story for older children, Thank you, Mr. Falker explains that Trisha grew up in a family that loved reading and treasured books. After the loss of her grandparents, she moved to California with her mother and her brother. Trisha hoped it would be a fresh start and that reading would be easier but her struggles persisted and before too long she was being teased by bullies.

it is not until Trisha is in fifth grade, with a teacher who is new to the school, that the bullying is called out and Trisha receives extra instruction.

We’re going to change all that, girl. You’re going to read – I promise you that.”

This picture book is best-suited older children and highlights the fact that some children can hide their difficulties with reading for quite some time.

Level of Reading Intervention – Classroom teacher and reading resource teacher
Reason for reading difficulty (if any identified) -N/A

Thank You, Mr. Falker at Amazon.com

Thank You, Mr. Falker at Amazon.ca

The Girl Who Hated Books

An animated short from the National Film Board of Canada introduces us to Meena, a young girl who hates books.

We also wrote about Storytime Standouts writes about I Hate BooksI Hate Books by Kate Walker



BONUS BOOKS ABOUT CHILDREN FACING CHALLENGES LEARNING TO READ

Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don't) is a picture book about a girl who is reluctant to read.

Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t) written by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Michael Emberley

Picture book about a reluctant reader published by Alfred A. Knopf

Booklovers will be enchanted by Miss Brooks and her enthusiasm for sharing picture books with her class. Missy doesn’t share the librarian’s enthusiasm for reading or for her book-related costumes.

” All year long, Miss Brooks reads us books. Books about dragons and Pilgrims and presidents. Books about love and leprechauns. Groundhogs, even! It’s vexing.”

It is not until Book Week that Missy decides that she wants to read a book that includes warts. Missy’s mom suggests Shrek and soon Missy and her mom have created an ogre costume and she is ready to present the story to her class.

Rich vocabulary and fun illustrations make this a great read aloud choice for kindergarten and early primary-age children.

Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don’t) at Amazon.com

Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don’t) at Amazon.ca


Storytime Standouts shares Hooray for Reading Day!

Hooray for Reading Day! written by Margery Cuyler and illustrated by Arthur Howard

Picture Book about a (grade 1) child’s anxiety about reading aloud published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Jessica has other worries that have been explored in Stop Drop and Roll (A Book about Fire Safety) and 100th Day Worries.

In Hooray for Reading Day! Jessica already feels self-conscious when reading aloud in front of her classmates, her fears worsen when Mr. Martin announces plans for a parent event at school that will require her to wear a costume and read aloud in front of parents.

Anyone who feels anxious about reading aloud or public speaking will understand Jessica’s worries. Meanwhile, her mom and dad are enthusiastic and reassuring about the performance and offer to help with a costume.

When Jessica can’t sleep, she decides to practice her reading with Wiggles, the family dog listening. She discovers, to her delight, that reading to Wiggles is easy and that it helps her to become more successful and confident with her reading.

Hooray for Reading Day! is skillfully illustrated by Arthur Howard (Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea, Hoodwinked) and, apart from sharing a positive message about learning to read, the book presents an opportunity to discuss emotions and teasing. It would be a good pick to share at the start of the school year or whenever children need encouragement with reading.

Hooray for Reading Day! (Jessica Worries) at Amazon.com

Hooray for Reading Day at Amazon.ca

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth!

Posted on October 22nd, 2018 by Carolyn Hart


Storytime Standouts writes about Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My ToothUnlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth! written and illustrated by Mo Willems
Generously illustrated book for beginning readers published by Hyperion Books for Children

I have hosted a Little Free Library (LFL) outside my home for the past four years. My LFL is limited to children’s books. Recently, one of my neighbors has been adding brand new books(!) to it fairly often. Recently, he or she left a copy of hot-off-the-press Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth!

A terrific follow-up to Mo Willem’s Elephant and Piggie series, this is a book that will have great appeal for new readers. Bright, bold, graphic illustrations and fun, expressive text combine to tell the story of a search for a squirrel’s missing tooth.

When a team of enthusiastic squirrels needs to fact-check, Research Rodent adds background information about teeth to an otherwise silly story. Boys and girls who are at about a grade 1 or 2 level will enjoy the “inside” joke about a tooth that has been lost. The Table of Contents, irreverent endpapers that identify each of the squirrels by name and the antics of the furry-tailed characters make for a great fun.

Follow this link to our free Squirrel Theme printables and picture book suggestions.

I Lost My Tooth! (Unlimited Squirrels) at Amazon.com

I Lost My Tooth! (Unlimited Squirrels) at Amazon.ca

19 Mom-Approved Tips and Tricks for Encouraging Kids to Read

Posted on October 16th, 2018 by Carolyn Hart


19 Tips for getting kids reading and learning.

How do moms and dads encourage reading in the home? We share some great crowd-sourced ideas for encouraging kids to read

  • Read aloud…as much as you can. Make it a priority to read every single day. It doesn’t have to be at bedtime. Morning, bathtime and mealtime work too!
  • Don’t compare your child’s reading to that of any other child. Some children read earlier than others. It doesn’t mean that they will love reading and books more than someone who reads sooner.
  • Start with books on subjects that interest him/her. Topics like magic tricks, castles and sharks are often good ones.
  • Fill a basket or a bookshelf full of kids books and let your child choose which books you read. Even when you reread a book for the hundredth time, your child is still learning from it.
  • We used learn to read videos to help my child.
  • Share the reading instead of expecting your child to read everything from beginning to end. This way, you and your child will enjoy the experience and he/she won’t spend too much time on figuring out the words.
  • We used the Leapfrog
  • I buy her books that I know she will like or we go to the library and come home with a huge pile of books to experiment with.
  • Purchase a magazine subscription. My son has a subscription for National Geographic Kids. He enjoys reading the facts and looking at the photos.
  • My kids get Chickadee Magazine and look forward to it every month.
  • Reading doesn’t have to mean reading books. Check out comics in the newspaper, advertising flyers, recipes, maps, posters and signs.
  • Turn the audio off on your television and put captions on so your kids have to ‘read’ the dialogue to enjoy a show.
  • Read for pleasure in front of your kids so they know it’s something for everyone to enjoy. Make sure you talk about the book you are reading or looking forward to read.
  • Try setting a timer for 20 minutes. Knowing that reading wasn’t going to take “forever” really helped my daughter focus.
  • Set up a special reading area. Make sure it has good lighting, some pillows and a blanket.
  • Read books that have been made into movies and then watch the movie.
  • Substitute your child’s names or their friends’ names into a story to make it extra fun.
  • Read with funny voices or role play the book you are reading
  • Play language-based games (Quiddler Card Game, Mad Libs, Blurt! , Hasbro Boggle , etc.)
  • What tips do you have for moms and dads?

    A Look at the 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal Award Winner and Honor Books

    Posted on October 16th, 2014 by Carolyn Hart

    Storytime Standouts Shares Wonderful Choices for Beginning Readers







    The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli 2014  Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal Award WinnerThe Watermelon Seed written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
    Picture book for beginning readers published by Disney Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group



    When a charming and exuberant crocodile explains that he loves watermelon, we are utterly convinced,

    Ever since I was a teeny, tiny baby cocodile, it’s been my favorite.
    CHOMP! SLURP! CHOMP!

    While enthusiastically devouring his favorite fruit, the crocodile accidentally ingests a seed, his imagination runs wild and he assumes a variety of terrible outcomes.

    Repetitive text, limited use of long vowel words and very good supporting illustrations make this a great choice for beginning readers.

    The Watermelon Seed at Amazon.com

    The Watermelon Seed at Amazon.ca



    Ball by Mary Sullivan a 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor BookBall written and illustrated by Mary Sullivan
    Picture book for beginning readers published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children



    There is little doubt that this dog loves his small, red ball. From the moment he wakes up, he is focused on only one thing: playing with the ball. He especially loves when the ball is thrown by a young girl but when she leaves for school there is no one available to throw it.

    This is a terrific picture book that relies heavily on the illustrations for the narrative. Apart from one repeated word (ball) it could be classified as a wordless picture book.

    It will be thoroughly enjoyed by dog lovers and young children – especially those who are eager for an opportunity to read independently.

    Ball at Amazon.com

    Ball at Amazon.ca



    A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems a 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor BookA Big Guy Took My Ball written and illustrated by Mo Willems
    Series for beginning readers published by Hyperion Books for Children



    This charming story will remind readers that appearances can be deceiving and perspective is everything! Gerald and Piggie’s friendship is solid and Gerald is more than willing to stand up for Piggie when her ball is taken by a big guy.

    Delightful illustrations will appeal to young readers as they effectively portray a range of emotions. The text is perfect for children who are beginning to read – lots of repetition and very few long vowel words.

    A Big Guy Took My Ball! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) at Amazon.com

    A Big Guy Took My Ball! at Amazon.ca

    Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes a 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor BookPenny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes
    Generously illustrated chapter book series for beginning readers published by Greenwillow Books An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers



    It truly is a treat to read such a beautifully-written chapter book for beginning readers. Kevin Henkes has created a new character: Penny. She is a young mouse with a sense of right and wrong. In this book, she is out with her sister when she “finds” a beautiful blue marble. She excitedly puts it into her pocket and later wonders if she did the right thing.

    Lovely, full color illustrations and a thought-provoking dilemma make this a great choice for newly independent readers.

    Penny and Her Marble at Amazon.com

    Penny And Her Marble at Amazon.ca


    Supporting a Child With Delayed Speech or Language Development

    Posted on April 1st, 2014 by Carolyn Hart

    My experiences working with a child with delayed speech

    Great ways to support a Child With Delayed Speech or Language Development



    Since September 2013, I have been working twice a week with a four year old boy who has delayed speech. He lives in a bilingual household and he has one older sibling – a girl who also had delayed speech. It has been enormously rewarding to help this child find his voice. He is unfailingly happy and is always excited to welcome me and my “bag of tricks” into his home.

    Here are some of the items that have been particularly helpful as we find ways to engage him verbally.

    Alphabet by Matthew Van FleetAlphabet by Matthew Van Fleet has been our go-to alphabet book.

    At almost every one of our sessions, my student has touched, lifted flaps and pulled the tabs of this cheerful and engaging alphabet book and accompanying (pop up) poster. Whether feeling the alligator’s scaly tail or the yak’s shaggy head, this is a book that children love to explore through touch.

    Phonemic awareness is also supported as the author effectively uses alliteration, ‘Wet waddling Warthogs,’ rhyming and onomatopoeia, ‘Furry Lions roar, Whiskered Mice squeak, Hungry newborn Nightingales – cheep, cheep, cheep!‘ while introducing a variety of animals. Older children will notice that extra details have been added to the illustrations but not the text. Termed, Safari Sightings, these animals and plants are illustrated and listed in an afternote.

    Alphabet won the following

    2008 National Parenting Publications Gold Award
    Parenting Favorite Book of the Month, April 2008
    Top Ten Children’s Books of 2008, Time.com
    A New York Times Children’s Bestseller (2008)

    Alphabet at Amazon.com

    Alphabet at Amazon.ca

    Ravensburger See Inside Puzzle

    I can’t tell you how many times we have solved this Ravensburger See Inside Puzzle together. My young student happily turns the puzzle upside down, and together we turn all the puzzle pieces over. We chat as we start with the corners and work towards the middle of the puzzle. There are so many ways to enrich a child’s vocabulary, understanding and problem solving as we talk about the puzzle pieces and their attributes while noticing the plants, insects, animals, birds and structures featured in the puzzle itself.




    Echo Mic Used With Delayed Speech or Language DevelopmentRather than focusing on the enunciation of specific sounds or words, I want to encourage playing with sound and making a variety of sounds. It is amazing how an inexpensive plastic toy ‘Echo’ microphone can encourage a child to sing, make sound effects and speak. I pick up an Echo Mic and put the other one on the table. Before long, we are both singing The Alphabet Song or The Wheels on the Bus or Happy Birthday. I hate to think what we sound like but progress is progress and the plastic ‘Echo” microphone has helped us along the way.

    Download Song Sheets

    image of PDF icon  The Wheels on the Bus

    Free printable lyrics for The Wheels on the Bus


    image of PDF icon  The Alphabet Song

    Free printable lyrics for The Alphabet Song


    image of PDF icon  Monkey Fun Alphabet Song

    10″ Echo Mic (Colors may vary) at Amazon.com

    Magic Mic Novelty Toy Echo Microphone-Pack of 2 at Amazon.ca

    Using Lego to support a child with delayed speechAs we work toward improved verbal communication, I want to ensure that my student has a rich listening or receptive vocabulary as well as a large speaking or expressive vocabulary so I want to provide him with repeated meaningful encounters with words. I want him to hear and know colors, numbers, positional words (over, under, beside, inside) and nouns (windows, doors, wheels, roof, trees, flowers, bricks, fences, house, car, truck, steering wheel). Of course, I turn to my favourite toy. Each day I arrive with a bucket of Lego . We build houses and towers, we look for small bricks and blue bricks and yellow, white, red, and black bricks. We add windows and doors, stairs and roofs. And I talk about everything we do. I chat constantly and now he chimes in.


    Playing Tic Tac Toe with a Speech-Delayed ChildFrom the start, we have played Tic Tac Toe. I made a laminated game board (that includes a letter of the alphabet in each square) and I use Xs and Os from a dollar store game. When we first played, his job was to say, “Your turn,” after he played his “O.” Now, he says the letter name in the box and a word that begins with the letter, “C is for Cat.” He also says, “Your turn, ” and “I win!” He has never tired of this simple game. When we first started, he said very little. Now, it is a constant exchange of short sentences and the joy of communicating about a shared activity.

    Spot the Dot by David A Carter is a great book to use with a speech delayed childSpot the Dot created by David A. Carter
    Novelty book published by Cartwheel Books, an Imprint of Scholastic

    Spot the Dot is an appealing, brightly colored, interactive pop up book that includes flaps to lift, a wheel to turn and tabs to pull. Visual clues and predictable text encourage children – even those with delayed speech – to venture into ‘reading.’ My student thoroughly enjoys this book and now points to the words as he ‘reads’ each page and then pretends to ‘search’ for the dot.

    Spot the Dot at Amazon.com

    Spot the Dot at Amazon.ca

    Popular Home and Classroom Learning Games for Beginning Readers

    Posted on December 7th, 2012 by Carolyn Hart

    Today we look at two popular learning games for beginning readers

    I have used both spelling/reading games very successfully with four, five and six-year-olds. Neither is appropriate for younger children due to choking hazard caused by small parts.

    Storytime Standouts looks at Popular Home and Classroom Learning Games for Beginning Readers


    We invite you to visit our page about beginning to read.


    image of Melissa and Doug See and SpellMelissa and Doug See and Spell

    I recently purchased a Melissa and Doug See and Spell puzzle set for my Let’s Read Together program. The set consists of 60 plus colorful wooden letters and eight, two-sided template bases. As shown in my photo (right), the sixteen words include long and short vowels as well as digraphs.

    I selected the Melissa and Doug See and Spell puzzle set because it is self correcting and it lends itself well to a group setting. When not being used in the template bases, the letters could be used to spell other words, they could be sorted by attributes or they could be put into alphabetical order.

    When one or more children play with See and Spell it is an opportunity to practice letter, object and word recognition, matching, fine motor skills and/or spelling.

    Melissa & Doug See & Spell at Amazon.com

    Melissa & Doug See & Spell at Amazon.ca

    Image of Boggle JuniorBoggle Junior

    I have used a Boggle Junior game in my Beginning to Read program for more than ten years. It is a great learning game for children who are learning to read and spell. The game consists of a series of illustrated three and four letter words. The words and illustrations are printed on durable cardstock. To play, a child selects a card and spells the word it illustrates using three or four letter cubes. The cubes fit into a sturdy base. The child has the option of seeing how the word is spelled (and simply matching the letters) or attempting to spell the word correctly and then checking to see if he is correct.

    Boggle Junior can be enjoyed by one or more children. When one child plays with Boggle Junior it is an opportunity to practice letter, object and word recognition, fine motor skills, matching and/or spelling. When more than one child plays with Boggle Junior, playing the game becomes an opportunity to share and take turns. If two children are at different levels with respect to spelling and reading, one child could match the letters to correctly spell a word, another child could try to spell each word (without matching) and then flip a lever on the base to check the spelling.

    The Boggle Junior word cards include short vowels, some long vowels and a few digraphs (i.e. fish).

    Boggle Junior Game at Amazon.com

    Boggle Junior Game at Amazon.ca


    Anti bullying book for beginning readers: Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl

    Posted on November 4th, 2012 by Carolyn Hart


    For beginning readers, Storytime Standouts suggests Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl
    Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl written by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser and Ted Enik
    Anti bullying book for beginning readers published by Harper Collins Children’s

    Be sure to check out our page about anti-bullying picture books for children, our page about anti bullying chapter books, graphic novels and novels for children , and our Pinterest anti bullying board

    Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl is part of Harper Collins Children’s I Can Read series. Ranked by Harper Collins as “Beginning Reading Level 1,” it is generously illustrated and includes words such as appetite, splendid, speechless and canceled.

    Field Day is just around the corner. Most of Nancy’s classmates are excited about the upcoming races but Nancy is not. She is dreading Field Day because she is not good at running and last year, when her team lost, she was teased. When Nancy discovers that Grace is on her team, she is doubly concerned. Grace is sometimes mean.

    Nancy trains hard for the relay race but her training is too little. too late. She decides a different tactic might work. She pretends she has injured her foot and she begins limping. Nancy’s dad is not convinced by her limp and he questions her about it. Finally, Nancy confides and explains why she is upset.

    After a conversation with her dad, Nancy feels better and she approaches Field Day and Grace with a plan. She speaks to Grace

    “I will run as fast as I can.
    But if we lose,
    don’t say mean stuff.
    You are a good runner.
    But you are not a good sport.”

    Fans of the Fancy Nancy series are sure to enjoy this anti bullying book for beginning readers. The story is engaging. Both Nancy’s problem and the outcome are realistic. Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl could lead to discussions of teasing and bullying as well as sportsmanship and doing one’s best in a difficult situtation.

    Recommended for children aged six and up.
    Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl at Amazon.com

    Fancy Nancy And The Mean Girl at Amazon.ca

    Note – my copy of Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl is a (hardcover) First Edition, copyrighted 2011. There is a typo on page 16: “That’s means I’m not hungry”


    Family Literacy Program Development Part 2

    Posted on October 8th, 2012 by Carolyn Hart


    Family Literacy Program Development Part 2

    Family Literacy Program format





    Each session of our family literacy program began with a thirty minute “storytime” presented by a librarian. The storytime theme matched the weekly program theme. This ensured a good match between the librarian’s “storytime” and the program presented by the program facilitator. Following the “storytime,” the group learned a new rhyme or chant (in rebus form) and theme-related vocabulary. The group also reviewed material from previous sessions, sang the Alphabet Song and played learning games. For Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, the children (enthusiastically) made cards to take home.

    Most weeks, the children spent time with the child minders while the program facilitator presented information to the adults. During this portion of the program, the child minders served a healthy snack of fresh fruit and juice or water.

    The adult portion of the program included ways to help children with alphabet recognition, the importance of phonemic awareness, the value of reading aloud, ways to help a child with comprehension, why wordless picture books support vocabulary development as well as an introduction to affordable recreation opportunities in the community. The presentation of rebus chants and vocabulary activities also provided learning opportunities for adults.

    Weekly handouts were provided to both the children and the adult participants. As well, multilingual information about accessing emergency services (911) was offered.

    Introducing a Homework Component

    During June, the children who participated in the family literacy program received “homework” assignments which included borrowing a book from the library, reading environmental print, counting, printing, drawing, comparing, borrowing a theme box from the library and enjoying read alouds. Most of the participants completed and returned the homework to the facilitator.

    Also in June, the Summer Reading Club was actively promoted and most of the children signed up to participate. By the time the program ended, virtually all of the adult participants had library cards and were using them.

    The final family literacy program session included the usual storytime, chants, vocabulary, snack and adult learning. The children who attended regularly received Certificates of Attendance. At noon, most of the participants walked to a nearby park and played with sidewalk chalk, blew bubbles and enjoyed the playground equipment. It was a happy, friendly time.

    Family Literacy Program Development Part 1

    Posted on October 6th, 2012 by Carolyn Hart


    Storytime Standouts Wrties About Family Literacy Program Development

    This past year, I have been involved in developing a weekly Family Literacy program





    Offered from April to June and September to November, the program is held at a neighbourhood library. It is intended to be a low-barrier family literacy program, especially appropriate for immigrant women who are caring for young children and who may be socially isolated. Initially intended to attract a maximum of twelve families to each session, the Spring 2012 program was enthusiastically attended by more than two dozen families each week. So far, our Fall numbers are almost as high.

    As hoped, the program attracted a diverse population. The children in attendance range in age from one to five years. The adults who participate were almost all women; some are grandmothers and aunts however the majority are mothers, attending with their preschool-age children. Some participants have never been to the library prior to attending our family literacy program.

    Many of the attending families are learning English as a Second Language. The group includes individuals who primarily speak Cantonese and others who speak Punjabi as their first language. As well, some families who attend regularly speak English fluently.

    In keeping with the objective of making the program “low-barrier,” participants are not required to preregister and are welcome to join the program at any stage. For those who join the program partway through or who miss a session, handouts from the previous week(s) are easily obtained. The message is, “Whether you are able to attend every week, most weeks or some weeks, we are very happy to see you here.”

    My team and I work to maintain a friendly, welcoming atmosphere for all participants. I am indeed fortunate to have multi-lingual child minders who assure participants that they were welcome to converse in their Mother Tongue during the program.

    8 Ways to Reinforce Your Child’s Reading Comprehension

    Posted on October 31st, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    Try some of these strategies to help your child with reading comprehension

    Reinforce understanding and reading comprehension with these activities

    Here are eight ways to reinforce a beginning reader’s understanding


    You will also want to read our page about reading comprehension.

    Please click on the book covers for information about each picture book.

  • image of cover art for Houndsley and CatinaBefore opening the cover of a book, take a moment to talk about the cover art and encourage your youngster to make some predictions. Do you suppose this will be a scary story or perhaps a silly one? Do you think this book will be like something else we have read together? Making predictions is a great way to help your child develop good reading comprehension skills.
  • Does your child recognize the illustrator’s style and/or the typeface? Savvy readers will recognize that Stella Fairy of the Forest and Houndsley and Catina are both illustrated by Marie- Louise Gay although the characters in the two books are not the same.
  • image of cover art for Stella Fairy of the Forest

  • Once you have read partway through a picture book, pause to talk about it. Involve your child in making predictions about what will happen next. The Very Hungry Caterpiller offers more than a couple of opportunities to guess what will happen. If a character is facing a choice, ask your child what he would choose and why. Thinking and talking about the story will reinforce reading comprehension.
  • At the end of the story, take a moment to talk about the characters. Which character does your child like best? / least? Does this character remind him of a person he knows or another book you’ve read together?
  • image of cover art for The Three Snow Bears

  • Try reading more than one version of a fairy tale or other familiar story. Compare the illustrations and the author’s words. Which version of the story do you like best? / least?
  • Try reading wordless picture books. In these books, all or almost all of the story is told through the illustrations. Wordless and almost wordless books are great because they “level the playing field.” Your child becomes an equal participant in carefully “reading” the illustrations and deciding what is happening in the story. Wordless and almost wordless books are also great for young children to share with someone who does not read in English. They are also valuable because they offer an opportunity for your child to use visual clues when retelling a story to someone else.
  • image of cover art for The 3 Bears and Goldilocks

  • Speaking of “retelling,”  having an opportunity to retell a story is a great way for young children to develop her reading comprehension skills. Perhaps after you and your child enjoy a story together, your child could summarize the story for another adult.
  • Finally, matching a book to an upcoming event or experience will help your child to make connections between the story or information in the book and his own experience. Whether reading a story about a visit to the dentist prior to an appointment or laughing about No David’s misadventures, making connections is what it is all about.
  • Beyond Bedtime Stories, early literacy can Include more than reading

    Posted on October 21st, 2011 by Carolyn Hart


    A look at Beyond Bedtime Stories, a valuable resource for young families, daycare, homeschool and preschool and kindergarten settings.Beyond Bedtime Stories by V. Susan Bennett-Armistead, Nell K. Duke and Annie M. Moses

    Beyond Bedtime Stories is a very thorough exploration of ways parents can promote early literacy with young children. The authors address dozens of important questions like “What if a book contains words or ideas that I find offensive?” and “Should I teach my child to read before kindergarten?” Beyond Bedtime Stories also includes suggestions of ways to fill your home with books even if you are on a budget, how to improve comprehension and ways to promote literacy inside and outside your home.

    This is a very worthwhile resource for young families, daycare and preschool settings.

    Beyond Bedtime Stories: A Parent’s Guide to Promoting Reading, Writing, and Other Literacy Skills from Birth to 5

    Beyond Bedtime Stories : A Parent’s Guide to Promoting Reading, Writing, and Other Literacy Skills from Birth to 5 at Amazon.ca



    Environmental Print – Great for Beginning Readers

    Posted on September 25th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    Environmental Print is great for children who are beginning to read

    I’ve been having some fun this week. I grabbed my camera and headed out on a hunt for words in my community.

    Environmental print is print that is all around us. In our homes, it is on food packaging and on other products we use. In a public building it is on door handles (PUSH, PULL) and above doorways (EXIT), when we go for a drive, it is on road signs (STOP), vehicles (POLICE, AMBULANCE), buildings (DRUG STORE) and in other public places (PARK, GARBAGE, RECYCLE).

    Environmental Print - Storytime Standouts shares a Smile

    For a preschool or kindergarten-age child, who is anxious to read his first word, environmental print may be “just the ticket.” Head out for a walk and see how many words your child can “read.” In all likelihood, he will already know how to read “McDonalds” or “Starbucks.”

    Can he use context clues to correctly “read” more of the words around him? Can he “read” a situation and use the information he sees to make a correct guess about the letters and words he sees? Can he figure out the word used to label a garbage can or the word on the side of an emergency vehicle?


    City Signs by Zoran Milich
    Environmental Print picture book published by Kids Can Press

    City Signs is a great book to share with four and five year olds, particularly youngsters who are anxious to read. City Signs is a series of photographs that each include at least one word. The word is shown in context so young “readers” can use their detective skills to make an educated guess about the word. Some of the words are unmistakable: ambulance, ice cream, life guard, horses. Other words are somewhat trickier: litter and supermarket could be mistaken for garbage or grocery store.

    For children who are desperate for reading success, looking for words in the world and encouraging them to read “EXIT,” “PUSH,” “BUS STOP” and “LIFEGUARD” can be a real confidence builder.

    City Signs at Amazon.com

    City Signs at Amazon.ca

    An example of environmental print used by a bookstore

    When you go out with your child, take pictures of environmental print. When you get home, help your child to make a book to read. You can be sure he will be excited to show off his ‘new words’ to Grandma or Grandpa.

    Food packaging and pictures from advertisements are also great sources of words to read. Work with your child to put together a collage or scrapbook to read and enjoy.



    Environmental Print - Great for Beginning Readers - Storytime Standouts shares Toys

    Our free Environmental Print printables for young children

    image of PDF icon  Environmental Print 1

    image of PDF icon  Environmental Print 2

    There are some fabulous environmental print resources online, here are some of our favourites

    Read Write Think – From Stop Signs to the Golden Arches: Environmental Print

    Logos from GoodLogo.com

    Candy Bar Wrapper Image Archive

    We invite you to follow Storytime Standouts’ Environmental Print Board on Pinterest

    Follow Storytime Standouts’ board Environmental Print for New Readers on Pinterest.



    Beginning Readers – 4 Strategies for Reading Tricky Words

    Posted on September 14th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    When children are beginning readers, we often encourage them to “sound words out” but there are some other strategies that we can and should suggest. There are many words that don’t lend themselves to “sounding out.” If you think of your own reading, you probably have used some or all of these strategies –

    Beginning Readers should learn to use these strategies to read difficult words





    1. Beginning readers should look at the illustrations. I once worked with a child whose mom covered the illustrations so he couldn’t use picture clues when reading! Please don’t do that! Reading pictures is part of a child’s early reading experience. That is why almost all easy-to-read books are generously illustrated. Please, encourage your child to use picture clues.

    2. Beginning readers are allowed to skip the tricky word and read the rest of the sentence. The rest of the sentence may give your child enough other information to help him figure out the word. As an aside, sometimes books use relatively simple words but include difficult-to-read names for characters. If your child can manage the story but stumbles over reading a character’s name, suggest calling the character by his or her initial and avoid the challenge altogether. It won’t make a bit of difference to your child’s understanding of the story (unless there are two tricky names and both start with the same letter!).

    3. Beginning readers sometimes check out the first couple of letters and then make a guess. Not very scientific but we all do it! Keep in mind that the larger your child’s listening and speaking vocabulary, the better his guesses are likely to be.

    4, Beginning readers should be encouraged to ask for help . When I listen to a young child read, my number one goal is that she enjoy the experience. I want her to want to read. I don’t want her to get hung up and frustrated. If I can make the reading experience more pleasant – by acting as a resource when she encounters difficult words – then she is more likely to attempt challenging books.

    Using Word Families With Beginning Readers

    Posted on September 14th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart


    Learning about word families can help young readers as they learn to decode words

    When working with children who are just beginning to sound out words, I have had great success using word families.

    image of cover art for Fat Cat, a book for beginning readersFat Cat written by Sue Graves and illustrated by Jan Smith
    A Fun With Phonics book published by Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic Books

    Shortly after a child discovers that C -A -T spells cat, it can be enormously rewarding to introduce B-A-T and M-A-T. Often a child’s eyes grow as big as saucers as he realizes the relationship between the three words. He makes a connection and sounding out BAT, CAT, FAT, HAT, MAT, PAT, RAT and SAT is not nearly as difficult as he originally thought. Soon he has eight new words to be proud of (rather than just one).


    image of cover art for Dog in the Fog, a book for beginning readersThere have been many, many books written that focus on word families. A search of “Fat Cat” might produce a dozen or more results. I’m delighted to let you know about a series that combines word families, spinning word wheels, picture clues and early reader books. The word wheels are sturdy and easy to spin. They each create eight words: the wheel for
    image of cover art for Bug in a Rug, a book for beginning readers Bug in a Rug produces bug, hug, dug, jug, mug, pug, tug and rug.




    Beginning readers will need some help decoding the story but will find the illustrations helpful and will soon notice that the word family words are printed using red ink. if ‘reading’ with an older family member, the child could be asked to ‘read just the red words’ until familiar with the vocabulary. Good fun and a helpful resource for those who are just learning about word families and beginning to read.

    image of cover art for Jen the Hen, a book for beginning readers

    Fat Cat at Amazon.com | Fat Cat at Amazon.ca

    Jen The Hen at Amazon.com | Jen the Hen at Amazon.ca

    Dog In The Fog at Amazon.com | Dog in the Fog at Amazon.ca

    Bug In A Rug at Amazon.com | Bug in a Rug at Amazon.ca



    image of How to Make Word Family Flip BooksOn the Storytime Standouts Word Families page we include Word Family Flip Books for short vowel word families. Print the pages and cut out the individual letters. Cut out the larger rectangle along the lines. Make a pile of letters (check that they are all the right way up) and staple them to the left of the word ending. Encourage your beginning reader to ‘build’ on her knowledge that C-A-T spells CAT by flipping the letters and substituting the consonant. She’ll create many more words and feel a thrill of success.

    Our Word Families page also has several word family printables that show the words with pictures. These are great for beginning readers in Kindergarten and Grade One.

    Our early learning printables, including our word family printables are in PDF format, if you don’t already use Adobe Reader, you will need to download it to access the word family printables.

    You will find our selection of free printable alphabets here and all of our early learning printables here.


    The Reading Zone by Nancie Atwell – Discover Ways to Help Teen Readers

    Posted on September 13th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    Do you share my concerns about inspiring preteen and teen readers?

    Storytime Standouts looks at suggestions for inspiring preteen and teen readers from The Reading Zone by Nancie Atwell The Reading Zone written by Nancie Atwell
    Professional teaching/parenting resource about teen readers published by Scholastic



    Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to enjoy reading Nancie Atwell’s The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers.

    I am always interested to read and hear leading educators suggest ways to ensure that children, preteens and teens become “Skilled, passionate, habitual, critical readers” because for so many teen readers this does not happen. Ms. Atwell’s approach to reading reading is practical and passionate. She reminds all parents of teens that everyone has reading homework and there is no more important homework than reading.

    She identifies the key ways a teen reading ‘class’ can be transformed into a teen reading ‘zone.’ She also discusses the three categories of book difficulty: Holidays, Challenges and Just Rights. Her chapters on teen reading include Choice, Ease, Comprehension, Booktalking, Boys, Commmunicating with Parents and High School. The book’s appendix lists How to Create a National Reading Zone.

    This is a book that every parent of a preteen or teen reader and most teachers should read. It is both informative and inspiring.

    Link to the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb, Maine

    The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers at Amazon.com

    The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers at Amazon.ca

    Meet Nancie Atwell in The Reading Zone



    The Home and School Connection – Middle Grade Reading

    Posted on September 12th, 2011 by Jody


    Middle Grade Reading, connecting school and home

    Middle Grade Reading Depends on What Happens Outside the Classroom





    My students have already figured out a few things about me, which they happily shared with my new student teacher today. They told her that I like diet Pepsi (to the point of obsession), that I’m 35 (not sure she needed this information), and that I love to read. I can’t really complain, since they were correct and also because I was glad they already figured out how much I value reading. From the way they’ve been raiding my book bins, I would say they value it as well. So far, so good. The boys are gravitating toward the graphic novels, making me glad I have plenty. The girls are really seem drawn in by the classics (Oliver Twist, Alice in Wonderland). I love those first few weeks of seeing their preferences. While things feel like they are off to a good start inside the classroom, the importance of what happens outside the classroom cannot be underestimated.

    As much as I would truly LOVE to spend the entire day reading and writing with the kids (and I would), there’s not enough hours in a school day. In a typical day, the students will get to hear me read aloud to them for 15-20 minutes and get to read to themselves for about 25-30. This sounds like a lot of reading in a day but it’s not if you consider that it’s academically directed. The read aloud tends to lead to learning strategies, such as predicting, questioning, and making connections. The 30 minute silent reading block is well liked by students, but hardly ever without at least one or two interruptions.

    It is important that students know reading is not a “school activity”. We teach them how to read, how to connect with what they read, and how to write about what they’ve read. At home, a perfect compliment to this routine, is encouraging them that reading is a great option for down time, car rides, before bed, or in the middle of a rainy day (or a sunny one). Kids need time to read that is uninterrupted. They also need time to read that is not leading to activities that will show what they know. When my oldest daughter is absorbed in a book, it’s amazing what kinds of connections and conversations we have. I know that in school she can perform the reading strategies both orally and on paper. However, it is truly engaging to listen to her rave about a book or character she loves or to see her smile when I agree to “just one more chapter.”

    It’s our job as parents to pass on our values to our children. Perhaps if you are not a reader, there are other ways to support and encourage your child. Take your lap top to the library while they read or ask them to cuddle on the couch, reading, while you do the crossword or watch tv. If you are a reader, READ. Your kids need to see you read. They need to see that you make time for reading and for yourself. This shows them the value, and pleasure, of reading.

    As in many other areas of life, maybe it’s time to go back to basics. Switch family movie night to family reading night. I want to say, show them they don’t need technology to be engaged, but it seems hypocritical since I’m wrapping up this blog now so I can go read my Kindle
    .

    Grade Three Reading – What if You’ve Made it to Grade 3 and Can’t Read?

    Posted on September 10th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    Whether your child struggles with grade three reading or not, this is an enjoyable, generously illustrated chapter book

    I Hate Books a great chapter book for grade threeI Hate Books! written by Kate Walker
    Generously illustrated chapter book published by Cricket Books





    Hamish is blessed with a Grandpa who reads aloud “with lots of expression”. When Hamish was little, he loved books but the love affair ends when he begins grade three reading and his teacher asks him to read aloud. Before long, Hamish is referred to a reading specialist and it is confirmed that he has been making up stories rather than reading the words on the page.

    After struggling with flash cards and remedial reading, Hamish decides that life will be fine – whether he learns to read or not. It takes a disastrous family road trip, an embarrassing birthday party and a persuasive older brother to change Hamish’s mind.

    Happily, Hamish overcomes his struggles and eventially earns a prize for “most improved reader.”

    Shortlisted for the Australian Children’s Book of the Year and the Young Australian’s Best Book Awards, I Hate Books! features relatively short chapters and very appealing illustrations. At about a grade three reading level, it is recommended for children aged seven to nine.

    I Hate Books! at Amazon.com

    I Hate Books! at Amazon.ca

    Bolstering Phonemic Awareness, Getting Ready to Read While in the Car

    Posted on September 4th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart


    Storytime Standouts Tips for Getting Ready to Read While in the CarSome of the keys to learning to read are noticing sounds in words (developing phonemic awareness), recognizing letters of the alphabet and understanding words.



    Next time you’re in the car with your preschool or kindergarten child, spend a few minutes talking about sounds and words. Informal chats like these, can have a huge impact on her phonemic awareness and readiness for formal reading instruction…

    Listening For Sounds at the Beginning of Words

    ‘Here are some words that begin with the /b/ sound’ (Note: you should use the letter sound rather than the letter name) ‘boy, ball, bicycle, bat.’ I am going to say three words to you, can you tell me which one does not begin with /b/?’

    (1) baby, ladybug, bumblebee
    (2) shovel, bucket, blanket
    (3) basket, apple, bird

    Listening For Rhyming

    ‘Here are some words that rhyme: bat & cat, ring & spring. Rhyming words are words whose endings sound the same. I am going to say two words to you, see if you can tell me if they rhyme.’

    (1) king & ring
    (2) up & down
    (3) black & stack


    Make a Substitution

    (1) Change the sound at the beginning of dog to /h/
    (2) Change the sound at the end of cat to /p/
    (3) Change the sound in the middle of hat to /i/

    Blend these sounds together

    (1) /d/ /o/ /g/
    (2) /b/ /a/ /t/
    (3) /h/ /u/ /g/

    For more ways to help your child develop phonemic awareness, follow this link to visit our Phonemic Awareness page.

    Discovering Meaning

    ‘These words are opposites; in & out, wet & dry, awake & asleep. Listen to my words. Are they opposites?’

    (1) black & white
    (2) yes & no
    (3) sad & crying

    For more ways to help your child with reading comprehension, follow this link.

    b d confusion: Is it ‘b’ or ‘d’ ? 5 Ways to Help Young Readers Decide

    Posted on September 3rd, 2011 by Carolyn Hart

    Ways you can help children with b d confusion

    Storytime Standouts suggests ways to help preschool and kindergarten children with b d confusionI made a presentation last night to a preschool parent group. One of the topics of discussion was how we can help children avoid reading a “b” as a “d” and vice versa. At the presentation, I was not addressing serious learning challenges like Developmental Dyslexia ( a condition / learning disability which causes difficulty with reading and writing). We were discussing ways to assist children with letter recognition and b d confusion. We talked about a few ways to help children correctly identify “d” and “b”.

    Method #1: Bat, Ball, Dog, Tail

    One mom mentioned that in their household they used the following:

    “This is the bat, and this is the ball, together they make a “b”. (Visualize: l + o = b, where “l” is a bat and “o” is a ball)

    “This is the dog, and this is the tail, together they make a “d”. (Visualize c+ l = d, where “c” is a dog and “l” is its tail).

    Method #2: Printing a ‘d’

    The technique involves examining how we print the letter “d”. It looks much like a “c” with a “l” added to it. Using this method, we discuss the fact that c + l = d and “d” is after “c” in the alphabet.

    b sees d  - One way for young children to avoid b d confusion

    Method #3: ‘b’ sees ‘d’

    Relying on alphabetical order (and a little play on words)





    Method #4: Bulldozing a b works!

    If your child knows that bulldozer begins with ‘b,’ he can use a toy bulldozer to push a letter ‘b.’ Letter ‘d’ is not nearly as cooperative because of its shape.



    Help Children Who Are Confused by B and D



    Method #5: bed

    My favourite memory device is to make a “bed” with the child’s fingers. Imagine making two small circles with the thumbs and forefingers, and pointing the remaining fingers upward. Push the two circles together to make a “bed” (minus the “e”). The left hand makes the “b” and the right hand makes the “d.” It looks like this: “bd.” “b” is at the beginning of “bed,” “d” is at the end of bed.

    Note, these methods will not work with very young children. With Method 3 especially, the child needs to know how to spell ‘bed’ in order for this device to be effective. From my perspective, with very young children, we should not worry about the occasional reversal. We can simply say, ‘That is a b. It makes the /b/ sound.’ With children who are starting to read, I find Method #3 to be very effective and easy to remember. I have seen children as old as seven do a quick check (underneath a desktop or tabletop) and then read a word with confidence.b d confusion - Storytime Standouts suggests ways for your child to know if it is a b or d including imagining a bed.







    Hover over the photo for a description of the activity. Click on the photo to read the full post

    Alphabet Learning Game for Small GroupsFree printable for helping children match uppercase and lowercase lettersMake-it-yourself tactile alphabet learning activityFree printable letter matching activity


    Small group activity for learning letters or sight wordsStorytime Standouts Free Printable Alphabets and Games for Learning LettersStorytime Standouts shares learning activities for magnetic lettersStorytime Standouts shares a colorful letter matching activity













    We invite you to follow Storytime Standouts’ Alphabet Recognition Board on Pinterest

    Follow Storytime Standouts’s board Alphabet Activities including b d confusion on Pinterest.

    b and d (bed) poster from Activity Village



    If you know memory devices for b c confusion, I’d love to hear from you. Please jump in with a comment.

    Really reading – Effective Reading Strategies for Your Child

    Posted on August 30th, 2011 by Jody


    What Does Reading Involve - Effective Reading Strategies for Your Child

    Looking at effective reading strategies for your child












    Being able to read encompasses more than you think. With your child getting ready to go back to school, it’s good for parents to know exactly what it means to be a ‘good reader’

    The benefit of being a ‘good reader’ is that you don’t even think about all of the actual strategies and tools you are employing to make sense of the words on the page.

    No Pets Allowed and Effective Reading Strategies for Your Child When I ask my students “What do good readers do?” they can state any or all of the following: Read ahead, Read back, Look at the pictures, Ask questions, Make Predictions, Summarize, and Re-Read. All of these are powerful strategies that ‘good readers’ use naturally. For a student that doesn’t naturally use these tools, reading is more difficult.

    The Loser List and Effective Reading Strategies for Your ChildEach of these strategies is taught both independently and with the other strategies until students don’t even realize they are using them. You can reinforce your child’s reading by supporting these tools at home. Reading is the ultimate example of multitasking. For the child that is missing certain tools however, they will feel overwhelmed. Obviously, this is addressed at the classroom level, but at home, reading every day is essential to helping your child become a solid, fluent reader. Ask your child to summarize what is happening, pose questions of your own about what you are wondering, and make guesses with your child about what could happen and why you think that.

    The Lemonade War and Effective Reading Strategies for Your ChildYou can make these book talks fun and brief; basically just a check in that your child understands what they have read. These strategies can be applied at any reading level, including pre-kindergarten books with no words. When looking at books like these, I’ll ask my youngest daughter what she thinks is happening or if the character seems happy or sad. Start these talks young so your child feels comfortable talking about what they are reading. Oral language is a huge part of reading successfully.

    You should be able to tell if your child has picked a book within their reading range by asking them to read aloud to you. Can they read the words without getting stuck on more than five on a page? Do they self-correct when they make mistakes? Do they seem engaged and curious about what they are reading? Do they want to know more? Do they ask questions and make predictions?

    Reading is more than identifying words on a page. Books are meant to be read, enjoyed, and understood. Working with your child’s teacher, you can make reading more than acquiring information; you can make it a journey, an adventure, an escape and a lifelong pleasure.

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