One of the top 13 vocabulary apps!

Increasing a child’s vocabulary is essential for success in reading. Research done in 2002 by Beck, McKeown & Kucan revealed students should add between 2,000 to 3,000 new words to their reading vocabularies each year. Now, that’s a lot words! This goal becomes extremely difficult for students who do not read outside of school. If this student sounds familiar to you, the attached list of 13 vocabulary apps may be the jump start your child needs to become engaged in reading. (See link below)

When children can access from a rich vocabulary bank, they are able to understand new ideas and concepts more quickly. Large vocabularies also allow children to remember prior learning, express ideas clearly and communicate with more clarity. “Vocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas and content together…making comprehension accessible for children.” (Rupley, Logan & Nichols, 1998/99).

Technological devices have captured the attention of our nation and will undoubtedly become necessary learning tools in the 21st century.  However, parents reading to and with their keiki continues to hold the number one spot in developing proficient readers.

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Page from a picture book by Patricia Polacco

Picture books in hard cover are pricey while chapter books are considerably more affordable when purchased for elementary aged children.  Are children straying away from picture books because of the high price tag parents must incur?  Could it be that electronic gadgets have taken over their world of literacy?  Or, is it more likely that children have received the message that reading chapter books equate to being smarter?  Some may believe it’s all of the above.

Whatever the case, struggling readers benefit most from reading picture books for the following reasons:  Illustrations aid in comprehension, fewer words on a page, and larger font size.  Picture books are also shorter in length. Struggling readers have difficulty sustaining their attention to lengthy text.

Alex Latimer, writer and illustrator, says that good picture books are “…simple enough for children to follow and charming or cunning enough to sustain an adult’s attention…The illustrations need to be clear and simple, but they also need to have detail and depth.”

Picture books can also provide emotionally jarring plots written with rich vocabulary, which are mistakenly thought to exist primarily in chapter books.  The first link under my blogroll to the right will take you to a list of suggested picture books, and remember to visit the library for access to these titles to avoid costly purchases.  And…for those of you with electronic gadgets, picture books can also be downloaded to your reading device.

5 Finger Test

In an Educational Leadership article, author and literacy expert Pam Allyn, who has worked for ten years at a New York City residential school for foster children, suggests ways to get reluctant readers to read. Here are a few of her ideas:

• Offer a range of materials. “Students may be reluctant readers not because they lack basic skills, but because they haven’t been exposed to materials suited to their interests, ability, and temperament,” says Allyn. Search far and wide – websites, catalogues, friends and family, librarians – for books, graphic novels, and other texts that will hook your child.

• Let readers read at their comfort level. It’s important to assess children’s independent reading level and guide them toward “just right” texts – as well as those a little lower and a little higher to build fluency and skills. “Students should never be locked into one level,” says Allyn.

Parents, if you’re not sure about this one, look at the “5 Finger Test” inserted above for selecting “just right” books.

• Value browsing and rereading. These are legitimate activities for all readers. Rereading builds comprehension because people read differently every time they come back to a text. It’s also fun to read the same story by different authors.

• Remember,  joy matters. “Most reluctant readers have experienced a great deal of anxiety and stress around reading in their lives,” says Allyn. “Let’s create a world for all readers that’s full of the joy of discovery, imagination, and information. The only way to do this is to make the world come alive with stories students will love and texts that connect to their passions.”

Kindergarten is such an anticipated event for families.  This is where formal education begins and parents want assurance that their keiki is academically on track.  Included below are four kindergarten reading milestones shared by www.pbs.org:

1.  By the end of kindergarten, most children can recognize and write upper and lower case letters. Most can tell you that a B says “b” and recite a list of words that begin with B.  Learning consonant sounds are typically easier than vowel sounds because it’s sometimes challenging to hear the small differences among some of the vowels.

2.  Most kindergarteners can read some words and simple books. Many children are able to read words they see, “stop”, “exit”,  and frequently use in their speech, “Mom”, “love”, “the”. Some are able to word families such as “cat”, “hat”, and “sat”.  Most are comfortable reading books that are familiar and have words that are recognizable.

3.  Kindergarteners learn that writing goes from left to right. They become aware that we read to the end of a line and return to the left to read another line.  Also learned is the difference between a word and a letter, and that letters form words.

4.  Kindergarteners can understand more than just the plot of a story. They can explain why events happened, make predictions, and make personal connections to their own lives.

Attached are some reading tips parents can use at home with their kindergarteners.  Just click on the link below.  Remember, reading is hard work so if frustration settles in, it is definitely time to stop.

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Summertime is approaching! What a great time to slow down or cool off with a good book. These days’ books are available in hardcopy, on audio, or even on an eReader. Books in all formats are portable — and shareable! It’s fun to share books with a child, a class, and your family. A range of stories — fact and fiction — is suggested here to get you started. The first list includes titles appropriate for ages 3 to 6, and the second for ages 6 to 9.

They’re as diverse as the children who will read them and the adults who just might share them with children. Remember, good books share as well with a variety of ages, including grown-ups. So choose a book (or two or three…) and begin a summer adventure!

Select the list below that’s appropriate for you and get started!

Ages 3 to 6

Ages 6 to 9

Mahalo piha for visiting my blog throughout the year; I hope you found them to be helpful! Below are some suggestions for reading over summer break to prevent the dreaded “summer slump.” Research shows that if students do not read over summer break, they can lose up to 60% of their skills, hence the “summer slump.” Research also shows that reading as little as five books during the summer will keep those skills from falling.

12 Tips to Prevent “Summer Slump”

1. Get a library card to your local library and visit often!
2. Set aside reading time each day.
3. Read aloud to your child.
4. Choose reading material that is connected to summer activities.
5. Allow your child to choose reading materials. (Make sure it is the appropriate level)
6. Remember there is more to read than just books — magazines, newspapers, riddle or joke books, recipes, directions, etc.
7. Take books with you on trips.
8. Encourage writing as well.
9. Read a book then watch the movie.
10. Be sure not to use reading as a punishment.
11. Read books from different genres (mysteries, poems, historical fiction, biographies, non-fiction, etc.)
12. Be a reading role model.

Stay tuned for summer reading lists!

The attached parent tip was taken directly from the Reading Rockets website that I had featured on my blog last school year. It is a site that is worth visiting over and over again as it constantly updates information. I decided to feature second grade this time around as those keiki are heavily preparing for the third grade where reading fluency (the ability to read accurately, quickly, effortlessly, and with appropriate expression and meaning) is a targeted benchmark.

Just click on the link below (RR tips second) and an excerpt from Reading Rockets will appear on your screen providing parent tips to use at home.

Enjoy reading to your keiki!

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This YouTube clip is a humorous yet informing quick video of engaging activities you can do at home when reading to your child or when your child reads to you. The most important tip: Don’t fall asleep when your child is reading to you!