Author: Stearns, Jessica

Vocabulary Development and Word Study

Notice street and store signs and talk about what they mean.
Do crossword puzzles or word searches with your child.
Play word games such as Scattergories, Hagnman, or Scrabble.
Read a challenging book aloud to your child.
Have your child write spelling words on a flat surface in shaving cream or pudding.

Motivate Your Child to Read!
Allow your child to choose a book that interests him or her
Help your child choose a book on his/her reading level using the “Five Finger Rule” (Flip to a random page and read it. For every word your child doesn’t know, put a finger up. If at the end of the page only two or three fingers are up, it’s a good fit!).
Set a specific amount of time (ex: 15 minutes) as “Family Reading Time” every day.
Visit the public library often!
Read books on an iPad or Kindle if available.
Try to read a book before its movie comes out so that you can compare the two!
Take turns reading stories aloud so that your child can listen to a story and listen to proper reading fluency.

Family Reading Night

East Elementary

East Elementary

Strategies for Parents and Students
For Improving Reading, Writing, and Math Skills

Family Reading Night 2014

Tele: (724) 588-1173

Have your child think of alternative solution to a story’s problem.
Have your child predict what will happen next during a story.
Have your child change the ending to a story.
Have your child make a list of things that could never happen, things that might happen, and things that are sure to happen.
After watching a movie, let your child retell the movie from beginning to end in the correct order while using details.
As your child is reading, have them create their own movie in their mind or have them draw pictures of what’s happening in the story.
When reading together, after each page, ask “Who? What? Where? When? Why?” to see if they’re comprehending.

Reading Comprehension

Writing Skills
Encourage your child to keep a journal (for travel, family events, or feelings).
Encourage letter writing, pen pals, and thank you notes.
Suggest to your child to make a sequel to his/her favorite book or movie.
Have your child write a story, song, poem or article about a family event or vacation.
Have your child choose a picture in a magazine and write a declarative statement (There is a barn on the farm.), interrogative question (What animals live in the barn?), and an exclamatory sentence (There are baby chickens hatching in that barn!) about it.

Improving
Mathematics Skills
Have your child help measure ingredients for a recipe.
Let your child get the correct amount of money to pay for purchases at the store and allow them to calculate the change .
Ask your child to compare prices: “Which can of beans costs more? How much more?”
Allow your child to weigh the produce and calculate the price.
Draw a scale map of your home and plan an emergency escape route.

Play Dice: Each person rolls the dice and has to add, subtract, multiply, or divide the numbers.

East Elementary