Parents often ask how they can help their child at home. We are in a partnership in the education of your child. Below you will find some tips for things that you can do at home to support what we are doing at school in reading, writing and math while at home. Remember - - you're a teacher too!
READING
READ lots of books everyday with your child. Children love to hear their favorite stories over and over again. Your child will have the opportunity to check out a book from our school library each week. Nothing is more beneficial than a simple nightly ritual of sharing good stories together before bedtime. This cozy and interactive routine will do more to foster literacy than anything else.
Before Reading:
Do what is called “picture-walking” with books before you read them. Have your child use the pictures to talk his/her way through the book, and see if he/she can gather some of the meaning before you actually read it.
While Reading TO Your Child:
Make sure the child can see the pictures easily.
Use plenty of expression, reading in a natural speaking voice.
Encourage your child to predict what might happen next as the story develops.
As you read, point to each word, sliding your finger along the text. This teaches children how print works from top to bottom, and left to right.
When You’re Reading WITH Your Child:
Begin reading the story to your child at a speed your child is comfortable with. As you read, your child will begin to pick up on the pattern and read with you.
Encourage your child to point to each word, sliding a finger from word to word.
When Your Child Comes to a Difficult Word:
Have them look at the picture and ask what word would make sense.
Have them look at the beginning letter of the word and ask what word would make sense that begins with that sound?
Then ask them to try to reread the whole sentence again and see if you can think of a word that makes sense.
When Your Child is Reading:
Your child may need you to introduce the story by reading aloud initially. Once your child feels comfortable reading, enjoy listening to them read.
Try to hold back on correcting them as they are reading. It’s important that they feel they are succeeding.
Questions to Ask After Reading:
Can you retell the story in your own words?
Were there surprises?
What did you notice about or like best about the character?
What did you like about the ending?
Did this story remind you of an event in your own life?
WRITING
In kindergarten, your child is being immersed in print. We model the reading and writing process daily. Current research supports the idea that writing actually comes before reading in development. Children need encouragement for their approximations of writing, just as you gave them support when they learned to talk.
Encourage your child to write independently.
Though your child's first approximations of print may not be readable to you, it's important to encourage him/her and to ask what it says.
Sometimes s/he will attach a message, other times s/he will ask you what it says.
Write yourself notes and do so in the presence of your child.
Even when it's a grocery list, or a list of errands to run, make an effort to model this behavior in front of your child. S/he needs to see that reading and writing are useful tools. Children who have some sense of letters and phonics can assist in making these lists.
Help your child make books.
Simple books made of computer or notebook paper are great. Staple them together. Your child illustrates and you can help him/her spell the words. Any topic is great! Some examples are: ABC books, a category book (red things, big things, etc.) or a special event book.
Play letter games with your child.
Write letters on his/her back and see if they can guess. Give him/her clues to help (It starts like "soup").
Encourage early handwriting habits.
When your child is writing at home, re-emphasize the importance of good writing posture, the correct pencil grip and proper letter formation.
Provide your child with a "creative box" for writing.
Supplies include paper, pencil, a small pencil sharpener, scissors, crayons, markers, a stapler, construction paper and glue.
Have your child write a letter or make a card for a friend or family member.
MATH
• Count EVERYTHING!
• Find how many bites it takes to eat an apple or a cookie.
• Find how many things at home are shaped like a square, a circle, or a triangle.
• Find how many shoes are in your (or anyone else’s) closet
• Find how many stairs are in your house.
• Find how many floors are in your house or apartment building.
• Find how many rooms are in your house or apartment.
• Find how many pairs of socks are in your sock drawer.
• Find how many books are on your bookshelf.
• Find how many clocks are in your home.
• Find how many of your own feet it takes to cross your bedroom (heel to toe).
• Set the table, counting out places, flatware, plates, napkins and cups.
• Sort the silverware drawer.
• Sort and fold socks.
• Sort interesting objects like small change, shells, rocks or buttons.
• Count anything, such as coins, stairs, colors, or cars on a train.
• Read numbers on houses and elevators.
• Read price tags while grocery shopping.
• Talk about the shapes you notice at home, while driving, and in nature.
• Count the sides and corners of shapes you see.
• Make shapes using toothpicks, blocks, or other small objects.
• Weigh family members.
• Weigh meats, vegetables, packages and cans.
MORE WAYS TO PRACTICE SIGHT WORDS:
1. Rainbow Words: Using a crayon write a sight word once then trace over the word several times using a
different color each time.
2. Make a poster, mobile or creative display using the words.
3. Fill a cookie sheet with sugar, salt or sand. Write sight words using your finger. Shake the tray gently to
“erase” the words.
4. Write sight words in the bathtub using shaving cream.
5. Use magnetic letters on the fridge or a cookie sheet to make each word.
6. Write the words on construction paper, cut into individual letters, mix up the letters then put them back
together to spell the word.
7. Try to make sentences using just sight words.
8. Make a Bingo game using sight words.
9. Write the words on the sidewalk with chalk or water and a paintbrush.
10. Clap and change the words. (are = A*clap R*clap E*clap)
11. Search for sight words in magazines. Cut them out, glue onto construction paper.
12. Make sight words using play dough or clay.
13. Type words on the computer. Print and read to a friend.
14. Create a word search.
15. Write the words on a chalkboard or dry erase board. If using a chalkboard, write the word using water and
your finger then ‘erase’ using a damp sponge.
16. Make up a story with an adult. Type it on the computer then go back and underline all the sight words.
17. Arrange sight word cards in a row. Begin with a whisper then slowly say each word a little bit louder as you
go along. Repeat going from loud to soft.
18. Play Memory with sight words. Make two sets of sight word cards, cut them out, mix them up turn them
face down. Take turns flipping them over two at a time trying to find pairs.
19. Read each word in a different voice. (Robot, squeaky voice, whisper voice, animal voice, etc.)
20. Play SWAT! Lay out all the sight word cards, Take turns being the person to call the words while the other
person swats the word called with a fly swatter.
21. Turn off the lights. Play flashlight sight words. Take turns reading the card the flashlight shines on.
22. Be creative! Come up with your own fun way to practice your sight words.
READING
READ lots of books everyday with your child. Children love to hear their favorite stories over and over again. Your child will have the opportunity to check out a book from our school library each week. Nothing is more beneficial than a simple nightly ritual of sharing good stories together before bedtime. This cozy and interactive routine will do more to foster literacy than anything else.
Before Reading:
Do what is called “picture-walking” with books before you read them. Have your child use the pictures to talk his/her way through the book, and see if he/she can gather some of the meaning before you actually read it.
While Reading TO Your Child:
Make sure the child can see the pictures easily.
Use plenty of expression, reading in a natural speaking voice.
Encourage your child to predict what might happen next as the story develops.
As you read, point to each word, sliding your finger along the text. This teaches children how print works from top to bottom, and left to right.
When You’re Reading WITH Your Child:
Begin reading the story to your child at a speed your child is comfortable with. As you read, your child will begin to pick up on the pattern and read with you.
Encourage your child to point to each word, sliding a finger from word to word.
When Your Child Comes to a Difficult Word:
Have them look at the picture and ask what word would make sense.
Have them look at the beginning letter of the word and ask what word would make sense that begins with that sound?
Then ask them to try to reread the whole sentence again and see if you can think of a word that makes sense.
When Your Child is Reading:
Your child may need you to introduce the story by reading aloud initially. Once your child feels comfortable reading, enjoy listening to them read.
Try to hold back on correcting them as they are reading. It’s important that they feel they are succeeding.
Questions to Ask After Reading:
Can you retell the story in your own words?
Were there surprises?
What did you notice about or like best about the character?
What did you like about the ending?
Did this story remind you of an event in your own life?
WRITING
In kindergarten, your child is being immersed in print. We model the reading and writing process daily. Current research supports the idea that writing actually comes before reading in development. Children need encouragement for their approximations of writing, just as you gave them support when they learned to talk.
Encourage your child to write independently.
Though your child's first approximations of print may not be readable to you, it's important to encourage him/her and to ask what it says.
Sometimes s/he will attach a message, other times s/he will ask you what it says.
Write yourself notes and do so in the presence of your child.
Even when it's a grocery list, or a list of errands to run, make an effort to model this behavior in front of your child. S/he needs to see that reading and writing are useful tools. Children who have some sense of letters and phonics can assist in making these lists.
Help your child make books.
Simple books made of computer or notebook paper are great. Staple them together. Your child illustrates and you can help him/her spell the words. Any topic is great! Some examples are: ABC books, a category book (red things, big things, etc.) or a special event book.
Play letter games with your child.
Write letters on his/her back and see if they can guess. Give him/her clues to help (It starts like "soup").
Encourage early handwriting habits.
When your child is writing at home, re-emphasize the importance of good writing posture, the correct pencil grip and proper letter formation.
Provide your child with a "creative box" for writing.
Supplies include paper, pencil, a small pencil sharpener, scissors, crayons, markers, a stapler, construction paper and glue.
Have your child write a letter or make a card for a friend or family member.
MATH
• Count EVERYTHING!
• Find how many bites it takes to eat an apple or a cookie.
• Find how many things at home are shaped like a square, a circle, or a triangle.
• Find how many shoes are in your (or anyone else’s) closet
• Find how many stairs are in your house.
• Find how many floors are in your house or apartment building.
• Find how many rooms are in your house or apartment.
• Find how many pairs of socks are in your sock drawer.
• Find how many books are on your bookshelf.
• Find how many clocks are in your home.
• Find how many of your own feet it takes to cross your bedroom (heel to toe).
• Set the table, counting out places, flatware, plates, napkins and cups.
• Sort the silverware drawer.
• Sort and fold socks.
• Sort interesting objects like small change, shells, rocks or buttons.
• Count anything, such as coins, stairs, colors, or cars on a train.
• Read numbers on houses and elevators.
• Read price tags while grocery shopping.
• Talk about the shapes you notice at home, while driving, and in nature.
• Count the sides and corners of shapes you see.
• Make shapes using toothpicks, blocks, or other small objects.
• Weigh family members.
• Weigh meats, vegetables, packages and cans.
MORE WAYS TO PRACTICE SIGHT WORDS:
1. Rainbow Words: Using a crayon write a sight word once then trace over the word several times using a
different color each time.
2. Make a poster, mobile or creative display using the words.
3. Fill a cookie sheet with sugar, salt or sand. Write sight words using your finger. Shake the tray gently to
“erase” the words.
4. Write sight words in the bathtub using shaving cream.
5. Use magnetic letters on the fridge or a cookie sheet to make each word.
6. Write the words on construction paper, cut into individual letters, mix up the letters then put them back
together to spell the word.
7. Try to make sentences using just sight words.
8. Make a Bingo game using sight words.
9. Write the words on the sidewalk with chalk or water and a paintbrush.
10. Clap and change the words. (are = A*clap R*clap E*clap)
11. Search for sight words in magazines. Cut them out, glue onto construction paper.
12. Make sight words using play dough or clay.
13. Type words on the computer. Print and read to a friend.
14. Create a word search.
15. Write the words on a chalkboard or dry erase board. If using a chalkboard, write the word using water and
your finger then ‘erase’ using a damp sponge.
16. Make up a story with an adult. Type it on the computer then go back and underline all the sight words.
17. Arrange sight word cards in a row. Begin with a whisper then slowly say each word a little bit louder as you
go along. Repeat going from loud to soft.
18. Play Memory with sight words. Make two sets of sight word cards, cut them out, mix them up turn them
face down. Take turns flipping them over two at a time trying to find pairs.
19. Read each word in a different voice. (Robot, squeaky voice, whisper voice, animal voice, etc.)
20. Play SWAT! Lay out all the sight word cards, Take turns being the person to call the words while the other
person swats the word called with a fly swatter.
21. Turn off the lights. Play flashlight sight words. Take turns reading the card the flashlight shines on.
22. Be creative! Come up with your own fun way to practice your sight words.