Helping at Home Parents often ask me what they can do to help reinforce their child's learning at home. I think this is wonderful and I applaud your effort. Just believe me when I say that your support at home shows in the classroom. So I've come up with the following suggestions to aide you in continuing and reinforcing your child's learning while at home... remember, you're a teacher, too! Ideas for Reinforcing Reading at Home Ideas for Reinforcing Writing at Home Ideas for Reinforcing Math at Home 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 and as you know, the local public library is always available as well. 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 it 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. When you ‘re Reading to your Child: Make sure the child can see the pictures easily. Use plenty of expression, reading in a natural speaking voice. Encourage the child to predict what might happen next as the story develops. As you read, point to each word, sliding your finder 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 like best about the character? What did you like about the ending? Did the story remind you of any things that have happened to you? In Kindergarten, your child is being immersed in print. I 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. Through 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, he/she will attach a message, other times he/she 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. He/she 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. The child illustrates and you can help the child spell the words. Any topic is great! Some examples are: ABC books, a category book (red things, big things, wet things) or a special events book. Play letter games with your child: Write letters on his/her back, and see if your child can guess. Give him/her clues to help: It starts like “soup”. 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." Supplies include paper, scissors, crayons, markers, paint, erasers, stapler with staples, construction paper, glue, and pencils. Allow your child to write a letter to someone or make a greeting card for them. 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 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 numbers on the phone, TV, clocks and so on. Weigh family members. Weigh meats, vegetables, packages and cans.