Time For A Book
How:
Take time to read to your kids and with your kids every day. Have your children read to you, to a sibling, to a pet, or to a stuffed animal. Reading as a beginner reader looks differently. Have students use pictures to describe what is happening, have them retell the story after you have read them a book, use puppets, stuffed animals, story stones to create new stories. Most importantly, take time to talk with your kids about what they are learning about. Help them make connections to themselves, other books, and the world.
Conversations During Book Reading
OWL
Observe:
what your child reacts to
what interests them
Wait:
Stop speaking
Look expectantly at your child
Listen:
Pay attention to what your child is telling you (verbally and non-verbally)
Follow Your Child’s Lead
Respond to your child’s interactions (verbally and non-verbally)
Let them set the pace
Talk about pictures that interest your child
Other Resources
Living Sky School Division Digital Library Overdrive: Go to your school’s website. Under Library click on the Overdrive icon. Enter user name (firstname.lastname) password is the same as school computer log in. Use search engine to locate titles.
Starfall – reading and math activities (PK-3)
Imagination Tree – activities and resources (PK-K)
Why:
Daily reading enhances students’ literacy skills and helps them understand themselves and the world around them. When you pause during book reading to talk about the story and what interests your child, you provide them with lots of opportunities to think and talk about the story, which builds comprehension and oral language skills.