School notes 1-23-21

Posted

Madison 2-3 Center
Have you ever wondered what difference reading with your child each night makes?  Even during these unpredictable times, reading can provide children a sense of routine, comfort, and an escape.

The article, “Why Can’t I Skip My 20 Minutes of Reading Tonight?” states, “Student ‘A’ reads 20 minutes each day, 3,600 minutes a school year.   Student ‘B’ reads 5 minutes each day, 900 minutes in a school year.  Student ‘C’ reads 1 minute each day, 180 minutes in a school year. 

By the end of sixth grade, Student ‘A’ will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days.  Student ‘B’ will have read only 12 school days.  Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary? Which student would be more successful in school … and in life?” (Nagy & Herman, 1987).

It’s never too late to make a New Year’s resolution to READ daily with your child.

• Read and retell all kinds of literature for comprehension.
• Encourage your child to read “good fit” books. Have them read the second page for you and look for five or fewer errors to avoid frustration, while encouraging independence in reading.
• Ask and answer a variety of questions to further the understanding of the text.

• Decode unknown words by using the known sounds.

With your encouragement and daily reading, your child will become a lifelong learner and develop skills for success.

Submitted by Stacey Westby, second-grade Special Educator, and Barbara Myhre, third grade Special Educator