Reading at Home

Reading at Home

When we discussed reading accountability at the start of the school year I shared an infographic with students. It explained that reading for at least 20 minutes a day during the school year will expose them to over a million words. Exposure to words is how we all get better at reading. Vocabulary is key. Knowing the meaning of words allows us to comprehend what we read. Knowing strategies for figuring out unknown words while we read is also a skill good readers possess.

So the simplest way to become a better reader is to practice it. Just like any other skill. Professional football players still show up to practice because even they can become better at their game. I shared an example with the kids Monday that even really good readers still need to look up unknown words. When I read Wonder I had never heard the word precept before; I understood the concept from the story but had never known the meaning of the word.  Once I looked it up I realized that my understanding was slightly off and with the true meaning I understood the author’s intent more clearly.

Reading at home is an important practice for students. The best way to get better at reading is to read.

Reading at home is not the only way to help increase reading skills. Here are a few activities to practice with reading, as well as a few websites and apps that can help.

Depth of Knowledge

The simplest comprehension questions ask us to recall important facts. If we can read something and then share the important parts then we have successfully comprehended the story. However, students often struggle to determine what’s important and what’s just part of the story. Characters and their actions that move the story forward are important. If a character stops to buy candy at the gas station it could be to show us that they have a sweet tooth, or share insight to the setting, or to have them interact with another important character. If they simply stop to buy candy and move on then there isn’t much important in that. However, students who connect to behaving similarily can feel like it should be important when it’s not.

Ask your child to recall the important parts of the story from the chapter or section that they just read. If it sounds like it may not be important to the overall story probe them for why they feel that was an important part. If they can defend it to show significance this is great practice for comprehension.

Being able to articulate why a character made a decision or acted in the way they did helps students see the big picture.

Vocabulary

If students are reading out loud and stumble on a word saying it for them is good. But then ask if they know what it means. Sometimes we just need to hear a word in order to recognize it; making exposure to words such a vital part of becoming a better reader. If they can’t tell you the meaning ask them if the context around the word can help them figure it out. Still unsure or can’t figure it out? Looking the word up in the dictionary is necessary.  Find a place in the house where you can write these words so your child will see them daily that can also help. It takes several times seeing a word and thinking about what it means before we add it to long-term memory.

A few websites that are good for simple word practice include:

FreeRice.com

Vocabulary.com *also has an app called PowerVocab

There are also several phone apps that are free word games. Any word game that is not just spelling words will help increase vocabulary. One that is great for middle school is called The World’s Worst Pet. It’s a strange name for an app, but it has helpful games to learn new words. You can also choose the level of words and increase as kids gain more knowledge.

Reading Websites

There are several websites that provide reading practice for kids whether they are in a classroom or at home. Often they require a login and have paid versions, but they also usually allow for free features as well. Here are some of my favorite sites:

ReadWorks.org is geared towards teachers, but their Article-A-Day option is great for at home.

FunBrain.com is another great site with books online and games for students to practice reading skills.

LearnOutLoud.com is a great place to find free audiobooks. Titles are mostly classic books, but those can be very exciting. When listening to an audiobook it is always best to have the physical book to look at while listening. This helps kids engage with vocabulary.

 

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