Home Reading Program

I love to read books! Do you? My hope for your child is that he or she learns to enjoy reading as much as you and I do. To support this goal, we will begin our Home Reading Program. This will be in addition to the language instruction provided during Daily 5 and CAFÉ within the school day.

The purpose for reading at home will be for pleasure. I want the children to read books of interest to them. Plus, I want you to be able to share in their excitement of reading.

Here is the plan:

Students will choose a book to bring home to read to you from their “book basket”. This book will be in a plastic baggie labeled “Take-Home Book Bag.” Please add the book title to the enclosed recording sheet and return it as soon as you have had a chance at read it at home. Each time your child returns a book, an opportunity to choose a new book will occur.

• Sometimes your child will bring a book home that may seem too easy. That’s okay; it’s a perfect opportunity to work on fluency. This includes practicing reading with ease, expression and correct pacing. Often books at a child’s independent level help them develop confidence in themselves as a reader.

• Sometimes your child may bring home a book at their instructional level. They may need a bit of help figuring out unknown words. Have them “stretch” words into individual sounds, but not so many that they become frustrated. It is okay for them to read the words they know and want to try and you fill in the rest. Remember this is supposed to be pleasurable.

• Sometimes they may bring a book home that is clearly above their reading level. Here is an opportunity for them to read the pictures. This kind of reading helps students focus on details, put thoughts together in sentences and interact with books with complex story lines.

Remember, our primary goal
is for your child to enjoy reading!