Please take the time to sit down and read with your child. It is very evident who practices at home and who does not. Those who do practice at home progress faster and are much more confident readers in the classroom. Reading with your child should be a pleasant, fun time that you and your child both look forward to. To help make this a more rewarding time for both of you, read the list below to help you with reading homework.

1. Study Vocabulary – Students should be able to identify each word, clap out syllables and be familiar with the word definition as provided on a list sent home to you. Have them find the vocabulary words in their story, let them tell you how they are used. Write the words on index cards if you need to and play games with them. Students will be tested on vocabulary each week and at the end of each reading unit. Please let me know if you lose the vocabulary list so I can send another home.

2. Reading the Story - Read some parts of the story with your child. Let them hear you read with expression and smoothness. Many 2^nd graders tend to read robot style. I encourage them to read happy (with expression) instead. You can alternate paragraphs or pages when reading. Sometimes it also helps to break the story up. For example, read part of before supper and the rest of it after supper. The last day the story is assigned your child should be able to read it alone.

3. Comprehension - After each page or couple of pages ask your child about information found on those pages. Many 2^nd graders can read well but then cannot tell you anything they have just read. This is a big portion of a reading grade; it is not just how students read aloud.

4. Make a List of Missed Words – As your child reads stories, make a list of words that they miss. Go back and study these words with your child before reading the stories again. After 3 days on the same story, they should know all the words in the story.

5. Record your Child – Many times as our children read, they do not actually hear themselves reading. They do not recognize how choppy, slow, or monotone they read. Have your children record their story on a tape recorder, then let them go back and listen. In most cases, you will see surprise on their faces and a comment like "I didn’t know I sounded that way”.

If reading homework is a horrible time for you and your child, please let me know. We can set up a plan for you and your child to make it more positive and enjoyable. I want your child to love reading, not hate it. These are just a few tips for you. Again, if you have questions or need some support, please let me know.