Read with your child, Read to your child, Listen to your child read...Just please read! Reading at home daily is extremely important to your child's reading development. Students that I work with in grades 1-6 have a book bag that I sent home every night. In the primary grades, the books I send home have already been read with me in school. Rereading these books helps build confidence, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Students in the intermediate grades bring home books that have been carefully selected with your child to accommodate interest and manageability. Reading done at home should be recorded on the enclosed reading log. I typically don't give a written assignment, so that children are not overloaded with homework. My goal is to help them develop a love for reading not view it as more laborious work. I am trusting that what is recorded is truly happening at home. The kids are typically very honest with me. Kindergarteners do not typically take a book bag home from me, but reading together is just as important in K.
Letters and Sounds Practice letters and sounds 10-15 min a day until mastered. Be creative. Here are some great ways to learn letters/sounds!
There are 4 sight word lists that are expected to be mastered by the end of grade 3. By the end of Kindergarten, students should know at least the words on the 25 word list. By the end of grade 1, students should know around 150-175 words (25, 50, 100 word lists). By the end of grade 2 students should know 250-300 words and by the end of grade 3 all 375 words should be known. With that being said, we also know that children learn at different paces. Practicing sight words at home is beneficial. Your child's teacher (or myself if I work with your child) can give you a copy of what words have been mastered. As they learn one list you can move on to the next list, focusing on 5-10 words at a time. You can google various games and activities to help your child learn sight words in a fun way.