Literacy goals

Help your child read and write with confidence through praise and motivation!

• Reading has become fluent and smooth.
• Can actively read the author's message as evident through expressive reading while reading aloud and through expressions while reading silently for meaning.
• Reads for meaning, understanding and learning.
• Reads widely on topics of interest.
• Is able to monitors self when reading and applies appropriate strategies when comprehension breaks down.

Communication

• Expanding vocabulary.
• Use of language rules in speaking and writing.
• Uses common letter patterns and letter-sound relationships when spelling.
• Monitors own work for errors.

Tips, Activities and Strategies

• Allow your child to pick out his own books.
• Correct reading errors only when he asks for assistance.
• Be understanding if he becomes bored.
• Have book talks about favorite authors, illustrators, and characters.
• Encourage your child to keep his own journal. This can be either private or a dialogue between the two of you.

If your child miscues while reading and the reading still makes sense, don't worry about it!
Correct reading errors only when he asks for assistance.
If the mistake doesn't make good sense, wait to see if your reader hears the mistake and fixes it independently.

Key phrases to use with a miscue:

1. "Let's try that again."
2. " Did that sound right or make sense?"
3. " Did what you read look right and sound right?"

If your child gets stuck:

Wait to see if the can figure it out on their own.
Encourage the reader to:

1. Try that again.
2. Look at the pictures.
3. Think about what would make sense.
4. Read the sentence again and substitute a new word for the tricky word.
5. Search the sentence before and after
6. Say the first letter and skip it.
7. Sound out the chunks.
8. Tell him the word.
   

What to look for when choosing books for your child

Books should be challenging but not frustrating

• Text that is easy to see and read. (Text will begin to get smaller and be at various locations on the page).
• Text will also include maps, graphs, charts, and lists.
• Stories with that begin to develop characters and plots.
• Favorite authors, characters and themes.

Read from various genres including:

• Non-fiction, books about
• Folk tales
• Poetry
• Fictional books that contain elements of fantasy.
• Historical fiction.

Recommended Reading for Second Grade (Ages 7-8)

1. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
2. Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
3. Your Are Special by Max Lucado
4. Empty Pot by Demi
5. Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel