Keep Up the Pace!

Keep up the Pace!

Summer is almost here!  It’s a great time to get outside, enjoy the weather, enjoy all of the fun activities in the summer,bike riding , swimming, baseball, soccer,fireworks, barbecues, and vacations.  Another fun activity for the summer is reading!  During the school year students have worked hard at reading and improving their reading skills.  Parents, you are your child’s first teacher.  You need to make sure that all of the hard work and growth that your child has made during the school year is not erased over the summer.  Most children need and want structure.  During the school year they are on a schedule.  That helps for them to know what is coming and what is expected of them.  Keeping track of what your child has read and for how long they have read is great incentive for them to see their progress.  Ask your children questions about what they are reading.  Questions like making predictions.  “What do you think the book will be about?”  “What do you think will happen to that character?”.  Talk about big unknown words and their meaning.  Make connections to the story.  “I remember how my dog acted when I was  a kid.”  Visualize the story. “Close your eyes and picture it in your head.”  “Can you feel the cool wind on your face?”  “ Can you hear the dog barking?”    After reading discuss if the child enjoyed the book. Would they recommend this book to friends?  Would they want to read another book by the same author?  Remember parents,  you are your child’s first teacher and it is up to you to continue their learning throughout the summer.  Keep up the pace and continue reading in your busy summer schedule!