Ten Reasons to Read Aloud

1.     Kids hear new words.

2.     Develop sentence sense and an ear for rhythm.

3.     Hear standard forms of English.

4.     Enjoy and compare diverse writing styles.

5.     Develop a sense of story.

6.      See that reading is enjoyable.

7.     Use reading as a doorway to writing.

8.     Use reading as a springboard to discussion.

9.     Gain new knowledge and understanding.

10.It’s Fun!

System 44 News

May 

In May students will continue to work at their pace on the software.   We’ll review prefixes, suffixes, and roots.  They will continue to read 44 Library books to reinforce the skills they’re learning on software and practice comprehension skills.  Students should complete a 44 Library book each week.  Fourth and fifth graders should be reading at least 30 minutes a day at home.  Students with reading challenges need to read even more in an effort to close the gap between themselves and grade level peers.

February/March System 44

Students continue to progress at their own pace through the System 44 computer software with 20-25 minutes of our daily 90-minute block spent using the computer for instruction and practice.  

In whole group instruction we’ve been working on:

•      Writing complete sentences to answer open-ended questions.
•         Timed fluent reading.
•       Identifying and using prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
•       Identifying and using contractions.
•       Correctly writing titles.
•       Look. Spot. Split. Read.

Small group instruction varies according to individual needs but all students have been working on reading and writing sight words with speed and accuracy.  After administering the Basic Reading Inventory individually I realized the need to put more emphasis on fluency.  Students will reread from the Decodable Digest on a weekly basis and have their reading timed and evaluated. 

As students work to improve phonics and comprehension skills it is vital that they practice reading a minimum of 20 minutes daily at home.  Please help your child set aside independent reading time each day.

Mrs. Shields

Reading Specialist

Title 1/System 44 Teacher

Why Should You Encourage Your Child to Read?

Why Should You Encourage Your Child to Read at Least 20 Minutes a Day?

Do the Math . . .

	Bobby	Billy
Minutes per day	20 minutes	0-4 minutes
Minutes per week (5X a week)	100 minutes	20 minutes
Minutes per month	400 minutes	80 minutes
Minutes per school year	3600 minutes	720 minutes
Days per year	10 days	2 days
Kindergarten – 6th grade	60 days	12 days
Difference	+48 DAYS !!	12 days

Which student would you expect to…

·      read better?      

·      know more?

·      write better?

·      have a stronger vocabulary?

·      be more successful in school?  In life?

Raising a Reader

How do you raise a child to be an enthusiastic and consistent reader? TV, videogames, computers, and other modern distractions sometimes make it difficult for children to focus on reading. Here are some strategies that the diligent parent can use to help motivate a child to read.   These tips are from the PBS program Between the Lions at pbskids.org/lions.

·      Visit your local library often. Get your children their own library cards. Try a story hour or other free event at the library.

·      Check out the local bookstore or book section of a local store. A book or gift certificate always makes a terrific gift.
·      Let your child see you reading, whether it's the newspaper, a magazine, or the latest bestseller.
·      Create a library for your child of new or used books. Look for affordable books at yard sales, secondhand bookstores, and library book sales.

System 44 4th Graders

It's fun to read in Mrs. Steinhart's bathtub!

4th graders presented choral readings to other fourth grade classes in the media center before winter break.