HPCS Parent Workshop #2 Learning to Talk to Your Child About Their Reading

Transcription

1 HPCS Parent Workshop #2 Learning to Talk to Your Child About Their Reading Presented by: Mrs. Grate, Literacy Coach December 12th, 2015

2 Turn and Talk: Take a minute and share with the person next to you the most pivotal reading moment of your childhood. Why do you remember it so well? How did it change you?

3 Myth #1: I have to read the book in order to have a conversation about it with my child. There are ways you can talk to your child about a book that you haven t read by simply asking them open-ended questions. If they aren t able to articulate the answers clearly to where you can understand them without reading the book, then the book they are reading is too hard for them and they need to find a book with a lower Lexile Level. *It s just like talking about a movie or a TV show with them! Same rules apply!

4 Suggestions for open-ended questions that spark a deeper conversation: Tell me about the characters in the book. Are any like me? Why? Are any like you? Why? What lessons about life are you learning from this book and why? What challenge is the character facing right now? Have you ever faced a similar challenge? How did handle it? What was the most intense scene in the book? Why? If it were a movie on the big screen what CGI effects would you add? Why? If you wanted to write a sequel, what would happen next and why?

5 Myth #2: I don t like reading so I can t really help my child read better. Fake it until you make it! Research has shown that one of the greatest factors in a child s ability to read is how their parents talk about reading. Have you shared with your child one positive experience you had with a book growing up or do you talk about how reading wasn t for you? What you say matters. It sends a message. What you don t say matters too.

6 Myth #3: I don t speak English so I can t really help my child because he/she is reading books in English in school. Reading in ANY language will help improve your child s literacy. Students who read in their home language are 47% more likely to pick up reading in a second language within a year. There is extensive research showing there is an increased level of transfer. Students who read in two languages overtime show higher academic gains and higher levels of self-efficacy.

7 Myth #4: Reading aloud to your kid is only effective in elementary school. Now they should be reading for themselves. Reading aloud is ALWAYS effective and making time for it, even in middle school, will ensure your child continues to develop as readers. Studies have shown that when reading allowed to kids decreases, there is a direct decrease in the level of reading they do in general. Usually parents stop reading to their kids around the age they start middle school. This is a mistake.

8 What to do if you feel uncomfortable reading aloud? Audiobooks are there to rescue you! Where can I get audiobooks? Audible.com (First 3 are free!) Brooklyn Public Library (free downloads of audiobooks) Buy from amazon.com

9 Myth #5: Children in middle school should be reading entire novels and I don t have time to read an entire novel with my child because my schedule is too busy. Any reading is reading! And reading together is bonding together! You can read: Poems, articles you find interesting from magazines or from facebook, blogs, short stories, single chapters, you name it. Even Reading together 10 minutes a day will change their reading levels over the course of the year!

10 Let s see a reading conference in action: This is with a teacher. Yours will be less formal but you can use the same format:

11 Conference Protocol Step 1: Ask them what they are working on. What are their goals in reading? Ask how can you help? Step 2: Talk about what they are working on with their text. What strategies are they using? Is there an example of this? Step 3: Ask a question or provide a tip. (Think about what you do as a reader that works for you) Step 4: Read a bit and try it out. Step 5: Set goals for next time.

12 Competition We are looking for videos of our parents and our students reading and talking about books together so we can share them within our community. Create a video (up to 10 minutes in length) where you and your child are reading and discussing a book. Please it to mgrate@highlandparkschool.org.

13 Reading is Social! Here s what it looks like in a classroom.

14 Let s try it out with you and your child! Choose a text from the book Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul I Try to Remember Parent s Love Somebody Should Have Taught Him

15 Upcoming Workshops Monitoring Your Students Progress & Grades Through Google Drive and Pupil Path Monday, February 1st, :30pm Saturday, February 6th, :30 am

16 Further Reading (If you re interested) What Parents Can Gain From Learning the Science of Talking to Kids 10 Things You Can Do to Raise a Reader