Reading and Writing Suggestion Box

I was thinking today that each parent who goes through the process of teaching their child how to read or how to write comes upon their own little golden nuggets of ideas that either have helped you to help your child improve, helped you deal with working with your child better, have come across ways to add fun to the process, etc. Or, you have come across things that make you think, "I'll never approach it this way again!" Sharing these golden nuggets with each other will help all of us to have a better experience, as well as the children we work with. So, I'm suggesting a "See abc's Suggestion Box." Any suggestions are welcome - not just using "See abc's."

I'll start with a suggestion for encouraging your children to read when they don't want to. You've heard the old adage, "Money Talks." Well, two of my students were balking at reading. One little girl who just turned four, only wanted to read four words a day from the blending book. She reads these beginning words very well, but in her mind, she thinks it is too hard. So, I filled my pocket with pennies and nickels and told her for each word she read, she would earn a penny. Well, she read 15 words with no complaint at all! We discussed money and she chose to exchange five of her pennies for a nickel. My other student, a five-year old who has just began Kindergarten, has had trouble concentrating on reading the sentences in the "Imletteration!" book. I told her for every sentence that she read and followed along with her finger, she would earn a penny. She earned 10 pennies, and stayed much more focused on what she was doing! She too, exchanged five for a nickle. Both of these children were very excited to add their coins to their "Piggy Banks." With children this young, a penny is a huge deal and it is rewarding for them to be able to earn it.

If you have a "suggestion" you would like to share, or a "caution" to give us, go to our "Contact Us" box on our website and let us know. On occasion we will share them here on our blog.

Here at the end of September, school is well under way. I hope all is going well!

Doreese