Reading

 Change of structure for our reading the last nine weeks of school.

I have been talking with other teachers and parents about what would be best for students to prepare for reading next year. We were able to take the STAR Reading assessment this week; this assessment gives your child a reading level and I am able to use that level to set a point goal for them in Renaissance Learning. I have attached a copy of your child’s results on that assessment to this note with their grade level equivalency.

Renaissance (formerly AR) is a program that lets students take comprehension quizzes over books they read. They earn points based on how they did and what the book is worth.

Students have a reading level that they read within and a goal that they must reach by the end of the quarter. I am sending home their first library book today. If they are ready for a test Monday morning, please sign the paper in their folder and we will have them take the test. We will record their score. They will get a new book every time they take a test. They can earn points every day, if they read each night and take a test each day. This is going to be up to them to take the initiative to reach their goals. Their goals are set to 35 minutes of nightly reading. This is our school expectation! Students should be reading with an adult. They should read the majority of the words with parents helping for the harder words. We are choosing books within their reading level. The more they practice the better they will get. It is my suggestion that the student read the book the first time with the parent helping them sound out the words; we have found that if the parent reads the book to the child first that the child memorizes the story and does not have to do the decoding, or sounding out, of the words. Our goal is to increase their ability to sound out words and increase their fluency. It is ok to go back and reread the story with your child a second time with you reading the story to them for comprehension; however, I strongly suggest them doing the majority of the work - this is ultimately what makes them a better reader! 

The paper needs to be signed in their baggie in order for them to take a test. If they say they are ready, but the paper is not signed, I will not have them test. I am attaching the Renaissance login information so that you will get an email every time they test with what they scored.  You will need to login and sign up to have the emails sent to you, they do not automatically come to you, but once you sign up you should not have to subscribe again.

We will still have a phonics reader (black and white paper books) that is due on Friday. We practice these at school also, so reading this book should only take 5-10 minutes each night.

Student:__________________________________

Reading Level:__________________

Reading Goal:__________________

Books are worth a half point. I suggest a minimum of two books a week.

From this point forward, students will have the following nightly homework:

Sight words

Phonics reader

Library book