It's our 7th year to host a Summer Reading Academy at Pleasant Ridge Elementary School. This year we had two groups-K-1 & 2-3. Our focus for each group was phonics, fluency and comprehension.
Phonics is a predicable relationship between sounds and letters. Working on the "phonics rules" of reading assists students in decoding efforts.
Fluency
is the ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with expression. It helps students create a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.
Comprehension
is understanding what we read. It's the reason for reading.
Students became excited and enthusiastic about reading when they had the opportunity to participate in Readers Theatre. The Readers Theatre format provides a chance for students to develop fluency through multiple readings of the text by using expressiveness, intonation, and inflection when rehearsing the text. Each week we worked on multiple Readers Theatre scripts and performed them for each other.
Technology
played an important role in our Summer Reading Academy. Each group spent 25 minutes in the computer lab working on reading skills. K/1 students utilized several web sites that worked on early reading skills. 2/3 students worked on skills using the Virtual Prescriptive Learning (VPL) program. VPL is aligned with Kansas State Standards and gives students a diagnostic/prescriptive curriculum to work on.
Each day included healthy snacks along with some fun & games!
How can a parent help their child with reading skills over the summer break?
• Provide support
• Read and have your child read - get them thinking and talking
• Help them find interesting sources of reading
• Visit the library and other places - give them background knowledge
• Don't make reading time at home a chore: be positive - "Now we get to read" instead of "You have to get your reading done."
• Read, read, read…
• Enjoy the summer break! See you in August…….
