Reading:
I can't stress enough the importance of reading outside of school. Outside reading gives your child a chance to practice the skills he/she has learned. Starting with just 10 minutes a night (increasing time as your child progresses) will make such a difference. Please encourage your child to read daily.
When doing the reading homework at night, read with your child. Alternate reading. For example, you read a sentence, your child reads a sentence. This will keep your struggling reader from becoming too frustrated. When you are finished reading, talk about what you have read. Ask questions like- Why do you think the author wrote this book? Is it to teach you something, entertain you, or to persuade you to do something? What type of person is the main character? Is the character helpful, trustworthy, a hard-worker, etc? Ask questions that make them think about what they have read. The best questions are the ones when your child will have to tell you why.
Spelling:
For some children spelling comes more easily than others. If your child is struggling with spelling, below are a few strategies that may help. Try a few of these and see which works best for your child.
- Write the words in shaving cream. When doing this make sure your child is saying the letters and words out loud.
- Put the spelling of the word to a rhythm or beat.
- Use hand movements or gestures and link them with the words. Make sure your child is using the same movements every time he/she spells that word.
- Find a way to spell the word where your child can see it, hear it, and feel it.
- Have your child write the words with his/her fingers on a rough surface: fine sand-paper or sand in a tray, both work well. They should do this with their eyes open then with their eyes closed. As they are writing the words with their eyes closed they should picture the word in their heads.
- Go outside. Let them practice the words with sidewalk chalk. Even have them spell the words while jumping rope. Link some type of active "play" activity with the spelling of the words.
- Break the words down into its syllables or into smaller parts. Learning the word in small parts may be easier than learning it as a whole. example together - to/get/her.
- Try writing the word parts in different colors. example- centuries.