| School's out! time to relax, sleep late and enjoy. | | | | teacher's list of words or click on the link below for a |
| Unfortunately it may be time for the "summer slide." | | | | list of basic sight words. Make flashcards with one |
| Your child just spent the whole academic year, | | | | word on each card. Give your child about 7 cards to |
| improving his reading - skills or polishing her writing | | | | practice the first week. Every day, ask your child to |
| methods. A few months not using all that hard work | | | | read words. Every time he reads the word correctly, |
| could be down the drain. Don't let this happen to | | | | try opening in the cards. Add a new card when your |
| your child this summer. Keep him or her participation | | | | child's flashcards are beginning to look "Swiss cheese. |
| in some educational activities. He doesn't have | | | | "Being a friend. If your child has younger brothers and |
| bedrudgery; it can be a lot of fun! | | | | sisters, cousins, friends or neighbors, to enable it to |
| Fabulous Fun with Reading: start a book group. If | | | | be a friend and teacher. Reading the youngest child |
| your child likes to read, or especially if it doesn't, to | | | | will have to increase her confidence and help her to |
| collect your child and some of his friends and start a | | | | improve her fluency and expression, as she read |
| book group. must choose a theme - something that | | | | aloud. She'll also get experience the joys of sharing |
| really cares about their children. Then, you can help | | | | books and her ability with little friend. |
| them choose the appropriate book. Looking for | | | | Wow'Em with the input: the beginning of summer |
| activities, crafts, snacks, and games that are relevant | | | | magazine. Encourage your child to write every day, a |
| to the topic. At weekly meetings and watch your | | | | few suggestions of his adventures. Includes |
| child's love of reading grow right along with his | | | | photographs and drawings. Give him a target for his |
| reading skills. Planning weekly library trips. Make it | | | | writing, giving him the opportunity to share their |
| point visit your local library every week. Get a cool | | | | writing with a friend or family member if it is |
| bag for your child and encourage her fill it with the | | | | convenient to do so. |
| books on each visit. Keep books in a bag, so that | | | | Contact. Writing letters and postcards are a great |
| they are Don't get mixed in with your child's personal | | | | way to develop skills. Your child can write her |
| collection. Read books to your child or with your child | | | | summer fun for family and friends. Get the answers |
| and let your child read you, younger brothers and | | | | would also keep her happy reading. Sidewalk of the |
| sisters and even her stuffed animals! | | | | author. associate these vocabulary words mentioned |
| Choose a theme any topic! children in primary school | | | | above, for your child's, skills. Once your child has |
| may indeed be motivated by the subject. If your | | | | learned to read the word, have him learn to spell |
| child likes pirates find so many books about pirates, | | | | them as well. Take a bucket of chalk outside and |
| as you can. It's, well, if some of the books that are | | | | that he should write the words on the sidewalk or |
| too difficult, you can read those for your child. | | | | driveway. Play hopscotch with a different word in |
| However, rest assured that most of the books in | | | | each space. Have your child read every word, as he |
| your child's independent reading level. On some easy | | | | jumps box field. ABCs of summer. Create a note |
| ones, too, to increase your child's confidence. Being a | | | | from one page to each letter of the alphabet. Have |
| word detective. If your child needs help, make it look | | | | your child write the word (for younger children) or |
| a word dictionary (key words should be aware of | | | | sentences (for older children) for each letter that |
| your child "at a glance"), choose a few words each | | | | describes her summer fun. Photographs and |
| week will be your words of special jackpot. Every | | | | illustrations, to make a great bar. Don't forget to add |
| time your child reads, have her specifically look for | | | | captions to your images. |
| these words. Funny song or the mood or dance, do | | | | Any activity you choose to do with your child this |
| every time you find these words. You can even use | | | | summer, be sure to read and write are part of every |
| markers and look for these words in magazines, | | | | day. As the summer draws to a close, your child will |
| sensitive kid. Before you know it, she'll building | | | | be ready the new academic year. As an added |
| vocabulary that easy! | | | | bonus, your child will see the importance of the |
| Swiss cheese please! This method will also help with | | | | natural - and more importantly, the pleasure - reading |
| the development of vocabulary. Ask your child's | | | | and writing in everyday life. |