Monday, August 22, 2016

Working Memory

What is working memory?

Working memory is the information you can consciously hold in your mind in any given moment. It is one aspect of executive function, a collection of the brain’s cognitive processes. The two other core executive functions are flexibility and self-control/self-regulation.
Having a strong working memory means you have the ability to retain fresh information long enough to do something with it. However, our working memory is limited by nature. This is why we find it so difficult to remember lengthy sentences and numbers with lots of digits, like phone numbers.
People with strong working memories find it easier to recall and manipulate information they hear without needing to write it down. For example, they can solve a math problem in their heads, remember driving directions they read several minutes earlier, and recall the names of each person in a group they’ve just met.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Helping Your Child with Reading and Writing

------Help Your Child Understand What He or She Reads-------
It is important that your child not only read the words in a text but also understand the meaning of what he or she is reading. You can help your child read with understanding by giving him or her assistance in using various comprehension strategies, such as these:

  • making connections to things he or she already knows 
  • creating mental pictures of what is happening in a story 
  • asking questions while reading 
  • determining important points
  •  reading “between the lines” 
  • synthesizing or summarizing information
  •  using strategies for figuring out difficult words
Here are suggestions for using some of these strategies with your child. 
Asking questions. Ask questions such as “Why is this happening?”,“What might happen next?”, or “Does this make sense?” Such questions help children make connections among various parts of a story.
Reading “between the lines”. Your child needs to learn to use information in the story, and from his or her own knowledge and experience, in order to make inferences – that is, to discover meaning that is not stated outright. This strategy of reading “between the lines” involves gathering clues and using them to “create” meaning.
Synthesizing and summarizing. Your child needs to learn to take all the information from his or her reading, summarize the important points, and then put it all together like the pieces of a puzzle.
Using strategies for figuring out difficult words. There are various strategies that your child can use to figure out a word he or she doesn’t know or a difficult word. If sounding out the word doesn’t work, encourage your child to: 
  • divide the word into smaller parts;
  • reread the words before and after the difficult word;
  • skip over the word for the moment and read on farther;
  • talk about what he or she has read so far to check understanding. 
If a mistake doesn’t affect the meaning, let it go. Allow your child time to figure out what a word might be or to recognize a mistake.

------------- Talk With Your Child-----------------

Research shows that listening and speaking to others are the foundation for developing reading and writing skills. Children often need to talk about their ideas before they can put them down on paper effectively. Here are some ways of encouraging your child to talk with you:
  • Have your child tell stories at special family events such as celebrations or holidays. 
  • Take turns sharing humorous family stories with your child.
  • Be positive and encourage your child to share his or her opinions and feelings.
  • Show interest in what your child is saying by being a good listener.
----------------Make Reading Enjoyable--------------------
You can help your child enjoy reading by helping him or her find interesting things to read. If your child enjoys reading, he or she is likely to read a lot and become a proficient reader. Here are some suggestions for encouraging your child to read:
  • Read with your child.Talk about what you are reading together – for example, compare characters in the story with people you both know. 
  • Make sure that you have books, magazines, and other reading materials on hand for long car rides or train trips.
  •  Browse together in libraries and book stores.
  •  Look at interactive CD-ROMs and the Internet as well as books.
  •  Encourage your child to look at the graphic features in reading materials, such as photos, illustrations, and charts.
  •  Help your child understand how they are used and what their purposes are. 
  • Access free resources on the Internet, such as Brand New Planet (at www.thestar.com/bnp).
  •  Consider getting a subscription to a children’s magazine on nature, sports, science, or another area that interests your child.
-----------------Encourage Your Child to Write------------------
Your child needs plenty of practice in writing for a variety of purposes. Here are some things you can do to encourage your child to write on a regular basis:
  • Make sure that your child sees you reading and writing – for example, rereading a letter as you write, preparing a grocery list, or keeping a journal while travelling.
  •  Look for opportunities for purposeful writing at home, and encourage your child to read and write letters, lists, messages, postcards, thank-you notes, and so on. 
  • Encourage your child to keep a scrapbook of family holidays and to write captions or brief descriptions underneath the photographs.
  • Provide interesting stationery, journals, pens, and stickers to encourage writing. 
  • Play various word games. 
  • Encourage your child to enter writing contests in local newspapers or to write “letters to the editor” on issues he or she feels strongly about.
  • Encourage your child to write letters to obtain free materials that are linked to his or her interests. Make writing an enjoyable, positive experience for your child.
Here are some questions that you could ask your child in order to encourage him or her to read critically: 
  • What is this book about?
  • Why are you interested in reading it?
  • What does the author of this book want us to know or think? 
  • Does he or she want us to believe something?
  • What does the author say about children, teenagers, and parents in this book?
  • Are all children like this? 
  • How has the author used words and images to communicate his or her message?
  • Are the opinions in this book fair? 
  • How do you feel about this book?
  •  What do you think the person who wrote this book is like?

Comprehension: 180 Days of Reading

180 Days of Reading-- Teacher Created Materials
Materials for K-5 in both Math and Reading

Build student's reading comprehension and word study skills using daily practice activities.
Great for after school, intervention, or homework, teachers and parents can help students gain regular practice through these quick, diagnostic-based activities that are correlated to College and Career Readiness and other state standards. Both fiction and nonfiction reading passages are provided as well as data-driven assessment tips and digital versions of the assessment analysis tools and activities. 


Where to Buy:
www.teacherspayteachers.com



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Phonics: Phonics for Reading-- Anita Archer

Phonics for Reading-- Anita Archer

Product Description:
Support students who struggle with reading comprehension from weak phonemic awareness and decoding skills.
Build phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency skills to strengthen reading comprehension
Systematic, explicit instruction builds confidence and motivation
Specifically designed to appeal to older students

Phonics for Reading also provides word-recognition and spelling instruction, story reading, and independent activities.
Assessment opportunities include:
·         Placement TestsUse for placing students within the program or to measure growth at the end of the program or school year.
·         Checking UpTen activities throughout each level offer teacher and students a formal measure of skills.
·         Fluency AssessmentTeacher Guides for Second and Third Level provide directions for using story passages to assess fluency and activities for building fluency.

Available:
·         Student Books
·         First Level30 teacher-directed lessons focuses on short vowels, consonants, consonant blends, and digraphs
·         Second Level32 teacher-directed lessons progresses with vowel combinations, r-controlled vowel sounds, common endings, and CVCe words
·         Third Level36 teacher-directed lessons expands concepts with vowel/letter combinations, common prefixes and suffixes, minor consonant sounds for c and g, and minor vowel sound combinations



Where to Buy: (Student and Teacher Guide)


Friday, January 8, 2016

Phonics: Recipe for Reading

Recipe for Reading



Product Description

Intervention strategies for struggling readers
This manual contains a comprehensive, multisensory, phonics-based reading program. It presents a skill sequence and lesson structure designed for beginning, at-risk, or struggling readers. Recipe for Reading® can be used as the primary, beginning reading program for Tier 1 students, or can be a successful intervention for students in Tiers 2 and 3 who have not been successful with other reading strategies.

Skills Addressed

  • Consonant Sounds
  • Digraphs
  • Consonant blends
  • Diphthongs
  • Spelling rules
  • Short vowels
  • Long vowels
  • Inflectional endings
  • Suffixes
Program Overview

Where to Buy:

Fluent By Friday

Fluency is the ability to read text quickly and accurately.




In order to practice fluency, students can do what is called Fluent By Friday. On Monday the student reads through a reading passage, timed for 1 minute, but also reads the entire passage. The student records the number of words read correctly, along with errors on a graph, using a blue crayon-- the Cold Timing. Tuesday through Wednesday, the student reads the entire passage 2-3 times per day, timing themselves for 1 minute, to show any progress they are making. On Friday, the student does a Hot Timing, reading the passage for 1 minute, and graphing the words correct, with a red crayon. 

Fluency Passages






Tips for Helping Children with Reading Difficulties


                    



                    

Reading Comprehension Tips for Parents







How do I help my child become a better reader?

If they are reading a Fiction book ask them….
Who are the main characters and what traits can you infer about them?
How have the characters changed during the book?
What questions do you have as you are reading?
Is the story written in first or third person point of view?
What is the author’s purpose? Persuade, Inform or Entertain?
What is the problem in the story? How do you think it will be solved?
What do you predict will happen next?
Could the story happen in real life?
How are you similar to the characters? How are you different?
What is the theme of the book? What lesson did the characters learn?
Write a summary of the story using Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then…
What was your favorite part and why?
Did you like the ending? If not, how would you change it? Write your own ending.

If they are reading a Non-Fiction book ask them….
What do you think you will learn from this book?
What do you already know about this topic?
What questions do you have as you are reading?
What is the main idea of the text?
What is the author’s purpose? Persuade, Inform or Entertain?
What text features were used in this text? How did they help your understanding?
What did you learn from this text?
Do you have any questions after reading this?
Were there any unknown words in this text? How did you find out their meaning?
Where could you find more information on this topic?
Write a summary of this text- remember to include the main idea and supporting
details.

Phonics Resource: Primary Phonics

Primary Phonics

Product Description:
Primary Phonics facilitates individualized instruction through flexible, skills-based workbooks and storybooks that correspond to students’ ability levels. Students are able to work at their own pace and progress from simple to complex phonic elements to become successful readers. Students apply phonic knowledge from the workbooks to read decodable storybooks and then demonstrate comprehension using the Comprehension Workbooks. The easy-to-decode stories nurture early literacy development and build new readers’ self-confidence while applying phonics to connected text. Ample opportunities for reinforcement are included. 
Scope and Sequence





Where to Buy:

Phonics Resource: Explode the Code

-Very slow paced, repetitive; can be used as independent work

Explode the Code
Product Description:

Explode the Code is a researched-based, multisensory, Orton-Gillingham based program that builds essential literary skills through direct, systematic, phonics instruction. Providing a comprehensive overview of phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and spelling, students will gain the skills they need to read words, phrases, sentences, and stories on their own.