Article of the Week: Alphabet Knowledge & Word Recognition

Learn about alphabet knowledge and how it develops, as well as how we assess it, and help students learn more by reading this article.

Article of the Week: Book apps

For some kids, the only way to get them to read a book is to use some sort of technology.  But not all apps for reading are created equal!  Check out this article by The Horn Book on how to choose a quality picture book app for your child.

Wednesday Resource: Guys Read

As a child, I was a voracious reader.  I happily sat in my room reading a book while my friends went sledding and played outside.  It rarely took me longer than a day to finish a new book.  Luckily my mom owned a bookstore!  When I became a mom, I read to my son from day one with a full heart as I shared my own childhood favorites with him.  As a toddler, he loved sitting on my lap and listening to stories.  We celebrated when he "read" his first book, Big Egg.  I was convinced that I was raising a book lover.  Then 2nd grade hit.  Baseball, Tae Kwon Do, video games, swimming, and fishing were all more fun than books (insert mom tears here!).  In his words, all books were BORING and DUMB, and he HATED reading!  If you've hear those words at your house, I encourage you to check out www.guysread.com.  This website was started by author Jon Scieszka to recommend books that appeal to boys.  You can search by age or topic, and can even submit your own recommendations!  

Article of the Week: Boys & Books

Does it seem like your son doesn't like to read as much as your daughter?  I know that's a pattern I notice at my house.  Check out this article on the science behind boys and reading, and what you can do at home to help your son enjoy books. 

Wednesday Resource: Free Rice

Freerice.com is operated by the United Nations World Food Programme.  Answer questions about English, grammar, or vocabulary.  Each correct answer helps end world hunger.  10 grains of rice are donated for every correct answer.

Wednesday Resource: Newsela

Do you have a kiddo interested in current events or informational articles?  The website and app Newsela offers free resources for grades 2 and up.  This is a great way to incorporate science and social studies topics along with language arts skills such as fluency, reading comprehension, and informational text features.  Visit https://newsela.com  for more information!

Article of the Week: Metacognition

In almost all college courses for teachers, you learn about metacognition.  Meta what?!?  In simpler terms, it's thinking about thinking.  Learn about how and why this is a crucial skill for kids, and what you can do to help foster this skill in your child.  Click HERE for the article.