Beyond Reading Aloud
Choose two books on the same topic. Do they say the same things? Do they disagree? Which one do you think is right? How do you know?
Go online. Look up information about your child's favorite animal. Did you learn anything new? Is the information different from what you knew before?
Read a story together. Stop once in a while and ask questions about what your child is thinking about what the character is doing. Does your child think the character is making a good decision? Why or why not? What would your child do?
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More Great Books for Maine Kids
NEWS FROM RAISING READERS OCTOBER 2012 |
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I get it! Building Comprehension
The most important thing we can do for our children is help them be good comprehenders. Keep in mind that the reason we read is not to sound out words but to understand what we read. By helping children to think about what they're hearing or reading, we promote their understanding and connection to the text. We can do that in three important ways:
Help your child connect the book you're reading to a book  you've read before. (This book makes me think about The Very Hungry Caterpillar. They both talk about caterpillars turning into butterflies.)
Help your child connect the text to the world around you.
(This book makes me wonder about lions. I remember hearing that hungry bears can tear open trees to look for honey. They must be really strong! What do you think?)
Help your child connect to the text by thinking about how that they are hearing (or reading) relates to their own experiences. (That part reminds of the time you went to the beach with Daddy and had fun in the waves?
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Making Connections: Toddlers & Preschoolers
Just twenty minutes a day of reading together can build your child's understanding of the world, knowledge of books and how they work, and important skills like rhyming and playing with words.
Most importantly, by having fun with reading, you are giving your child an important way of thinking about books and reading. One powerful thing you can do right from the start is talking with your child about making connections to the text in three important ways: text to text, text to self, text to world. (see related article above)
We know how busy parents and caregivers are, so we've developed questions and activities that help you make these important connections for several of the books we're currently distributing.
Given at Two Year Well Child Visit
Beyond Reading Aloud: Making Connections
Given at Three Year Well Child Visit
Beyond Read Aloud: Making Connections (FJOD)
Give at Four Year Well Child Visit
Beyond Reading Aloud: Making Connections (HTLC)
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