Word Workshop Tuesday, November 15, 2016 6pm

First… Thank you Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for your involvement. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for your support.

Title 1 – Agenda Upcoming Events The Value of Reading Word Workshop SWP/Parent Meeting 11/30 - noon Math Curriculum Showcase 12/06 – 10am The Value of Reading Word Workshop Strategy Stations Guidelines

Opportunities for Parental Involvement SWP/Parent Meeting on Wednesday, November 30 at 12pm (noon) Topics: Review of year thus far Activities for remaining 1% of Title Funds for parental engagement Math Curriculum Showcase/Title1-PTO Meeting on Friday, December 16 at 10am Agenda: Title1 Meeting Hands on Experience - Math Stations with your child

The Value of Reading Psychologists at the New School for Social Research have found that reading novels makes us nicer and more empathetic people. The study author, said that fiction “forces you as a reader to contribute your own interpretations, to reconstruct the mind of the character.” Canadian researchers have also found that reading fiction increases our ability to be empathetic to others.

A 2010 York University study of 4- to 6-year-old children found that greater exposure to children’s literature, but not children’s television programs, correlated with children having a greater sense of empathy. The study authors concluded that “engagement with fictional narratives provides one with information about the social world,” exposing children to worlds outside their own.

So, how can we help our children become good readers and caring citizens?

Tonight our Word Workshop will give you strategies you can use at home to improve your child’s vocabulary, which in turn makes them better readers. Tonight your child will be given the opportunity to use a variety of strategies to increase their vocabulary.

Research Based Beck, McKeown, & Kucan’s research study shows that vocabulary words should be those that the learner will find useful in many contexts. Instruction of high-frequency words known and used by mature language users (Fry words) can add productively to an individual’s language ability

Janet Caruthers, Ed. S. (an Educational Specialist in reading and author) emphasizes the use of Four Broad Researched-based Practices For Building Vocabulary  1. Encourage Wide Reading – This can be independent reading, teacher/parent read-alouds,  buddy reading, reading environmental print (signs, menus, recipes, food boxes, etc).  The more they read, the better.

Four Broad Researched-based Practices For Building Vocabulary 2.  Encourage Word Play and Exploration –Show interest in words and encourage children to play with words and find new words on their own.  Children love to make and add to lists.  Why not display their created lists of: homophones, synonyms, or antonyms, interesting words, categories of words Be sure these lists are prominently displayed (on your refrigerator, a chosen wall, etc.) so that your child can use them in writing and confirm meaning when reading.  Remember, the lists must be child centered.  They make the lists. 

Four Broad Researched-based Practices For Building Vocabulary 3.  Build Strategies for Independent Learning – word analysis -  If someone knows the common prefixes, suffixes, and roots, they increase their vocabulary by thousands of words.                 using context clues – This must be reinforced so children are aware of their ability to do it.... like magic.  using resources - like the dictionary, thesaurus, and other resources.

Four Broad Researched-based Practices For Building Vocabulary 4.  Explicit teaching  - use the S.T.A.R. sequence Select – Choose some Tier 1 Words (basic words that are commonly used in spoken language and appear in books and assessments at the elementary level – words we will have at our stations tonight) Teach – Show the new word in pictures or give “kid friendly” definitions. Activate – They must see, hear, and use the word. Drawing is great for this. Revisit – New information needs to be manipulated in many different ways. Children must be exposed to the new words multiple times. One way to do this is for children to build their own vocabulary book throughout the year –(The Student Book of Knowledge), and review/practice the words over time to help retain those words. Spaced review is an extremely effective way of being sure students retain new information.

Word Workshop Directions: Pick up a “Student Book of Knowledge (SBK)” choose a word to practice that you’re having trouble with (lists are leveled sight words that should be mastered before the end of each grade) write the word in your “SBK” practice it at a station (or two) – next slide say it in a sentence to your parent. repeat as time allows

Word Practice Stations Tactile Writing *Sand, shaving cream, playdough Body “Writing” Pictorial Words (markers, crayons) *Rainbow words, Christmas tree Sort and Select *wooden letters, magnetic letters Keyboarding (add another layer to the writing activities and teach/practice cursive!)

Now, make some new friends as you and your child choose a strategy at a table and practice mastering vocabulary to become a better reader!

Word Workshop Review of Directions: Pick up a “Student Book of Knowledge (SBK)” choose a word to practice that you’re having trouble with (lists are leveled sight words that should be mastered before the end of each grade) write the word in your “SBK” practice it at a station (or two) say it in a sentence to your parent. repeat as time allows