Summer Solutions

5/24/20162 The Summer Slide! According to the authors of a November 2002 report from Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning: “A conservative estimate of lost instructional time is approximately two months or roughly 22 percent of the school year.”

5/24/20163 Three Ways to Prevent Summer Slide Six books to summer success Read something every day Keep reading aloud

What’s out there to help? 5/24/20164

5 Public libraries Libraries are ideal places for families to continue their reading habits over the summer months More than 95 percent of public libraries offer summer reading programs

5/24/20166 The *Massachusetts Summer Reading Program for 2011 : Whitman Public Library and Hanson Public Library * Sponsored by your local library, the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

5/24/20167 The Summer Reading Lists are available on the WHRSD website Summer Reading Page Summer Reading Page as well as on the individual elementary school library pages:

5/24/20168 Book Stores Barnes and Noble: Summer Reading Club Buttonwood Books and Storybook Cove Story Hour Building 19, Ocean State Job Lot, and Target

5/24/20169 Online Incentive Programs: Scholastic: Summer Challenge

5/24/ Book Adventure Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create their own book lists from over 7,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes. Book Adventure was created by and is maintained by Sylvan Learning.

5/24/ Red Sox Reading Game This ongoing summer literacy partnership between the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Boston Red Sox and The Hanover Insurance Group is a great source of pride for MTA members because it has encouraged students to read hundreds of thousands of books over the summer when they are away from school. Deadline to enter July 17, 2011.

5/24/ Ebooks: TumbleBooks Available through the Hanson Public Library, TumbleBooks Library is an online collection of animated, talking picture books which teach young children the joys of reading in a format they’ll love!

5/24/ Storyline Online Storyline Online is an innovative website featuring well-known actors reading quality children's picture books aloud.

5/24/ Starfall Starfall is a free website to help enhance reading skills. Perfect for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. Contains exciting interactive books and phonics games.

5/24/ Elementary Summer Resource Page Websites for Parents

5/24/ Reading is Fundamental Websites for Parents

5/24/ Reading Rockets

5/24/ Get Ready to Read!

5/24/ Read Kiddo Read

5/24/ Summer Reading and Fluency You've got the reading lists. You've got the books. But what else can you do to make your children better readers this summer? You can help them read more smoothly and accurately. Schools call this reading fluency. When kids can read fluently, it's easier for them to understand what they're reading..

5/24/ Less fluent readers read more slowly and word by word. Their attention is focused on sounding out each word, therefore, they pay less attention to understanding what they've read. Their comprehension and their motivation can suffer. Of course, beginning readers aren't fluent yet, but by the end of first grade, kids should be reading books at their grade level with ease and expression. The summer months provide a great opportunity for you to help your child continue to develop reading fluency.

5/24/ Parents can Help Build Fluency: Choose the right books Help your child choose books that he can comfortably read. The "five-finger test" is a useful guideline for beginning readers. As your child reads, count the number of words he cannot read per page. In general, there should be five words or fewer that give him trouble on each page. If a book contains several pages on which you count more than five words that he can't read, consider reading that book to your child until he develops more reading skills. Read to your kids every day Model your own fluent reading as you read and reread books with your child. Find time each day to read books to him/her that are just beyond his/her reading level. He/she will enjoy listening to more advanced stories and will be hearing a great example of fluent reading.

5/24/ Keep Reading this Summer! Set a good example! Keep lots of reading material around the house. Turn off the TV and have each person read his or her book, including mom and dad. Read the same book your child is reading & discuss it. This is the way to develop habits of the mind and build capacity for thought and insight. Try Readers’ Theater This is a fun and engaging way to read together

5/24/ Buy books on tape, especially for a child with a learning disability. Listen to them in the car, or turn off the TV and have the family listen to them together. Make trips a way to encourage reading by reading aloud traffic signs, billboards, notices. Show your children how to read a map, and once you are on the road, let them take turns being the navigator. Encourage children to keep a summer scrapbook. Take your children to the library regularly. Check the library calendar for special summer reading activities and events. Build in time for relaxed reading on vacation

5/24/ Motivating reluctant readers “Tune-in” to determine your child’s interests Try graphic novels (comics) Help create your child’s image of himself as a reader Model reading behavior – make reading a part of your everyday life Surround kids with reading materials and other resources to keep them inspired Plug in to fun (humorous books like the Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid series)

5/24/ Remember- Reading isn’t just books! What other media besides books is effective? Print, text, and words in all forms and fashions are excellent: Games Audio books Newspapers Magazines Labels / Signs / Logos Online resources

5/24/ What do I do with all this? Read with your child every day! Ask questions about what they are reading Some examples: What was your favorite part? Who was your favorite character? Did you like the book?

5/24/ Find this PowerPoint, Summer Reading ListsSummer Reading Lists, and the Elementary Summer Resource Page on the Whitman Hanson Regional School District website under Summer Reading.

Thank you for coming tonight! Have a great summer!