Reading Fluency Tips

Following are some ideas and website links that may prove useful in helping to increase your child’s reading fluency:

Oral Reading and Fluency:
A. Instructor models fluency.

B. Student reads same passage four times as instructor offers guidance.

C. Engage in other activities.

1. Student may read aloud along with a taped book.
2. Student and instructor may read some passages in unison.

(Taken from notes from “The Good Reader: Teaching Reading From Birth On” ~ by Jessie Wise)


Activities for repeated oral reading practice to help increase fluency:
Student-adult reading--reading one-on-one with an adult, who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Choral reading--reading aloud simultaneously in a group.

Tape-assisted reading--reading aloud simultaneously or as an echo with an audio-taped model.

Partner reading--reading aloud with a more fluent partner (or with a partner of equal ability) who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Readers' theatre--the rehearsing and performing before an audience of a dialogue-rich script derived from a book.

(Taken from “Fluency Instruction”)


Some Sight Word Website Links:
For those students who need to sound out almost every word, getting them to learn their sight words is essential. These two sites have the Dolch sight word lists available. Have your child practice reading the words on list 1 until he/she masters it, and then move on to list 2 etc. There are 11 lists in total to master!
Dolch List
Jan Brett’s Dolch List


Some Reading Fluency Website Links:
Put Reading First
Fluency Activities
Educational Links: Fluency

Copy Work:
Please have your child copy the following quotation about Canada into his/her journal:

"I am Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind." ~ John Diefenbaker (Prime Minister of Canada 1957-1963)

Journal Starter:
If I was the Prime Minister of Canada, I would ...

As I plug away at report cards, my words of encouragement are many - I just don't have the time to type them! :)

But I may be able to scrounge up a moment or two for a short, sweet and sincere thought ...

As I have been sifting through the piles of portfolios, it has become more and more evident that as home schooling parents you possess an enormous amount of dedication, commitment and passion for the task laid before you. May you be blessed for your efforts and may your rewards be bountiful. Your children are blessed! Keep up the great work! (I mean it!)

Cinquain Poetry

This month many students took on the task of writing a cinquain poem. Great job to all of those who tackled this interesting 5 line poem.

Cora
naked, annoying
jumping, shouting, snuggling
she gets out of control at bedtime
the youngest
Beth ~ grade 1


Babe
cute, cuddle
funny, squeaky, little
sucks on your nose
Levi
Shekinah ~ grade 2


Remembrance
poppy, war
shooting, winning, fighting
soldiers who died for our freedom
Canada
Makayla ~ grade 1 (and mom :))


Brother
happy, fun
playing, smiling, coloring
cute and lovable
Josef

Baby
cute, alert
sleeping, looking, smiling
bundle of joy
Joel
Arienne ~ grade 3


Canada
big, beautiful
welcoming, inventing, loving
"our home and native land"
nation
Kara ~ grade 2


Canada
snow, big
hunting, living, tubing
blessed by God
country
Justice ~ grade 2


Guitars
are fun
rock and roll
good fun and cool fun
fun
Joshua ~ grade 3


Calvin
crazy, trouble
annoying, sneaking, playing
an unexpected child
brat

Canada
beautiful, big
welcoming, loving, hard working
it is special
my country
Jeffrey ~ grade 2


Horses
eats grass
fun to ride
horse trots and gallops
soft
Charles ~ grade 2


Apple
Crunchy, Juicy
They are yummier with
Peanut Butter and honey sauce.
That’s That!


Cats
So sweet!
Tickle my toes
Most of them are
Cute
Abby ~ grade 2

Copy Work: Please have your child copy the following information about Canada's motto into his/her journal. The motto can be found on Canada's Coat of Arms.

Canada's motto "A Mari usque ad Mare" means "From sea to sea". It is based on biblical scripture: "He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth." – Psalm 72:8.

Journal Starter:
If I had to decide on a motto for Canada, it would be ...

Daily Physical Activity Requirements

The Daily Physical Activity requirements for students from Kindergarten to grade 3 have been updated on the BC Ministry of Education website. You can access more details here: Daily Physical Activity

Kindergarten students are required to have 15 minutes of daily physical activity.
Grades 1, 2 and 3 students are required to have 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of physical activities to increase their endurance, strength and flexibility. Some examples of activities that focus on these three categories include:

Endurance: brisk walking, dancing, swimming, biking, jogging, basketball, aerobics, fast dancing, fast swimming

Strength: rope or stair climbing, bat and racquet games, push-ups, weight training, rowing, skating

Flexibility: gentle reaching, bending, stretching of all muscle groups, dancing, gymnastics, swimming

Most students are already meeting the time requirements for their Daily Physical Activities. However during the remainder of the school year I encourage you and your child to focus on all of the categories of activities - endurance, strength and flexibility.

Be active and have fun!

Copy Work: In honour of those who sacrificed so much for our country, please have your child copy "In Flanders Field" or a portion of it into his/her journal.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


Journal Starter:
This year on Remembrance Day I ...

Do you have a circle time?

I had always thought that circle time belonged in the classroom until I came across this wonderful homeschooling blog called Preschoolers and Peace , and was inspired to incorporate my own circle time into our home schooling routine.

Circle Time includes everyone in the family including preschoolers and babies!

Read about how Kendra from Preschoolers and Peace directs her circle time here: Preschoolers and Peace

In my own home I have included the following activities with my daughters during our circle time:
~ worship music with actions and/or rhythm instruments

~ scripture memory

~ a Bible story

~ prayer

~ poetry or a song that we are learning for a particular purpose

~ music appreciation ~(We listen to a classical piece of music three times - the first time we move to the music, the second time we close our eyes and imagine pictures conveyed through the music, and the third time we draw the images conveyed through the music. - This is an all-time favourite activity with my children.)

~ a learning game that is related to what we are learning ~(My kids love it when I hide "items" around the living room for them to find and then sequence into the correct order. Recent hidden items have included magnet alphabet letters, the days of creation cards and the life cycle of a pumpkin cards.)

If you incorporate a circle time in your home schooling routine, please leave a comment about the activities that you choose to do during this time.

The theme for journal writing during the month of November is "Canada". During this month the journal writing assignments will continue to focus on copy work, but a journal starter will also be provided.

A journal starter is the beginning of a sentence that the student copies and then completes with his/her own thoughts and ideas. Your child may choose to do either the copy work, or the journal starter, or both.

Copy Work: - Please have your child copy the national anthem into his/her journal.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.


Journal Starter:
Canada is a beautiful country because ...