Improving Reading Fluency

Reading is a multifaceted skill involving more than just the ability to properly decode words. Struggling readers often miss many of the nuances of reading especially fluency. Reading can become a process of saying words with little or no recognition of the meaning or purpose of the passage. Unlike, reading comprehension or decoding skills fluency is often overlooked.One of the best ways to improve reading fluency is by practice. Choose a selection that is slightly below your child’s reading level. The selection should be no more than 1-2 typed pages. For younger children choose shorter passages. Your child should be able to read the passage fairly easily. Read the passage to your child. Be sure to model fluency and reading with expression. Next read the passage with your child. Have your child practice reading the passage several times a week for 5-10 minutes. Work on the passage until your child is able to read fluently and with easy. As your child’s reading skills improve increase the difficulty of the passage.Understanding the purpose of punctuation marks is an important part of fluency. Children often do not understand that punctuation marks should affect how a passage is read aloud. Exclamation marks are the easiest to explain. An exclamation should have more expression than other statements. Commas function like yield sign while periods are stop signs and should have a brief pause.A companion to fluency is reading with expression. Encourage your child to read with expression. A fun way to practice expression is by reading the Sunday Comics. This is a great medium for expressions and voices.

A good reader is able to easily and accurately decode words and comprehend what is read. Reading with fluency is also an important part of reading.

Homework: Why Bother?

 What is the purpose of homework? It does have a purpose doesn’t it. After all isn’t it just some torture device thought up by vengeful teachers who wish to infringe upon the free time of their students. Yes, homework has a purpose. Homework is designed to reinforce what is learned in classroom.

As a teacher I rarely assign homework but when I do I expect it to be done in a timely manner. Unfortunately many students and parents see homework as either optional or an interference in their lives. I wish I had a dollar for every time I had a student tell me I don’t have time to waste on homework because I have a life. Gee, I have a life too. I don’t have time to waste grading meaningless assignments. So, homework assignments in my classes are either the few I deem important enough to grade, term projects or more commonly work a student failed to do in class.

The most common homework assignment that I give is reading. I do not have time to read everything with my students. Reading assignments are designed to help students be prepared for class discussions and become independent learners. However many students equate reading assignments with no homework.

Students with good time management and planning skills learn quickly that homework assignments in my classes need not be overwhelming. Why? I use assignment sheets for my classes. Students know most if not all assignments 2-3 weeks in advance. When teaching middle school I require a signed receipt from their parents confirming receipt of the assignments. I also use weekly emails to remind students and parents of assignments. Unfortunately this does not eliminate or reduce the number of students who claim they did not know what to do or when it was due. Over the years it has been amazing the number of parents who insist they were not aware of assignments and that I must have changed something even though they have a signed note claiming they have read the assignment sheet.

Homework is a valuable learning tool. It should never be used as a replacement for class instruction but rather reinforcement for class. Parents, help your child learn to wisely manage their time and plan for tests, projects another assignments.

What Every Parent of A Child With Learning Disabilities Needs to Know

First learn about your child’s learning disability. Find out the symptoms or traits and problems this disability may cause. Be sure to keep a record of every meeting, test results and diagnosis your child has. Become informed of the rights you and your child have under the IDEA law. This is a federal law that your child’s school must follow. You should be given a copy of your rights under this law. Keep copies of all meeting notes and IEPs (Individual Education Plan). As a teacher one of the saddest things I have observed is the large number of well-educated people who are not aware of what the law provides for children with learning disabilities. Even if your child is not enrolled in public school the school district is still required to provide speech and other types of therapy. The school may not make it easy to acquire these services but they are still required to provide them. Your local school district is also required to provide testing if you suspect your child has a learning problem. Private testing can be expensive.Become an expert on your child and what your child needs to be successful in school and life. Teachers and other professionals may change from year to year. When dealing with school personnel be polite but insistent that your child’s needs are being met.Challenge your child to reach his or her potential but be sure to keep your expectations realistic. This is an area in which my mom excelled. I am moderately dyslexic and severely dysgraphic. The day I graduated with my Master’s degree my mom who had over 30 years experience as special educator informed me that I was one of the most severe cases of dysgraphia she had ever dealt with. One early diagnosis she received was that I would probably never learn to read and right. I had been reading on a post-secondary level since about 5th grade.Teach your child how to manage his or her learning disability. When your child is in 4th or 5th grade start teaching your child how to become responsible for managing his or her learning disability. This will require a lot of work on your part and you may not see any real progress in this area for many years but do not give up on your child. My mom forced me to learn organizational skills, reading and other important tasks. Organizational skills is still a weakness for me but have learned what I need to be successful. For example I use a calendar and Outlook to help me remember things. Most importantly teach your child how and when to ask for help.

For more information about learning disablities visit the Learning Differences and Learning Styles Archives on Homeschool Benefits.

Imparting a Love for Learning

Learning should be a lifelong process. Learning encompasses far more than just getting good grades in school or passing a test. One downfall of schools is that due to pressures to get good test scores the learning process is sometimes neglected. The focus has shifted to passing tests and meeting curriculum goals not imparting knowledge. Many times children view learning as something that is difficult, boring and not fun.One of the first steps in helping your child enjoy learning is to see that it can be fun. As a teacher I often use games or other fun activities to teach skills and lessons. Those are the lessons children are more likely to remember. To teach graphing and the use of Excel I would have my students graph the colors in a package of Skittles or similar candy. I have had former students tell me that is what they liked best about my class. They also learned how to create a graph and the concept of graphing as well.Decrease the amount of time your child spends watching television and playing video games. Provide activities and toys that develop thinking skills. Legos or other building toys develop math skills as well as encourage creativity. Hands on science kits such as magnifying glasses and magnets are also good. Look for activities that are open-ended and encourage exploration.

Books are great learning tools. Be sure to have non-fiction books for you child as well as fiction. Find non-fiction books about topics in which your child is interested. Allow your child to become an “expert” on a topic of choice. Be sure to listen to what they have to say. It is okay to challenge misinformation but be sure to do it in a constructive way that encourages your child to find the correct information. Ask questions that require your child to do research. If even you know the answer let your child discover the answer.

Help your child see real world applications for learning. Cooking is a good learning activity. It reinforces math, reading, science, health and functional skills as well as developing a sense of independence. Children enjoy cooking.

Hobbies are a great way of teaching lifelong learning. Learning a hobby can reinforce reading and problem solving skills.

Finally, modeling is the best way to help your child enjoy learning. If your child sees that you enjoy and value learning, your child is more likely to share those views.

One of the goals of education should be to impart a love for learning and a zeal for knowledge. Unfortunately there is more emphasis on outcomes based education and getting good tests scores.

Reflections on: Same Kind of Different As Me

Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver is the real-life account of the unlikely friendship between an art dealer and a homeless man. Ron was a self made man who had risen from working class roots to a high society life. Everything was great until his wife Deborah insisted they volunteer at the Union Gospel Mission. Denver was uneducated, ex-con who was very mean and hardened after years on the street. Deborah was determined to reach a man that most tried to avoid. The new chapel at the Union Gospel Mission was named in memory of Deborah.

For more information about the book please read my review.

This is a book that really spoke to me. I can relate to the book on so many levels. First much of the book takes place in my hometown and I am familiar with many of the places mentioned in book. Like Ron, I have encountered the homeless in Sundance Square and the Water Gardens. The Water Gardens were designed to be a place for reflection and a showplace for the city. However the Water Gardens have become an outdoor restroom for the city’s homeless population. Sure I was involved in ministry through my church and even worked with a mission. A couple times a year I would help with Beautiful Feet Ministry, a ministry to the homeless and under-privileged. Did I really see the homeless and street people as individuals with the same needs as I had? This left with the nagging thought of what am I going to do about the homeless problem in my community.

Between reading this book and studying the book of Mark this summer I been thinking about what it means to live out my faith. Christ’s ministry on earth was full of campassion for those in need. He took the time to minister to lepers and others that religious leaders refused to reach. What is ministry about? Is it about programs or meeting the needs of people?