A preview of this weekend's Educational Series: Common Core and reading

Tips for helping your child with Common Core Reading

1. Read a variety of text regularly.
2. Expose children to complex reading.
3. Increase vocabulary. Teach kids to code switch. Look for structure of text, context clues, and learn root wordshttp://quizlet.com/626895/sat-latin-and-greek-roots-flash-cards/ .
4. Think aloud with reading.

 Example (Pennigton Publishing Blog) - Tell students that they are to listen to your thoughts carefully, as you read the quotation and that they are not allowed to interrupt with questions during your reading. Read the quotation out loud and interrupt the reading frequently with concise comments about the vocabulary, word choice, syntax, and historical context. Re-read difficult parts of the text and make comments about the ideas that are presented. Ask questions of the author, especially about parts of the quotation that you do not fully understand. Some teachers like to use other voices for the internal dialogue and their normal voices for the reading.

After reading and thinking out loud, ask students if they think they understood the quotation better because of your verbalized thoughts rather than just by passively reading without active thoughts. Their answer will be “Yes,” if you have read and thought out loud effectively

1. Teach critical thinking by asking four questions about what is being read: What did you observe? What does it mean? How can it be used? How can it be changed?
2. Insist on differentiated instruction.  Assessment or demonstration of learning should be differentiated as well.
3. Allow students to read independently but pre-teach vocabulary and ask the four questions.
4. Individual Learning Plan (ILP). Get one if there is a history of resistance. For more on ILPs visit http://www.parentdrivenschools.com/ilp.htm
5. Visit the classroom.
6. Support the teacher in any way you can.