Family & Community

The Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) is a statewide K-3 initiative committed to supporting the development of high-quality instruction that will prepare all students with the literacy skills needed to meet or exceed grade-level standards. The goal of the ARI is to significantly improve reading instruction and ultimately achieve 100% literacy among public school students.

Welcome aboard! Every child deserves a bright future as a confident reader. Just as a lighthouse guides ships safely to shore, this back-to-school newsletter is designed to guide families through the essential building blocks of reading. Each "Beacon" below features a short YouTube video, simple activities, and conversation starters you can use at home.

As you practice together, take a moment to notice how your child is growing as a learner. Celebrate what they can do, encourage their efforts, and make note of the skills they are continuing to develop.

Which phonemic (sound) awareness activities does your child enjoy or complete with confidence?

What phonemic awareness skills need a little more practice?

· Can your child hear and identify the initial (first) sound in a word?

· Can your child hear and identify the medial (middle) sound in a word?

· Can your child hear and identify the final (last) sound in a word?

· Can your child blend (put sounds together) to make a word?

· Example: Listen to these sounds. /m/ /a/ /t/. Now let’s put them together to make a word.

/m/ /a/ /t/ mat

· Can your child segment (take a word apart) into its individual phonemes (sounds) to make words?

· Example: Listen to the word hop. What sounds do you hear in hop? /h/ /o/ /p/

Record your observations in the Companion Guide and share them with your child’s teacher. Your observations provide valuable insight into your child’s learning and help strengthen the connection between home and school.

As you practice together, take a moment to notice how your child is growing as a reader. Celebrate what they can do, encourage their efforts, and make note of the skills they are continuing to develop.

• Can your child identify the sounds that letters and letter combinations (like sh, ch, or th) make?

• Is your child using letter sounds to read or spell simple words?

• Which letter patterns or words does your child recognize with confidence?

• What letter sounds or word patterns need more practice?

• Can your child match graphemes (letters) to their phonemes (sounds)?

• Can your child recognize common letter patterns (such as -at, -ing, or -ake) in words?

• Can your child read high-frequency words (such as the words the, has, have)?

• Can your child recognize vowel teams (such as ai, ee, or oa) or blends (such as bl, st, or gr)?

Record your observations in the Companion Guide and share them with your child's teacher. Your observations provide valuable insight into your child's learning and help strengthen the connection between home and school.

Families play an important role in helping children become confident readers and writers. By partnering with your child's teacher, you can better understand your child's literacy development and discover simple ways to support reading, writing, speaking, and listening at home. The beginning of a new school year is the perfect time to build a strong partnership with your child's teacher. Open communication helps families better understand classroom expectations, celebrate successes, and work together to support student learning.

Consider asking these questions during back-to-school events, conferences, or throughout the school year?

• What literacy skills and reading goals will my child be working toward this year?

• How is my child's reading and writing progress monitored and communicated throughout the year?

• What can I do at home to support my child's reading, writing, vocabulary, and comprehension?

• What types of questions should I ask my child about their learning?

• What books, authors, or literacy resources do you recommend for my child?

• What should I do if my child is struggling with reading or writing, or is reluctant to read?

• What are my child's strengths as a reader and writer, and where is additional support needed?

• How can we work together to help my child become a confident, lifelong reader and writer?

• Neighborhood Reading Walk- Take a walk and read street signs, store signs, house numbers, and traffic signs.
• Mail Detective- Allow your child to look through the mail and identify names, numbers, or familiar words. Discuss the purpose of each piece of mail.
• Write a Family Note- Encourage your child to draw a picture and write a short note to a family member, thanking them, asking a question, or sharing something they enjoyed that day.
• Word Hunt at Home- Choose a letter or word and challenge your child to find objects or labels around the house that begin with that letter or contain the word.
• Restaurant Reading- Find and read three food items on the menu. Find two drinks and read their names. Find a word that begins with the same letter as your first name. Count how many desserts are on the menu. Choose one meal that you would like to order and tell me why.