Last week Suzanne Yorks sent a wonderful email to the parents in her class about reading and helping your child build confidence. Suzanne is amazing, this information is very helpful and we wanted to share this with you:
"Is your child REALLY reading? Or have they just memorized the words? The answer to both is, “Yes.” Reading is a fantastic complexity. This growth time for your reader is a really important time to keep them away from Cousin Malfon, the family cynic. Or Brother Malfon, or Auntie Malfon, or Neighbor Malfon…. you get the idea. There are those who simply MUST prove that your child is not reading. Don’t ask me why they delight in this. Just keep them away from your reader and your reader’s blooming confidence, please.
Skeptics love to pull words out of context and plunk them down and say, “Read THIS word.” Sorry, skeptics, THAT is not reading. That is just decoding. It is a skill that we use in reading, but it’s not reading.
Every one of the students in this class is reading. They are at different stages, just as they were when they learned to walk, and to talk. All of them know that the words in their head can be written as stories. All of them can memorize a song, and then accurately point out and read each word of that song on a page. In their heads, each child has a bank of words that they can recognize in print instantly. They know many of the sounds that letters can make separately and in combinations. They can retell a story with good detail, in sequence.
Reading is a magnificent ability, that combines memory, experience, skills, and interest. As soon as the brain lets the eyes give it the right clues, a spectacular partnership forms. Every word, every sound becomes fuel for the reader. Their catalog of known sounds, word families, chunks of words, and successful strategies grows and grows!
The brain’s predictions become faster and more accurate as it trusts the eyes to notice the key aspects of the words. Patterned books that repeat part of a simple text are very helpful at this stage.
The next step is a book that uses mainly words they know, along with decodable new words. With the help of the known words, readers can begin to use the more advanced strategy of sound combinations to help figure out the new words. Success leads to more success!
Dear families, you are doing a marvelous job. What makes a strong reader? Being read to at home. Keep reading to your kinder! Hurray for you! When they are ready, they may ask to read to YOU! Let them, and help them any time they get stuck. Reading is such fun! And even better when it is shared."
Thank you Suzanne and all of our Kindergarten teachers for the loving support you give not only your students, but their families as well!
