Reading Initiative

At the Graduation Assistance Program, we are committed to providing every opportunity for academic growth in your child. Reading is one of the most important areas of focus, especially in the middle school and high school where students are reading to learn new information and are required to think critically about what they read. Our teachers are working daily with your child to provide strategies and skills for present and future success. We would also like to make some resources available for you to use in helping your child strengthen his/her reading skills. We have listed some parent tips for reading as well as various websites, which we feel will be very beneficial. We thank you for your support as we work together to help your child become a successful reader.
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Tips for Reading at Home

Help your child choose what to read. Consider reading that book, too.

Talk about what he/she reads.

If bored or struggling with a book, let him/her put it down. Generally,if a child has difficulty with 3-5 words per paragraph, it may be too hard for him/her.

Subscribe to magazines of interest.

Read the newspaper together.

Visit the public library or local bookstores together.

Play games that involve reading (Scrabble, Boggle, Taboo, crossword puzzles).

Encourage your child to read to a younger sibling.

Read a more difficult book aloud to your child. This builds listening comprehension. It is also a great way to model fluent reading.

Provide a quiet, inviting reading space.

Listen to books on tape in the car while following along with the book.

Be sure to have a good dictionary available for looking up unfamiliar words encountered while reading.

Limit television viewing and the amount of time spent on videogames. However, when you do watch TV, discuss the plot and/or the advertising in commercials. Another option would be to mute the TV and read the closed captions.

Read a book that is coming out as a movie. Compare and contrast the book and movie. This is an important FCAT skill.

Reading and writing go hand-in-hand. Encourage writing in a journal, emails, letters, pen pals, etc

Make reading useful, and give a purpose for doing it. Consider researching a topic of interest from television or conversation.

Read practical items such as road maps, directions for assembling a model, recipes, etc.

RESOURCES

Visit FCAT Explorer for practice FCAT Reading passages and questions.