Why Read Over The Summer?
We know students with LD’s who have made great progress risk regressing if they do not practice consistently. Our program has our students reading at least 120 minutes a day in some capacity. However, we would like for you and your child to read a little bit each day. Your child should be applying the different strategies they have learned in order to maintain their growth.
What Have We Worked On This Year?
At Sagonaska, your child has used a variety of programs that target various skills that make up reading. Reading includes; decoding, comprehension, and fluency.
Decoding - breaking down words into manageable parts in order to piece it back together as a whole. There needs to be an understanding of sounds, affixes, and syllables.
Comprehension - understanding what you have read. Strategies to help improve comprehension include summarizing, making connections, visualizing what you have read, and making relevant predictions. Students should practice taking what they have read and CLEARLY explain, in their OWN words, their understanding of the text.
Fluency - being able to read a piece of text at an appropriate pace with the use of expression. A fluent reader, when reading, sounds as if they are speaking in conversation.
What Programs Have Supported Our Literacy Program?
Empower Reading Program
Strategies from EMPOWER include; Sounding Out, Rhyming, Peeling Off, Vowel Alert, Spy
In order to prompt your child to use these strategies, ask them to use their “GAME PLAN” that is outlined on the bookmark in their summer reading package. Some comprehension questions have been put on the opposite side of the bookmark.
LEXIA / CORE 5 / Reading Plus
An online program that helps reinforce a variety of literacy skills. Each child is currently using one of these programs on a nightly basis during homework period.
RAZ Kids
Another online program that allows students to work on comprehension and fluency skills. Students are able to access leveled texts in both fiction and nonfiction.
Summer Reading - Sample Schedule
Reading should be a frequent activity, but short and enjoyable so it doesn't overwhelm you and your child.
Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
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Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
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Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
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Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
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Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
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Reading Practice (10 mins.)
- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
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Reading Practice (10 mins.)
- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
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Reading Practice (10 mins.)
- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
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Reading Practice (10 mins.)
- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
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Reading Practice (10 mins.)
- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
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Suggested Practice Reading Activities
Choose 5 words to decode
Figure out meaning of each word (use device if necessary)
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Suggested Practice Reading Activities
Look at Titles and Subtitles
Determine what the text will be about (Make Predictions)
Or
Summarize previous reading if from a chapter book
Read a section of text
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Suggested Practice Reading Activities
Read section of text.
While reading prompt your child to use their
“Game plan”
Discuss what you have read
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Suggested Practice Reading Activities
Same as Wednesday
Discuss what you have read
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Suggested Practice Reading Activities
Let your child teach you
Practice previous reading for fluency
Review Empower Folder
Games (Boggle)
Comprehension questions
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Looking For More Ideas To Structure Reading Time With Your Child?
Ask why are you reading
If it is for fun as a bonding time, then choose something that interests your child, you can take the lead on reading if it is beyond their level.
If it is for practice the passage should be between their Fluency and Independent Levels
Make sure the passage is at their level
Have child read first page, if there are more than 3-5 errors, chances are the text is too difficult.
Using the app LitLeveler will allow your child to independently select appropriate texts.
No matter the length of the text, chunk it into sections (sentence, paragraph, page)
When your child is stuck on a word, encourage them to use their “GamePlan”.
Re-read each chucked section fluently after decoding.
Encourage your child to pause at commas, take a breath at periods.
Ask comprehension questions (ex. Tell me in your own words what happened)
Celebrate your child’s reading, this helps with motivation.
Attending Sagonaska School is a unique experience for our students because not many kids live away from home at such a young age. In order for our students to feel safe and happy, our staff organized some activities to help the students get to know each other and the staff quickly and in an active and fun way. It is so important to establish these trusting relationships right away in order for the students to feel at home and ready to learn. Take a look at some of the cool teamwork photos that were taken over the first week to help bring us together as a family! 
