Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Parent Tips for Reading with your child





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
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
Lexia / Core 5 / Reading Plus
(10 mins)
Reading Practice (10 mins.)

- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
Reading Practice (10 mins.)

- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
Reading Practice (10 mins.)

- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
Reading Practice (10 mins.)

- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
Reading Practice (10 mins.)

- Use a text from the package, these texts can be read multiple days.
Suggested Practice Reading Activities

Choose 5 words to decode
Figure out meaning of each word (use device if necessary)
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
Suggested Practice Reading Activities

Read section of text.
While reading prompt your child to use their
“Game plan”
Discuss what you have read
Suggested Practice Reading Activities

Same as Wednesday
Discuss what you have read
Suggested Practice Reading Activities

Let your child teach you
Practice previous reading for fluency
Review Empower Folder
Games (Boggle)
Comprehension questions


Looking For More Ideas To Structure Reading Time With Your Child?

Ask why are you reading
    1. 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.
    2. If it is for practice the passage should be between their Fluency and Independent Levels

Make sure the passage is at their level
    1. Have child read first page, if there are more than 3-5 errors, chances are the text is too difficult.
    2. 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.
    1. 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.

Thursday, 2 June 2016

Recognition Day

Just a reminder for parents that Recognition Day is Tuesday, June 28th from 1pm until 2:30pm, followed by a celebration barbecue lunch.  Check out the invitation below and contact Tara to RSVP by next Monday, June 6th!


Monday, 11 April 2016

Using Mobile Technology? Great! What's Your Model?

Mobile technology needs to exist in education. The focus shouldn't be on 'apps', but rather, the focus should begin with the learner in mind. What are their needs? Once established, create a collaborative goal, involving both learner and learning team. Just as important, consideration must be given to the ideal model for all learners that have access to technology or at least recognizing the challenges and benefits of the current model that exists within your learning environment. Here's an infographic that was created using easelly (http://www.easel.ly/) that looks at the different mobile technology models that exist in a learning environment.

I believe access to technology, regardless of the model, is an amazing thing! I also believe that the independent model (BYOD) is the model we should all be striving for. I have 'suggested' a few apps that we have tested and used with our learners in the infographic. They are not to be considered as the 'best apps of all time', but ones that won't crash and are a good starting point based on your current model. Technology should support students in life and not just school. If the model we are teaching doesn't apply to life after school, maybe we should reconsider our model.  




Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Free Webinar for Parents - ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

FREE WEBINAR

Lead with Pedagogy, follow with Technology


Presented by: 
DJ Cunningham


In this interactive webinar, DJ Cunningham will help educators understand how to utilize assistive technology in the classroom to enhance student engagement and learning.  DJ Cunningham has been a user of Assistive Technologies for the past 10 years and has trained hundreds of students and led numerous training workshops. 

Participants will learn more about Google Read&Write and Google Apps for Education.

Participants will also leave with helpful resources and access to a cloud based tool. 


Click here to find out more information about this FREE webinar on the LD@school website!  http://ldatschool.ca/

Friday, 11 March 2016


Provincial and Demonstration Schools Consultation

As many of you are probably aware, the Ministry of Education has secured an external agency (http://www.thestrategiccounsel.com) to conduct a consultation with students, families, staff, education and community partners on provincial and demonstration schools.  

The purpose of the consultation is to explore ways to offer a range of quality programs and services that will provide better outcomes for our students with severe learning disabilities and their families.  They are also seeking to better understand the knowledge and skills that would best prepare our students for their various pathways in school and life.  

The agency has created a survey with three questions that can be answered online. 

  • What knowledge and skills do English demonstration school students need to have when they leave school?
  • What are the best ways to prepare demonstration school students to enter the workforce, post-secondary education or other pathways and become productive and actively engaged citizens?
  • Moving forward, what programs and services would provide a positive school experience for demonstration school students and their families?
We are hoping that as many people as possible will follow the link below and take the time to answer the questions in support of the Demonstration schools across the province.  We are so proud of the students and the programs offered at Sagonaska and we know that our school affords students the opportunity to learn to read and it changes their lives.  Please take the time to share your experiences, stories, and support.





Survey found under “English-Language Provincial Demonstration Schools”



Thursday, 4 February 2016

Book Creator App (IOS) Demonstration


The student notebook is a gateway to new worlds of discovery and wonder. Wouldn't it be nice if students had access to endless blank pages they could fill with drawings, images and videos to capture their thoughts and ideas, and for it to be completely accessible? Well, that idea is a reality with the Book Creator app...



Friday, 29 January 2016

Attention Parents - Additional PA Day Added to School Calendar

Please read the note below from our Director Dr. June Rogers (click to enlarge)


Reading

Story Time During the last few months I have been reading to the boys a couple of nights a week. The boys are really enjoying story time...