Reading

The primary responsibilities of the Reading Specialists are to support the school’s reading and writing programs.The Reading Specialists provide reading interventions to students, as well as training and coaching for staff. As trainers and coaches, they deliver various literacy-based professional development to the staff and follow up with co-planning and reflective conferences. If students are identified in need of additional reading support, they assess, analyze data and teach intervention groups that target specific reading skills using multi-sensory, explicit, and structured instruction.

Please feel free to contact the reading specialists at Tolbert if you have any questions about your child's literacy development or the reading and writing programs.

Tips for Parents

Engage in conversations with your child

Background knowledge and vocabulary play a huge role in helping your child with reading. When students hear new words and experience what the words mean, it helps children to make a connection to that word when they see it in print.

Engaging in conversations in the car, over dinner, and talking about what they see and experience on trips are all ways to help naturally build the background knowledge and vocabulary they need.

Read TO Your Child

Read from a variety of reading materials (magazines, non-fiction books, poetry, manuals that require following directions, etc.).
Make it a habit to visit the public library. As you read to your child, keep them involved. Have your child make predictions or invite comments as the story events unfold.
Have your child write about the story. The child can draw a picture of his favorite part and then write about it.

Read WITH Your Child

Listen to your child read to you. If what your child reads doesn't make sense, repeat it to him and ask, "Does that make sense?"
Allow your child to read familiar stories over and over again. This builds confidence, fluency, and a sight word vocabulary.
Allow your child to read easier books. This fosters the enjoyment of reading. This also allows the child to retain the content of the story, because they aren't having to put so much effort into decoding words.
Share the reading. Have your child read a page and you read the next.
Before reading a new book, have your child preview the book by reading the title and looking at the illustrations. Have him tell you what he thinks the story will be about.
After reading, discuss the story with your child. Ask your child about his favorite part, or something interesting that he learned from the story. Talk about the characters in the story.
Have your child write about the story. Ask your child to draw a picture of his favorite part and then add a sentence that tells what is happening in the picture.

When Your Child Is Stuck On A Word

Give your child "wait" time. Allow your child to work through a difficult word before stepping in. Your "wait" time provides needed processing time and sends your child the message that you EXPECT him to try something.
After providing wait time, try some of these prompts:
"Put your finger under the word. Slide your finger across as you say the sounds." Be sure your child re-reads the word so the sounds are blended together.
"Can you break that word into smaller parts (blends/syllables)?"
Tell your child the word if they have tried saying and blending the sounds and still can not get it.
Don't feel that your child must correct all errors. Even adult readers make mistakes. Praise what your child does well.

Web Resources For Parents

Common Sense Media: