Yay! March is reading month! Now that most of us are at home we have an excellent opportunity do what March encourages us to do: read, read, read! Your teachers have shared books, assignments and websites with you and now is an excellent time to explore your reading options!
Although March is reading month, for children with dyslexia (a language based reading disability), March can be a challenging time. The University of Michigan acknowledges this challenge (http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/answers/ask-dr-pierson/march-is-reading-month) and encourages children to take alternative steps…like, read with others (such as a parent, friend or sibling). Or, you can….listen, listen, listen to stories on line. For example, Storyline online offers stories read by celebrities: https://www.storylineonline.net/?ck_subscriber_id=733565601 but, please also check out Mrs. Meseroll’s recommendations: https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/meseroc/2020/03/20/read-aloud-resources/
But, since we still want to help student who struggle to read, here are some fun multisensory strategies for children, grades K-2: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/8-multisensory-techniques-for-teaching-reading
By second or third grade, most children are able to ‘decode’ or read words. Here are some reading comprehension strategies for students, grades 3-5: https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-ways-support-students-who-struggle-reading-comprehension
Oh yes, and don’t forget to talk, talk, talk about the stories you read or listen to! There are so many things to talk about: the characters, the setting, the events of the story and the ending of the story! As you read, can you predict what will come next? After you read, can you talk about if your prediction was right or not? Can you talk about the pictures you make in your mind as you read? Can you retell the events of the story in the order they happened? Can you ask and answer questions about the story, such as: WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Who was the story about? When did it happen? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen? Did something like this ever happen to you? Talk about it! Talking helps us remember information, learn new words, and develop academic learning skills.
Explore your reading options and enjoy March is Reading Month!