1. INDEPENDENT READING
An important part of your child’s reading program involves daily practice at home for at least 20
minutes. The independent reading program reinforces our literacy curriculum by providing the
opportunity for students to read and share a wide variety of genre from our classroom and school
library. The reading that I want the children to do at home is meant, first and foremost, to help
foster a love of literature. Your child is encouraged to select books that are “just right” for
him/her, as well as books from shared reading and read aloud experiences. You can support our
class lessons about book choice by discussing the books that your child chooses with him or her.
The ability to choose books is an important and very difficult skill for many children. To help
define “just right” book selections, the following information is provided.
Is This The Right Book for You?
Ask yourself these questions.
If the answer is YES, the book is probably:
A Vacation Book
Have you read it a lot of times?
Do you understand the story very well?
Do you know almost every word?
Can you read it smoothly?
A Just Right Book
Is the book new to you?
Do you understand a lot of the book?
Are there just a few words on a page you don’t know?
When you read, are some places smooth and some choppy?
An Up-Hill Book
Are there more than 5 words on a page you don’t know?
Are you confused about what is happening?
We will conference with your child about his/her independent reading selections and goals.
This relates to the 2nd grade reading curriculum and our work to empower students to monitor
personal reading progress. Our goal is to foster a love of literature for all students. We look
forward to celebrating reading this school year!