Taking Charge of TV

Monday 3 May 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , ,

From ed.gov:

Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it. Keep in mind, though, that young children often imitate what they see, good or bad. It's up to you to decide how much TV and what kinds of shows your child should watch.

Think about your child's age and choose the types of things that you want him to see, learn, and imitate.

Look for TV shows that
— teach your child something,
— hold his interest,
— encourage him to listen and question,
— help him learn more words,
— make him feel good about himself, and
— introduce him to new ideas and things.

  • "Sesame Street," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," "Blue's Clues," "Between the Lions," "Reading Rainbow," "Barney & Friends," "Zoom," and "Zoboomafoo," are some shows that you may want to consider. Many other good children's programs are available on public television stations and on cable channels such as the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
  • Limit the time that you let your child watch TV. Too much television cuts into important activities in a child's life, such as reading, playing with friends, and talking with family members.
  • Watch TV with your child when you can. Talk with him about what you see. Answer his questions. Try to point out the things in TV programs that are like your child's everyday life.
  • When you can't watch TV with your child, spot check to see what he is watching. Ask questions after the show ends. See what excites him and what troubles him. Find out what he has learned and remembered.
  • Go to the library and find books that explore the themes of the TV shows that your child watches. Or help your child to use his drawings or pictures cut from magazines to make a book based on a TV show.

Encourage Your Child to Read: Learning with Computers

Thursday 29 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , , ,

From ed.gov:

Computers can't replace the reading and writing activities discussed earlier in this booklet. But computers can support what these activities teach your child.

Many computer programs (also called software) offer activities that can both grab your child's interest and teach good lessons. Children as young as 3 years old, though they can't read yet, may still have fun using some of the colorful, action—filled programs with enjoyable characters. (For computer program ideas, see Resources for Children.) Computer reading programs let your child:

* Hear stories, read along and read by herself.
* Play with objects and characters on the screen that teach the alphabet, simple words, rhyming words and other skills important to learning to read.
* Command the computer with her voice, record herself reading and play back the recording so that she can hear herself.
* Write simple sentences and make up stories.
* Add pictures and characters to her stories and have them read back.
* Make and print her own books.
* Make slide shows.
* Gain praise and see improvement in her language abilities.

Finding and Using a Computer

If you don't have a computer at home, ask your librarian if you and your child may use one of the library's computers. Your child's school or a nearby community college might also have a computer laboratory that you may use. Ask your librarian about good programs for learning to use a computer. Try a few. They can help you learn basic computer steps before working with your child. Your librarian also may be able to tell you where you can get computer training if you want it.

When sitting at a computer with your child, join in at first. Later, watch as he plays. Always praise and guide him when you need to. Make sure that you choose the right programs for your child's age. Often, one program may have activities for many ages. As your child grows, the program gets more challenging. In fact, if you have children of different ages, the same program can allow each to learn and practice different skills.

There are many computer programs available for children, but they vary in quality. If you can, try a program before you buy it. You also can check at your local library for reviews of children's programs. Don't hesitate to ask your librarian or your child's teacher for information and recommendations about good software.

Many computer programs are available through "Web sites," which are addresses on the World Wide Web, a part of the Internet. Organizations such as libraries, colleges, and government offices give people information through their Web sites. Businesses and other private groups also give—and sell—information over their Web sites. Good children's programs are available this way, but again, the quality of such material varies and you will need to be careful in your choices. For help on how you can use a computer to hook up to the Internet and find what you need, check with your librarian.

Some Useful Computer Resources

Parents Guide to the Internet published by the U.S. Department of Education, 1997. (call toll-free 1-877-4ED-PUBS to request a free copy, or order online at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html).

The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap by Seymour Papert and Nicholas Negroponte. Longstreet Press, 1996.

The Parents' Pocket Guide to Kids and Computers published by the Family Computer Workshop, 1998.

Young Kids and Computers: A Parent's Survival Guide by Ellen Wolock, Anne Orr, and Warren Buckleitner. Children's Software Revue, 1998.

For more resources, see "Some Other Informative Web Sites for Parents and Caregivers," "Computer Programs," and "Young Children and the Internet: Places to Learn and Play."


Encourage your child to read: Visit the library

Monday 26 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , , , , ,

from ed.gov

MY CHILD'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Other Ways to Help -- Helping Your Child Become a Reader

Visiting the Library

Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning and discovery for everyone. Ask at the library about getting a library card in your child's name and, if you don't already have one, get a card for yourself.

The Librarian

Introduce yourself and your child to your librarian. Librarians can help you to select the best books that are both fun and suitable for your child's age level. They can also show you the other programs and services the library has to offer.

Books...and More

In addition to a wealth of books, your library most likely will have tapes and CDs of books, musical CDs and tapes, movies, computers that you can use, and many more resources. You also might find books in languages other than English, or programs to help adults improve their reading. If you would like reading help for yourself or your family, check with the librarian about literacy programs in your community. (Also see Resources for Parents and Caregivers.)

Supervised Story Times

  • Babies and toddlers. Many libraries have group story hours that are short and geared to the attention spans of the children. During story hour, child sits in your lap, and both of you can join in the story. The storyteller also may show you fingerplays and rhythm activities. The storyteller also may give you tips and handouts that you can use for your own home story hours.
  • Preschoolers. The library may offer these story hours more than once a week. For these story hours, you and your child usually read several books on the same topic. You might play games, sing songs, use puppets, or do other activities that are connected to that topic. You also may get ideas for books to read and other things to do with your child at home.
  • Families. Families can read together, or they may join in a story told by the library storyteller. Some libraries also set up family activities around the readings, including crafts and art projects and watching movies.

Summer Reading

After the school year is over, some children may forget what they have learned about reading. Libraries help keep children interested in reading by offering summer programs. Children from early elementary school to high school read books on their own. A teacher or librarian may give a child a diary or log in which he writes what he read during the summer. And, because reading aloud is so important to promoting a love of reading, many libraries offer "Read-to-Me" clubs for preschool and younger children.

Learning with Computers

Computers can't replace the reading and writing activities discussed earlier in this booklet. But computers can support what these activities teach your child.

Many computer programs (also called software) offer activities that can both grab your child's interest and teach good lessons. Children as young as 3 years old, though they can't read yet, may still have fun using some of the colorful, action—filled programs with enjoyable characters. (For computer program ideas, see Resources for Children.) Computer reading programs let your child:

  • Hear stories, read along and read by herself.
  • Play with objects and characters on the screen that teach the alphabet, simple words, rhyming words and other skills important to learning to read.
  • Command the computer with her voice, record herself reading and play back the recording so that she can hear herself.
  • Write simple sentences and make up stories.
  • Add pictures and characters to her stories and have them read back.
  • Make and print her own books.
  • Make slide shows.
  • Gain praise and see improvement in her language abilities.

Finding and Using a Computer

If you don't have a computer at home, ask your librarian if you and your child may use one of the library's computers. Your child's school or a nearby community college might also have a computer laboratory that you may use. Ask your librarian about good programs for learning to use a computer. Try a few. They can help you learn basic computer steps before working with your child. Your librarian also may be able to tell you where you can get computer training if you want it.

When sitting at a computer with your child, join in at first. Later, watch as he plays. Always praise and guide him when you need to. Make sure that you choose the right programs for your child's age. Often, one program may have activities for many ages. As your child grows, the program gets more challenging. In fact, if you have children of different ages, the same program can allow each to learn and practice different skills.

There are many computer programs available for children, but they vary in quality. If you can, try a program before you buy it. You also can check at your local library for reviews of children's programs. Don't hesitate to ask your librarian or your child's teacher for information and recommendations about good software.

Many computer programs are available through "Web sites," which are addresses on the World Wide Web, a part of the Internet. Organizations such as libraries, colleges, and government offices give people information through their Web sites. Businesses and other private groups also give—and sell—information over their Web sites. Good children's programs are available this way, but again, the quality of such material varies and you will need to be careful in your choices. For help on how you can use a computer to hook up to the Internet and find what you need, check with your librarian.

Some Useful Computer Resources

Parents Guide to the Internet published by the U.S. Department of Education, 1997. (call toll-free 1-877-4ED-PUBS to request a free copy, or order online at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html).

The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap by Seymour Papert and Nicholas Negroponte. Longstreet Press, 1996.

The Parents' Pocket Guide to Kids and Computers published by the Family Computer Workshop, 1998.

Young Kids and Computers: A Parent's Survival Guide by Ellen Wolock, Anne Orr, and Warren Buckleitner. Children's Software Revue, 1998.

For more resources, see "Some Other Informative Web Sites for Parents and Caregivers," "Computer Programs," and "Young Children and the Internet: Places to Learn and Play."

Taking Charge of TV

Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it. Keep in mind, though, that young children often imitate what they see, good or bad. It's up to you to decide how much TV and what kinds of shows your child should watch.

  • Think about your child's age and choose the types of things that you want him to see, learn, and imitate.
  • Look for TV shows that teach your child something, hold his interest, encourage him to listen and question, help him learn more words, make him feel good about himself, and introduce him to new ideas and things.
  • "Sesame Street," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," "Blue's Clues," "Between the Lions," "Reading Rainbow," "Barney & Friends," "Zoom," and "Zoboomafoo," are some shows that you may want to consider. Many other good children's programs are available on public television stations and on cable channels such as the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
  • Limit the time that you let your child watch TV. Too much television cuts into important activities in a child's life, such as reading, playing with friends, and talking with family members.
  • Watch TV with your child when you can. Talk with him about what you see. Answer his questions. Try to point out the things in TV programs that are like your child's everyday life.
  • When you can't watch TV with your child, spot check to see what he is watching. Ask questions after the show ends. See what excites him and what troubles him. Find out what he has learned and remembered.
  • Go to the library and find books that explore the themes of the TV shows that your child watches. Or help your child to use his drawings or pictures cut from magazines to make a book based on a TV show.

Part 12: Teaching Your Child to Read

Thursday 22 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: ,

From ed.gov

Write On!

For children ages 3 to 6

Reading and writing support each other. The more your child does of each, the better she will be at both.

What You Need

Pencils, crayons, or markers
Yarn or ribbon
Writing paper or notebook
Cardboard or heavy paper
Construction paper
Safety scissors

What to Do

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let her do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as she enjoys them.

  • Write with your child. She will learn a lot about writing by watching you write. Talk with her about your writing so that she begins to understand that writing means something and has many uses.
  • Have your preschooler use her way of writing—perhaps just a scribble—to sign birthday cards or make lists.
  • Hang a family message board in the kitchen. Offer to write notes there for your child. Be sure that she finds notes left there for her.
  • When a child is just beginning, she tries different ways to write and spell. Our job as parents is to encourage our children's writing so they will enjoy putting their thoughts and ideas on paper. Provide them with spelling help when they ask for it.
  • Ask your preschooler to tell you simple stories as you write them down. Question her if you don't understand something.
  • Encourage your preschooler to write her name and practice writing it with her. Remember, at first she may use only the first letter or two of her name.
  • Help your child write notes or e-mails to relatives and friends to thank them for gifts or to share her thoughts. Encourage the relatives and friends to answer your child.
  • When she is in kindergarten, your child will begin to write words the way that she hears them. For example, she might write haf for have, frn for friend, and Frd for Fred. Ask her to read her writing to you. Don't be concerned with correct spelling. She will learn that later.
  • As your child gets older, she can begin to write or tell you longer stories. Ask questions that will help her organize the stories. Answer questions about alphabet letters and spelling.
  • Turn your child's writing into books. Paste her drawings and writings on pieces of construction paper. For each book, make a cover out of heavier paper or cardboard, then add special art, a title, and her name as author. Punch holes in the pages and cover and bind the book together with yarn or ribbon.

All of the activities discussed so far offer a rich experience for children as they build their language skills. But you can do even more to support your child's learning.


Part 11: Teaching Your Child To Read

Monday 19 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: Under The Lamb, teaching children Tags: , ,

From ed.gov:

Family Stories

For children ages 3 to 6

Telling family stories lets your child know about the people who are important to him. They also give him an idea of how one thing leads to another in a story.

What to Do

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.

  • Tell your child stories about your parents and grandparents or about others who are special to you and your family. You might put these stories in a book and add old photographs.
  • Think out loud about when you were little. Make a story out of something that happened, such as a family trip, a birthday party, or when you lost your first tooth.
  • The storyteller's voice helps your child to hear the sounds of words and how they are put together to make meaning.
  • Have your child tell you stories about what he did on special days, such as holidays, birthdays, and family vacations.
  • If you go on a trip, write a trip journal with your child to make a new family story.
  • Take photographs of special events.
  • Writing down special events and pasting photographs of the events in the journal will tie the family story to a written history.
  • You can also include everyday trips, such as going to the grocery store or the park.

Part 10: Teach your child to read

Thursday 15 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , ,

from ed.gov

Take a Bow! For children ages 3 to 6

When your child acts out a poem or story, she shows her own understanding of what it is about. She also grows as a reader by connecting emotions with written words.

What You Need

  • Poems or stories written from a child's point of view
  • Things to use in a child's play (dress-up clothes, puppets)

Play acting helps a child learn that there are more and less important parts to a story. She also learns how one thing in a story follows another.

What to Do

  • Read a poem slowly to your child. Read it with feeling, making the words seem important.
  • If your child has a poem she especially likes, ask her to act it out. Ask her to make a face to show the way the character in the poem is feeling. Making different faces adds emotion to the performer's voice. After her performance, praise her for doing a good job.
  • Tell your child that the family would love to see her perform her poem. Set a time when everyone can be together. When your child finishes her performance, encourage her to take a bow as everyone claps and cheers loudly.
  • Encourage your child to make up her own play from a story that she has read or heard. Tell her that it can be make-believe or from real life. Help her to find or make things to go with the story—a pretend crown, stuffed animals, a broomstick, or whatever the story needs. Some of her friends or family also can help. You can write down the words or, if she is old enough, help her to write them. Then help her to stage the play for everyone to see!

Part 9: Teach your child to read

Monday 12 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: Under The Lamb

From ed.gov

Match My Sounds, For children ages 3 to 6

Listening for and saying sounds in words will help your child to learn that spoken words are made up of sounds, which gets him ready to match spoken sounds to written letters—an important first step toward becoming a reader.

What You Need

  • Books with nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, word games, or silly songs

What to Do

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.

Helping children learn to pay attention to sounds in words can prevent reading problems later on.

  • Say your child's name, then have him say words that begin with the same sound; for example: David—day, doll, dish; Jess—juice, jam, jar.
  • As you read a story or poem, ask your child to listen for and say the words that begin with the same sound. Then have him think of and say another word that begins with the sound.
  • Read or say a familiar nursery rhyme such as "Humpty, Dumpty." Then have your child make it "Bumpty, Lumpty" or "Thumpty, Gumpty."
  • Help your child to make up and say silly lines with lots of words that start with the same sound, such as, "Sister saw six silly snakes."
  • Say two names for an animal, and tell your child to choose the name that begins with the same sound as the animal's name. Ask, for example, should a horse's name be Hank or Tank? Should a pig be Mattie or Patty? Should a zebra be Zap or Cap?

Part 8: Teach your child to read

Thursday 8 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , , , ,

from ed.gov

Rhyme with Me: It's Fun, You'll See! For children ages 3 to 6

Rhyming activities help your child to pay attention to the sounds in words.

What You Need

  • Books with rhyming words, word games, or songs


What to Do

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let her do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as she enjoys them.

  • Play rhyming games and sing rhyming songs with your child. Many songs and games include clapping, bouncing and tossing balls, and playing in groups.
  • Children around the world have fun with rhyming games and songs. Here are a few rhyming books to look for: Shake It to the One That You Love the Best: Play Songs and Lullabies from Black Musical Traditions by Cheryl Warren Mattox; Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky; Diez Deditos: 10 Little Fingers and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs from Latin America by Jose-Luis Orozco; and My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie. (For more suggestions, see Resources for Children.)
  • Read rhymes to your child. As you read, stop before a rhyming word and encourage your child to fill in the blank. When she does, praise her.
  • Listen for rhymes in songs that you know or hear on the radio, TV, or at family or other gatherings. Sing the songs with your child.
  • Around the home, point to objects and say their names, for example, clock. Then ask your child to say as many words as she can that rhyme with the name. Other easily rhymed words are ball, bed, rug, sink, and toy. Let your child use some silly, or nonsense, words as well: toy—joy, boy, woy, loy, doy, hoy, noy.
  • Say three words such as go, dog, and frog, and ask your child which words sound the same rhyme.
  • If your child has an easy-to-rhyme name, ask her to say words that rhyme with it: Jill—bill, mill, fill, hill.
  • If a computer is available, encourage your child to use it to play rhyming games. (For computer game suggestions, see "Learning with Computers.")

Part 7: Helping your child become a reader

Monday 5 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: , , ,

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

For children ages 3 to 6

Books that have no words, just beautiful pictures, invite you and your child to use your imaginations to make up your own stories to go with the pictures.

What You Need

Wordless picture books
Old magazines
Safety scissors
Construction paper

What to Do

Using wordless picture books can help improve children's language skills and spark their imaginations.

The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.

  • Look through the whole picture book with your child. Ask him what he thinks the story is about. Tell the story together by talking about each page as each of you sees it.
  • Ask your child to identify objects, animals, or people on each page. Talk with him about the pictures, and ask him if he thinks that they are like real life.
  • Have your child tell another child or family member a story using a wordless picture book. Doing this will make him feel like a "reader" and will encourage him to continue learning to read.
  • Have your child create his own picture book with his drawings or pictures that you help him cut from magazines.

Part 6: Helping your child become a reader

Thursday 1 Apr 2010 by Mary | No Comments
Filed under: teaching children Tags: ,

A Home for My Books

For children ages 2 to 6

Starting a home library for your child shows her how important books are. Having books of her own in a special place boosts the chance that your child will want to read even more.

What You Need

Books from bookstores, garage sales, flea markets, used book stores, and sales at your local library

A bookcase, a cardboard box, or other materials to make a place for books

What to Do

  • Pick a special place for your child's books so that she knows where to look for them. A cardboard box that you can decorate together might make a good bookcase. Or you might clear one of the family bookshelves and make a special place for her to put her books.
  • Help your child to arrange her books in some order—her favorite books, books about animals, holiday books. Use whatever method will help her most easily find the book she's looking for.
  • Borrow books from your local library. (See "Visiting the Library.") Go to the children's section and spend time with your child reading and selecting books to take home and put in her special place. You might even have a box or space just for library books, so that they don't get mixed up with your child's own books.
  • Encourage family members and friends to give books to your child as presents for birthdays and other occasions.

When collecting and reading books are a part of family life, you send your child a message that books are important, enjoyable, and full of new things to learn.

When you and your child make your own books, you can add them to your home library. (For ideas on how to make books, see "As Simple as ABC," and "Write On!")


« Older Entries

  • Categories