English/Language Arts

ELA

We have so many new and exciting things we will be doing in ELA this year! Students will be learning to read independently, using decoding strategies, making predictions, showing comprehension, and so many more amazing skills. Our first graders will learn and grow so much this year!

 

We recommend at least twenty minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading time at home. Students can listen to reading, read to someone else, or read silently to themselves. There is a world of wonderful books that they will enjoy!

This year we will also be engaging in Writer's Workshop. Each day students will have time to write about topics of their choice. They will be given a great deal of support and guidance through instruction, modeling, and texts; yet they will have the freedom to tell their own stories. Please feel free to offer them ideas for their writing. For example: vacations, new pets, and other fun memories.    

Reading Strategies to Practice at home:

 

What can you do if you are stuck on a word?

 

Look at the pictures.

Go back and reread the sentence.

Ask yourself these questions:

Does it look right?

Does it sound right?

Does it make sense?

Skip over the word and think about what makes sense in that spot.

Look for patterns or word parts you know in the word.

Try to find clues in the sentence that helps you figure out the

word.

 

Comprehension is constructing meaning of a text before, during, and after reading.  You can support the comprehension skills we learn in class by discussing the text your child is reading.  Be sure to ask questions about the text before, during, and after reading.