Busy Mommy Media » Language and Reading

Tools for Reluctant Readers

Rachel — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:06:30 +0000

The love of reading can help kids succeed in so many areas of their lives. Good reading skills are essential for success in school and a future career but it can also help kids develop a love of learning and open the doors to many new hobbies and experiences. I love to read but I remember as a child really struggling with the task of learning to read. If you are the parent of a reluctant reader, these tools may help you both enjoy the process of learning to read more and help your child to discover what a real joy books can be.

Mark My Time Bookmark

My oldest child loves to read but it took a while to get there. He’s extremely task oriented – I can’t take the kid to the zoo without him focusing mainly on the map – so I looked for tools that would make him feel like he had completed something when he was first starting to read books for fun. The Mark My Time digital bookmark is a great tool for goal oriented reluctant readers because it helps them to set a concrete reading goal. This simple tool is a plastic bookmark with a timer attached to the top – my kids love anything digital so they were sold on it from the beginning. It has simple button controls that allow you to either count up or count down to your goal. My 6 year old has used it for the past several months as part of his homeschool curriculum to help keep track of how many minutes he is reading each day. We’ve set a goal for him to read something he enjoys for at least 20 minutes a day. My son likes to let the timer count up to 20 minutes because often times he will get into his book and not want to stop when he hits his reading goal. Mark My Time Bookmark will also show the current time and count down from a goal, say if you wanted to set a goal of reading for 60 minutes a week and the timer will go off when you have reached that goal.

Preschool Prep : Meet the Sight Words

One of the most difficult things about learning to read for many kids can be the frustration from comes from words that simply cannot be sounded out. I’m thrilled that more schools are going back to phonics based programs again but there are still many words that just don’t follow the rules – and they show up in books and other printed material a lot! Kids that are able to master basic sight words have a huge advantage and can really start to enjoy the process of reading.

The Preschool Prep DVD series may have the word preschool in its name but I think it’s perfect for any child that is struggling learning to read basic sight words. The DVD is colorful and attracts the attention of younger children but my 6 year old sat and watched it without complaining with his younger brothers. There’s a real benefit for kids to practice reading things that may be a bit easy for them sometimes too because it gives them the confidence they need to learn the harder stuff. The DVD uses a really visually based learning system that brings the sight words to life by having the letters of the word participate in an action that parallels the meaning of the word. This method is a great memorization tool and can really help visual learners.

LeapFrog Tag

Part of the joy of learning to read is kids can explore literature that they want to read as an independent activity. When kids struggle with reading comprehension or are slow readers, they can quickly learn to dislike the act of reading. The LeapFrog Tag system allows early and struggling readers to enjoy the books that they want to read at whatever level they are at. The Tag will either read the entire book to the child, read one page at a time, or read individual words that the child is struggling with so they don’t slow down their pace and get out of the rhythm of the story. We bought my oldest son a LeapFrog Tag when they first came out and it’s been fun to me to see his progression. In the beginning, he knew his letters but couldn’t really read, so he let the Tag read the story to him. He used to enjoy “reading” each book and would often have the Tag read only one word at a time so he felt like he was reading the book on his own. We were shocked at how quickly my son transitioned from having the Tag read the book, to reading a few words on his own and letting the Tag to the rest, to only needing help with a few words in the book. Today he still enjoys his Tag books, but he doesn’t need the help from the Tag pen at all. His younger siblings are now enjoying their own Tag and Tag Jr. and learning to love reading as much as their older brother does.

Rebus Stories

Even if you haven’t heard of rebus stories before, you very likely already know what they are. Rebus stories substitute a picture for some of the words in a story so kids can participate in the reading process from a very early age or simplify the reading process if they are struggling. Highlights magazine is well known for their rebus stories but there are many other children’s rebus books on the market. Rebus stories do an important thing for reluctant readers – they make reading fun again and take the focus off sounding out every word perfectly. Reading should be fun and learning to read should be a fun process for kids and not a source of stress.

Save on My Virtual Tutor Reading Games

Kimberly — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:55:48 +0000

My Virtual Tutor: Reading Pre-K to KindergartenJust-in-time for summer, you can now save $5.00 when you purchase the My Virtual Tutor Reading Titles on Amazon.com!

To redeem your $5.00 off promotional code, log onto My Virtual Tutor: Reading Pre-K to KindergartenAmazon and simply enter the claim code MYVTUTOR during checkout. This offer expires at 11:59 p.m. PST on May 31, 2010.

Bringing Your Toys To Life With Webkinz Jr.

Stacey — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:56:42 +0000

Right after we adopted our Boxer puppy last Spring, my then 3 year-old daughter decided she needed to have her own puppy, too. Actually, two puppies. Imaginary puppies — Holly and Polly! I have no idea what kind of dog they are but they have been with us this entire last year. She loves to talk about Holly and Polly, how well they behave, what they like to eat, how big they are getting. Don’t get me wrong, she loves our Boxer to pieces…she just likes to have her own puppies that she’s in charge of, too!

Honestly, it never really occurred to me to buy my daughter her own stuffed puppies that she could pretend were Holly and Polly. After all, she has plenty of stuffed animals! But then I learned about Webkinz Jr.! Sure, I had heard of Webkinz from my nieces but thought my daughter was a bit too young for those. Now, with Webkinz Jr., she can join in on the fun her cousins are having but with an online experience tailored toward her age group (3-6yrs)!

WHAT ARE WEBKINZ JR?

Webkinz Jr. is a two part experience. First, they are these amazingly plush stuffed animals! I was amazed at how soft and snuggly they are! My daughters each received a puppy (one blue, one pink) from Webkinz Jr. and those puppies are toted around everywhere with us!!! They are also completely safe for even my 2 year old since they are free of any plastic eyes or noses that could potentially come loose. This made me like the Webkinz Jr. plushes even more! Oh, and they are available in the most adorable creatures — frog, elephant, bunnies, giraffe, bear, puppies, monkeys, and kitty.

Second, each Webkinz Jr. comes with an interactive online experience. I know a lot of parents are hesitant to allow their preschooler and early elementary age children to pay online. It can be a scary place! However, the Webkinz Jr. site has far exceeded my expectations! The site not only requires a parent to register for the child (which allows the parent to have control over different aspects of the online experience) but the page the child will be playing on is free of third party advertising and free of toolbars.

When you first register on WebkinzJr.com you will enter the code that came with your Webkinz Jr. plush and your child will have the opportunity to name their pet. This code brings your child’s new plush friend to life online. Now it is time for the fun! At your pet’s home your child can feed her, bathe her, play, or put her to bed. But the fun doesn’t end there! Your child can also take their pet for adventures around the virtual neighborhood!

Your child can take their pet to the post office to create postcards, to the grocery store to do some shopping, and even going on field trips to the fire station to learn all about fire fighters! My daughter’s favorite thing to do though is to take her puppy to the school where she gets to do all sorts of learning activities like math, creating machines, and color matching. Every part of the site offers some sort of fun and educational value to your child.

But your will also learn about responsibility! Much like a real pet, your child will need to make sure their virtual pet is being taken care of. Meters at the bottom of the screen let your child know if their pet is hungry, tired, bored, or just needs some attention.

MY THOUGHTS, AS A PARENT:

I really love the WebkinzJr.com experience! The plush animals are great and my daughters love playing and snuggling with them, but the online experience is really just amazing. The user interface is fun and easy to use and the games are easily customizable depending on the age/educational levels of your child. This makes the whole experience that much better because it’s not something your child will necessarily out-grow right away. It also means that if your child is more advanced at language skills than math skills, you can adjust those levels individually! You can also add animals to your child’s account each time get a new plush pet by entering in their Jr. Pet Code, found on the tag of the plush.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Webkinz Jr. if you have a child at the preschool age. They will love their new animal friend and that they get to bring their new friend to life online! Finally my daughter has a way to bring Holly and Polly to life!!!

*Disclaimer: I did receive two Webkinz Jr. plush pets from Webkinz so that I (and my daughters) could get a first hand experience with the product in order to bring you an accurate and personal review!

To Read or Not to Read? – John Marsden’s Hamlet

Guest Writer — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:10:17 +0000

John Marsden’s Hamlet is a novel telling of the classic Shakespeare play. Marsden has a gift for simplifying the language while not taking away from the plot and pathos of the story. The novel is mostly taken straight from canon; the famous speeches appear, but spoken in English.

Hamlet and Ophelia are two young people in difficult circumstances. Hamlet begins as a person who, already a little odd, is coming undone. Ophelia is a girl who struggles all of her life for individuality and support. Suddenly, the world they know is swept out from under their feet. They need to figure out how they are going to cope with their changing circumstances.

The novel is set exclusively in the castle of Elsinore and the surrounding countryside. The old king is dead and a new king has taken his throne and his wife. Hamlet now has an uncle for a father, his stepfather as king. He is lost by the upheaval of all he knows and has no one to turn to. Ophelia’s friends have all gone, the only people she has are Hamlet and her father, but both of them pass further and further away from her, finally leaving her bereft. The novel explores their reactions, motivations, and psychology.

The Play’s the Thing

Disclaimer: I did not go back and re-read the Shakespeare play. That being said, Marsden’s novel was remarkably faithful to the play. There were a couple jarring moments – such as at the beginning of the story when Hamlet and his friends run outside to play football. Marsden also elaborates from time to time, filling in gaps in the story and fleshing out some of the formerly two-dimensional characters.

When Marsden is taking straight from the play he uses his gifts of language. Famous soliloquies are not exempt from his touch. All of the prose, all of the dialogue, is couched in simple modern terms. The words are believable, fresh, and understandable. In this way the novel is less of a retelling than it is a translation.

Recommendations

This novel would be either an excellent introduction to Shakespeare, or a valuable companion to the play. It could also be an amazing tool for anyone struggling to enter Hamlet’s world. The language and themes are accessible to all levels from young adult to mature readers. That being said, due to some sexual themes and brief language, I’d rate it as a PG-13.

Where I’m coming from

Confession: I love to read and will devour almost any book put into my path. I also have a theatre background and a love for Shakespeare. My favorite Shakespeare play is Henry V. I enjoyed reading Hamlet and watching all of the movie versions. However, I do strongly feel that this book would appeal to any type of reader.

My rating:

(four out of five happy faces)

By Deidre Cutter

A Wild Read

Patricia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:14:44 +0000

When reading comes alive to a child or even to an adult is when you can imagine yourself as one of the characters in the story. In the story Where the Wild Things Are, children can identify with the little boy named Max who is sent to his room for making mischief without supper. Max dressed as a wolf begins to have adventures with his make believe friends “the wild things”. The “wild things” are a group of monsters that love to have fun, their ways encourage Max to have fun too. The book Where the Wild Things Are was created by Maurice Sendak, although the original concept of Where the Wild Things Are was about horses, the picture book is known for its amazing illustrations of monsters. This picture book is a simple read, but very entertaining. The story was written in 1963; in 1964 the book was awarded the Caldecott Medal. It also won two other awards the Boston Globe-Horn Award, and the American Library Association Notable Book award. I suggest reading Where the Wild Things Are, and on October 16, 2009, spend an evening watching the movie. This book is for children ages 4-8.

Bringing Up Baby – Early Literacy for Infants

Patricia — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:10:43 +0000

The most valuable asset you could give your child is reading. Reading is an investment to their future; it would lead them to a quality of life that is full of so many possibilities. As a child, I remember lying in the country grasses of West Virginia being carried away from one adventure after another. Whether it was slaying dragons or waiting for Romeo to save me; reading is fundamental to education, and developing a well rounded child.

Now that does not mean to teach your baby to read early; although that is a worthwhile endeavor. It is to interact with your child through books; studies show that children ages 3-5 years old whose parents read to them at least three times or more a week are more than likely to recognize all the letters of the alphabet, to recognize words, and recognize words in context.

Books for Babies

There is a program called Books for Babies in most communities that supplies parents with a kit that helps them develop early literacy for their baby. The kit contains board book, a library card, and brochures on early literacy. Most of these kits can be found through organizations such as Friends of the Library, Women’s Club, and Junior Leagues. You can also place an order for a Book for Babies kit. To place an order by phone with a credit card, please contact ALTAFF at (800) 545-2433, ext 2161, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST.

Story Time with Baby

Become a regular user of your local library, utilizing their lap sit and story time hours will also put your baby on the road to early literacy. Also companies such as Barnes and Noble provide a story time hour. Story time hour consists of a library professional reading a book to your child, singing and playing this gives the child that interaction that children needs to develop learning skills. Below are suggestions of a book you can use, and activities you can use with your baby to develop early literacy skills.

Let’s Be Creative: Mommy’s Story Time

Suggested Activities:

Cuddle with your child during reading this will give them a sense of feeling safe.

Consider singing nursery rhymes with your child; also playing with your child as you read shows them that reading is fun.

For more information about Books For Babies and studies on early literacy, visit the American Library Association at ala.org.

Preschool Sensory Activity – Salt Writing

Rachel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:37:48 +0000

This simple preschool sensory activity can be done using basic household supplies and a little creativity. Preschoolers will love the feel of the salt on their fingers and can use this activity to practice writing their letters and numbers.

What You Need

A cookie Sheet with an edge
Enough Salt to cover the bottom of the cookie sheet

What To Do

For this activity you will want to have a large cookie sheet with an edge. Place the cookie sheet on a table or on the floor. For easy clean up you can spread an old sheet under the cookie sheet. Pour enough salt onto the cookie sheet to cover the bottom.

Show preschoolers how they can use their fingers to draw in the salt. Preschoolers can practice drawing simple pictures such as snakes or they can practice writing their letters and numbers.

Creating an Alphabet Activity – This activity is wonderful for helping preschoolers learn to write the letters of the alphabet. Provide preschoolers with a alphabet strip or a paper with the letters of the alphabet written clearly on it, that they can use to copy the letters that they want to draw in the sand. Demonstrate how preschoolers can use their fingers to write the letters of the alphabet in the sand.

When preschoolers want to clear the cookie sheet of their writing they can gently shake the cookie sheet to start over.

Preschool Science Activity – My Five Senses Chart

Rachel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:33:33 +0000

This preschool science activity is a wonderful companion to “My Five Senses” by Aliki or as a stand alone science activity. Preschoolers will learn all about their five senses and the things that they can experience with them.

There are so many different ways that preschoolers can experience the world around them. Learning about their five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch helps them to realize all the different ways that they can learn about the world and the things that are in it.

What You Need

My Five Senses (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1) by Aliki
My Five Senses Chart (word document)
My Five Senses (PDF Document)

Pictures of an Eye, Ear, Nose, Mouth, and Hands
Old Magazines or a copy of the chart at the beginning of My Five Senses

What To Do

Read My Five Senses. Talk with the preschoolers about the different things that they can experience with each of their five senses. Explain that sometimes people do not have all five of their senses. Tell the preschoolers that there are people who cannot see or cannot hear. Ask the preschoolers what life would be like if they were missing one of their five senses.

Print My Five Senses Chart . Help each preschooler add pictures of an eye, ear, nose, mouth, and hands above the matching category. Have preschoolers cut pictures of objects out of magazines and determine what sense they use to experience each object. Give preschoolers glue and help them to glue each picture where it belongs on the chart.

Applebet – An ABC

Rachel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:38:01 +0000

This colorful ABC story by Clyde Watson follows a little girl named Bet and her mother as they get the apples on their farm ready for the county fair. This preschool book goes through not only just the letters in the alphabet, but hard and soft sounds and blends as well. This is a wonderful book to introduce preschoolers to valuable reading skills.

Preschool Book Review: Applebet – An ABC

Written by Clyde Watson

Illustrated by Wendy Watson

From the Preschool Book

“A is for apple as everyone knows. Can you follow this one wherever it goes? B is for Bet in the top of the tree who picked it and shined it and gave it to me.”

About the Preschool Book

Applebet is the story of a little girl named Bet and her mother as they get ready to go to the fair. Rock through the letters of the alphabet with this wonderful rhyme about the journey a few special apples take, from the tree to the winner’s table at the fair.

From the Reviewer

Applebet is a wonderful educational book for preschoolers learning the letters of the alphabet. What makes this alphabet book unique is that rather than simply going through each letter of the alphabet, it includes soft and hard sounds and blends as well. This is a great introduction to language concepts that many preschoolers have not been exposed to before. Blends and soft and hard sounds are shown to preschoolers in a way that they can understand and that continues the flow of the story.

The fun and action-filled illustrations are appealing to preschoolers and get them interested in the story. Alphabet letters are large and set apart in a different color, making it easy for preschoolers to pick out the letters as they go through the story.

Book Details

Title: Applebet
Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Paperback: 32 Pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); Reprint edition (September 1, 1987)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0374404275

ISBN-13: 978-0374404277

Snowball Alphabet Building Game

Rachel — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:37:03 +0000

Preschool literacy is one of the most important early education skill preschoolers can learn. Pre-literacy activities can range from reading books with a parent to tracing letters with your finger in salt. With a little bit of creativity, preschoolers can be taught early literacy lessons that strengthen letter recognition abilities and develop a love for reading that will last a lifetime.

Building activities are a great way to get preschooler excited about learning. This simple preschool literacy activity helps preschoolers develop their small motor skills and letter recognition skill. Preschoolers will love this open-ended literacy activity and this easy preschool game requires only a few basic materials that are found around the house.

Preschool Literacy Activity Supplies

Spaghetti Noodles (Thick noodles are less fragile and easier for preschoolers to handle)
Marshmallows
A baking sheet with an edge

Preschool Literacy Activity Instructions

Spread out a handful of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows on a baking sheet with an edge. I love using basic metal baking sheets for preschool crafts because they help contain the mess and they are so easy to wash. Show your preschooler how to break the spaghetti pieces into whatever size he wants to use to build with. It may be helpful to start with a variety of size before your preschooler begins building.

Help your preschooler gently push one end of a piece of spaghetti into a marshmallow. Show your preschooler how to connect pieces of spaghetti by using the marshmallow to bind them together.

Help your preschooler make the letters of the alphabet with the spaghetti pieces and marshmallows. Younger preschoolers may benefit from having a simple alphabet chart to look at as they play.

Variations

Help your preschoolers use the spaghetti and marshmallows to create shapes. Build 3D creations, such as a cube, by connecting pieces of spaghetti to other sides of the marshmallows. This easy preschool activity is ideal for a rainy day or as a quiet time activity while mom cooks dinner.