Supporting Your Child's Learning At Home

Orton-Gillingham: What You Need to Know

Institute for Multi-Sensory Education Support for Parents

Lexia Home Resources

Lexia’s Resource Hub provides family support to boost learning. This link will take you to Lexia’s family newsletters by grade level as well as grades K-5 Summer Reading Bingo Challenge boards. Encourage your students and their families to try these fun games and activities to reinforce and build literacy skills from home.

Pre-Reading and Phonics

Decodable Readers
Here you can find books for beginning and struggling readers that give simplified, repetitious practice on a particular, foundational phonics rule. The link below contains the same library, but books are grouped by phonics stages (from CVC pattern to variant vowel teams). C = consonant and V = vowel. Students can read at their level, independently for reinforcement, or with assistance to learn and strengthen more challenging spelling patternsFlyLeaf Decodables
Developing a Pencil Grip
The importance of this fine motor skill development in young children.
Concepts of Print
This is a short video introducing the concept. There is also a playlist- all Orton-Gillingham YouTube videos.
Heggerty Phonemic Awarness - Summer Program!
Phonemic Awareness is one of the foundational skills necessary to begin reading. It means being able to isolate, blend and manipulate letter sounds, to prepare to decode those same sounds when seen in text.
Heggerty is the District-embraced Phonemic Awareness program for K-2 students. Access 6 weeks' worth of Heggerty resources and materials to support your child over the summer months! Prevent 'Summer Learning Loss' or boost their literacy strength ahead of September!
Letters & Sounds: Practical Ideas for Parents
Provide your child with the opportunity to learn that written words are made up of letters that match the sounds in spoken words.
Phonics Instruction Explanation
This brief explains the basics of phonics for parents, offering guidance on phonics for emerging readers, phonological awareness, word study, approaches to teaching phonics, and teaching English learners.
Literacy Activity Sheets: Every Day Opportunities
Everyday activities are a natural and effective way to begin teaching your young child about letters and words. Download and print these colorful "take-along" activities the next time you go to the grocery store or farmer's market. Turn your regular trip into a reading adventure! - All above links from ReadingRockets.org
Reading and Writing SOS For Parents - Videos
This link takes you to Reading Rockets' YouTube playlists specifically for parental reading/writing intervention at home.
Orton Gillingham- Informational Video for Parents
Orton Gillingham is a spectacular, comprehensive program that teaches phonics, decoding, sight words, vocabulary and comprehension. The program can be used as a core reading program for all students, or as an intervention to assist struggling students. It is an excellent method for students with Dyslexia (diagnosed or yet to be). This video is a 'parent-teacher bridge' between the program in school, and how you can support your child with its methods at home.

Reading Comprehension

Read Works - Free Comprehension Tools and Content
ReadWorks is driven by cognitive science research.

FREE content, curriculum, and tools to power teaching and learning from Kindergarten to 12th Grade
Getting the Most out of Non-Fiction Reading Time
Nonfiction books give kids a chance to learn new concepts and vocabulary, as well as broaden their view of the world. Learn how to take a "book walk" with a new nonfiction book and how to model active reading. - Reading Rockets
Tips for Parents of 3rd Graders
Read about it, talk about it, and think about it! Find ways for yourchild to build understanding, the ultimate goal of learning how toread. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your childbecome a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. Seewhat works best for your child. - Reading Rockets
Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Inferences are what we figure out based on an experience. Helping your child understand when information is implied (or not directly stated) will improve her skill in drawing conclusions and making inferences. These skills will be needed for all sorts of school assignments, including reading, science and social studies. - Reading Rockets
Build Comprehension through 'Think Alouds'
Children learn when they make connections between what they hear and what they know. One method parents can use to help make these connections is called a think aloud, where you talk through your thoughts as you read. - Reading Rockets

Vocabulary

Building your Child's Vocabulary
Talking to and reading with your child are two terrific ways to help them hear and read new words. Conversations and questions about interesting words are easy, non-threatening ways to get new words into everyday talk. Here are some ideas to get you started.- Reading Rockets
Reading a Wide Variety of Subjects
Sharing lots of different kinds, or genres, of books with your child exposes him to different words, different kinds of images, and whole new worlds. This tip sheet suggests some genres to try with your young reader that complement 'traditional' fiction. Some are suggestions for read alouds, while others may be ones your child can read on his own. -Reading Rockets
Sharing Wordless Picture Books
Expand your child's word knowledge and imagination at the same time! Here's how... (Reading Rockets)

Writing

Organizing Writing- Resources
Discover four (downloadable) graphic organizers that can help kids organize their ideas in a very visual way. They also help break a writing project into smaller, more manageable steps. Graphic organizers are especially helpful for children with dysgraphia, executive functioning issues, and other issues that can cause trouble with writing.-Reading Rockets
Journals and Field Notes
Science and math explorations give your growing reader a chance to strengthen observation and writing skills by keeping a special journal to fill with sketches, notes, and graphs. Try these ideas to get your child started. - Reading Rockets
Developing Writing/Spelling at Home
Writing is a terrific way for children to express their thoughts, creativity, and uniqueness. It is also a fundamental way in which children learn to organize ideas and helps them to be better readers. -Reading Rockets
Multi-Sensory Handwriting
Handwriting involves more than just making letters on a page — it requires strong fine motor and visual-motor skills. Here are some multisensory techniques to try if your child is struggling with writing. -Reading Rockets
Tips for Creative Writing
Discover more than a dozen ideas for encouraging your child to write, including creative and simple ways to get the whole family involved. You'll also find out how WOW stories can help unlock story structure for young writers. - Reading Rockets

Math

Resources for Parents- Buffalo Schools
First in Math
This program is on your child's iPad! Access through Clever for daily, fun learning games that will assist with memorization.
Reveal Math

PS 061 Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction

Liz Zilbauer

Literacy Coach

Useful Literacy Links

Instructional Resources

Especially for Parents

Students with Autism

ENL Resources