Hello!
My name is Keri Johnson and I am the Literacy Coach here at GME. I wear many hats at school, but my main role here is to help the teachers with our ELA (English Language Arts) curriculums and to oversee our reading testing, known as Dibels and compile that data. You may hear your child come home talking about ELA, ReadyGEN or Superkids, so I’ll explain a little more about those terms.
ELA stands for English Language Arts and encompasses our reading and writing curriculums. Students spend two hours daily in their ELA block with their homeroom teacher. The curriculum that is used for Kindergarten is called Superkids. This program starts in Kindergarten with introductions to all of the different Superkids, whose names coincide with the introduction and study of letters and sounds. All of the Superkids stories are based on the Superkids characters and the students love the Superkids! As we move up grade levels into 1st and 2nd grades, stories are based on the same Superkids, but the Superkids grow up, right along with the students. We are excited about entering our second year with this curriculum, which builds a solid foundation for reading.
If you have a child in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grades, you may hear them talk about ReadyGEN, which is the curriculum we are using for their ELA instruction. Through this program, students help to increase their reading and comprehension skills by learning how to dig into the text to find evidence and deepen their thinking. ReadyGEN unit themes are thought provoking and open-ended. They help students explore different angles of a unifying concept and promote in-depth understanding. At the heart of ReadyGEN is the reciprocity between reading and writing. Students write to sources and cite evidence, developing close reading habits. They write in different modes, including Informative, Narrative, and Opinion writing. The writing process guides students with a clear approach.
We are here to help your child succeed and look forward to a great year doing just that! Check out the links below for ways to help with reading at home. My door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. My contact information is below. Have a great year!
Sincerely,
Keri Johnson
Literacy Coach
665-7539
[email protected]
Here are some ways to support Reading at Home:
● Talk Often: The more words children hear, the better they will be at reading. Narrate your day. Talk about everything you and your child do throughout the day. Converse with your child over meal times and other times you are together. Introduce new and interesting words.
● Read Together: Read books together, spend time talking about the stories, pictures and words. Listen to audiobooks. Ask your child questions about the content. What was the subject, what did they like or not like about the book?
● Be an Example: Children learn from the habits of those around them. Read, write, listen to audiobooks and show your child the benefits of both.
● Visit the Library: Story times, special events, books, magazines, computer access, homework help and other exciting opportunities and activities await the entire family at your local library.
Tips for Cultivating Readers at Home
Just like adults, children learn best when they are involved and having fun! Check out ideas from the National Center for Families Learning. These guides share great ways to cultivate your child's reading in a playful way from ages birth to 8. These tips can become part of your everyday routine and your child will learn without even realizing it!
Tips for Cultivating Readers at Home - English
Tips for Cultivating Readers at Home - Span
The National Institute for Literacy has developed age focused literacy ideas for home for parents of children in preschool through grade three who are getting ready or learning to read. Checklists for literacy ideas at home
Literacy is the ability to read and write well. You and the school share responsibility for your child's language and literacy learning. Collaborate with your school to make decisions about your child's literacy education right from the start. Partnering with your child's school