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Goldilocks tried the Three Bears' porridge, chairs, and
beds. She found the ones that were "just right" for her.
The books your child reads can be thought of in the same
way. A book that is "just right" is one that your child
can read independently. It is not too hard and it is not
too easy. It's a good fit - it's "just right".
Here
is one way to help your child choose such a book.
Teachers call it the
FIVE
FINGER RULE
Go
to the middle of a book, count the unknown words (using
fingers to keep track is fine). If there are five or
more, the book is too hard for now. That's a book to
read with someone or save for a later time.
Another important consideration - some first graders
have learned to read many words. They even may be
reading "chapter books". However they might not be
understanding what's been read.
Ask your child lots of questions about the story in
general and about specific pages to see if he really
understands what was read. It also is important to
monitor your child's choices for appropriate content. |
