Tips for Parents

 Language Arts Homework Tips

READING STRATEGIES

Before reading think about what you already know about the topic.  Scan the material. Think about your predictions or what you expect to learn in the chapter, section, or article. Write down any questions or comments.

During reading make a picture in your mind of the topic or event. Make a chart or drawing ifapplicable. As you absorb the information, think about any connections you can make to your own experience, or from another class. Pause after every few paragraphs to think about what you just read. Write any comments on a sticky note and place in book.  If the topic is new to you and confusing, put a sticky note in each spot that confuses you. You can ask your teacher questions on the following day to clear up your confusion.

After reading, summarize in your own words what you read, including the main ideas or events, a few details, facts and examples. Be sure to use the new vocabulary and terms. Reflect on what you read, and think about how this information fits in with what you already know about this topic.

VOCABULARY STRATEGIES

Try to find the definition or explanation of the word in the paragraph you are reading. It usually is just before the word, right after it, or in the following sentence.

Break up the vocabulary word into syllables and try to pronounce it. You may find that the word is familiar to you.

Look for any part of the word (prefix, root, or suffix) that you already know. Ex. disable  or hearsay.

For challenging words, use index cards to practice vocabulary with another person: Write the word on one side, and on the back, write the definition, and write a sentence with the word in it.

HOW TO LOOK BACK AND ANSWER ‘CHAPTER’ QUESTIONS

Sometimes the answer is right in the book and easy to answer the question. Other times, the question requires you to think and search for the answer. You may have to connect ideas from different parts in the text. You have to ‘read between the lines’ for your answer. The last kind of question is between the author and you. You’ll need to interpret what the author says along with relying on your own experience and background knowledge.

TYPES OF WRITING

Narrative The main intent is to tell a story, i.e. biography, folk tale, and anecdote.

Sensory/Descriptive The main intent is to create a dominant impression so that the reader has the same impression as the writer, i.e. description of people, objects, places, and poems.

Practical/Informative/Expository The main intent is to provide clear information, to explain, i.e. recipe, invitation, poster, rules, description of a place or event.

Persuasive The main intent is to influence or persuade, i.e. letter to the editor, principal, or outside authority.

SUPPLIES

Use highlighters for main ideas, and pencils to underline supporting details (when allowed).

Use sticky notes to record questions, notes or comments, and then place them in book.

Use a dictionary, thesaurus, and index cards for vocabulary practice and organizing notes.

Additional website articles can be found on Illing’s Home Page by clicking Reading and Writing @ Home.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

SUMMER READING AND OTHER MEDIA

Summer reading is a relaxing way to spend part of the summer. A list of selected authors for middle school students will be forthcoming. For your child this is the time to especially enjoy one of the most treasured aspects about reading – choosing his/her own author and book.  Finding the right independent reading book means understanding at least 95 % of the words. A quick look at a few pages could confirm if it is a good match. It’s also a good idea to check out an extra novel from the library, in case the first choice book does not work out.

Teens today have other media available to gain information, to add knowledge and to find enjoyment. This includes the Internet, news and magazine articles, audio books, DVD’s, TV news stories, newspaper, song lyrics, and movies. These other ways of gaining information are becoming more accepted in education today. They have value as a potential learning tool because they can sometimes more vividly and perhaps dramatically ‘get the point across.’

A tip for making media a learning tool is to have your teen practice summarizing. This is considered a fairly sophisticated strategy and therefore needs lots of different kinds of practice. If you approach this with a fun attitude, there can be lots of educational benefits such as better retention of information.  For example, after you and your child view a news story, discuss the events and work toward your child summarizing it in his/her own words.

The following should be included in an oral summary:

1)      Important events, theme, or ideas

2)      Some facts and details

3)      Using vocabulary from story or event

As an adult, you probably use this summarizing strategy, without realizing it, in your daily conversations at work and home. Having conversations with your children, who are less experienced than you, will really reinforce this important strategy.

Have a wonderful summer, and remind your children to make reading, viewing, and journal writing a part of it!

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS?

As adults, we use our experience to see both sides of issues. We have the ability to stand back and see “the big picture.” We do this automatically, discussing both pros and cons, as we formulate our viewpoints.

For middle school students, this process is usually not natural or automatic. Instead, they prefer to focus primarily on their own opinion, and not always acknowledge the opposing viewpoint. Therefore, now is a great time to practice the process of looking at both sides of an issue together. The following steps can also create a more productive dialogue at home between you and your children, and will certainly help them at middle school with their persuasive writing assignments.

STEPS

1)      Decide on a specific issue to discuss – Ex.: Young people should have their own cell phones.

2)      On a piece of paper make two columns with headings. Title the first column: PRO Young people should have their own cell phones. Title the second column: CON Young people should not have their own cell phones.

3)      Brainstorm and list ideas under both columns.

4)      After reviewing the two sides, you then form an opinion of either pro or con. Let’s say that for the above example, one person is ‘pro’, and the other is ‘con.’ Now you’re ready to practice a technique in persuasion that can sway another to your view.

5)      This last step is more challenging because it requires one person to first respectfully acknowledge the other’s point of view, and then state his/her own viewpoint. Stating the other’s side and then bridging it to your own view, is a powerful method of persuading. In persuasive writing, it is called ‘acknowledging the alternate point of view’. A parent may call this “showing that you’re listening to your son or daughter.”

Guide your middle school child on how to state a viewpoint from the other ‘column’ first, then his/her own. If the young person is pro, they ‘borrow’ an idea from the con column.  A pro example is: “Many people feel that using cell phones are a distraction in public places, but actually I would only use my cell phone in public only for emergencies.” Or, a con example is: Despite the fact you would be careful using only the allotted minutes, someone has to pay for any accidental overages”.

Practicing this exercise is the first step in writing a persuasive essay. Mastering this technique first in informal conversation will make your child more skilled in writing persuasive essays in school. Not only is this skill important for the CMT’s, district and academic essays, but it is a useful tool throughout adulthood.

Now that I’ve given you the ‘pros’ of using this technique, I hope you discuss an issue with your son or daughter soon!  

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Is It Fact or Opinion?

Reality show, afternoon talk shows, websites, magazines, commercials, and even the television evening news shows sometimes seem to focus more on airing other people’s opinions. Spokespersons are encouraged to give their “perspective” or “take” or “sense of the situation” rather than focus on the facts. On occasion, the mass media cleverly uses glitz and graphics to disguise opinions as actual facts, and children sometimes are not sophisticated enough in their development to realize the difference. Although this is usually an accepted form of entertainment, parents might consider guiding their children through the differences between fact and opinion.

The best approach to making your teen aware of whether something is a fact or opinion is with “on the spot” casual conversations of the issue. Discussing the actual facts, and then sharing your opinion using “I think...I feel… In my opinion…I could argue that… all give effective examples of this process. Encourage your children to discover the facts embedded in issues, and to then develop their own viewpoints.

Dealing with facts and opinions will be a challenge for teens as productive citizens and consumers in the near future. However, for now, in middle school, an awareness of fact/opinion will help lay the foundation for the persuasive writing sample on the Connecticut Mastery Test and district tests. As part of our persuasive writing curriculum, students think about the facts of an issue, and then categorize these facts as a pro/con list. Based on this process, students form their own opinions about an issue and support them by using facts as actual evidence. They learn how to use and practice effective techniques to persuade their audience to their way of thinking.

Forming opinions, beliefs and values with others are an important and enriching aspects of being in a family, school and community. Knowing the differences is the key!

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Using Conversational Skills to Improve Reading

Whenever we listen to a TV news program, speech or lecture, there will inevitably be portions that we find boring or uninteresting. It’s only natural that we tune it out, in favor of a more interesting topic. When we tune out, we easily lose track, forget most of it, and ultimately waste our time. On the other hand, no matter how relevant or interesting a topic may be, sometimes our mind just wanders.

The same process happens when a reader’s mind strays from the print. The reader forgets the information and ideas, and doesn’t care about it anymore. Some reading experts call this a ‘reciting voice’ because the reader is just saying the words silently, regardless of any understanding.

A way for your teen to succeed in reading textbooks and novels at middle school is to turn on a 'conversational voice’. As a good reader absorbs the information, he/she responds to the book’s ideas in the form of an internal conversation. This ‘conversational voice’ helps the reader in many ways. Here are some examples:

1. After every few paragraphs, ask a question about the character, topic or story, and write it on a sticky note or paper. What were you wondering about?
2. Give your opinion at the end of the page. Did you agree, or disagree?
3. Did this remind you of anything in your life, or something similar that you have already studied?
4. When you come across a provocative quote or place in book, put a sticky note below that line, and record your comment or reaction.  You can refer to it later on.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Vocabulary- Staying Aggressive with the War on Words

We don’t really think about it, but we have more than one vocabulary, In fact, we have four: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. We understand words we hear on TV and on films that we don’t always use when speaking or writing. A goal of well-educated students is to be equally at home with words they hear, speak, read, or write.

 Vocabulary development is a lifelong task. As your children go on to higher education or begin new jobs, they will be faced with vocabulary involving that profession. Moreover, our everyday lives are filled with technical language in electronics, cooking, sports, finances, and even recreation and hobbies.   Here in middle school, each content area subject seems to contain a dizzying amount of new words to learn and use in each chapter. Vocabulary is a key to better comprehension now in school, and in the future..

 Here is a STUDENT VOCABULARY STRATEGY to use during homework time:

1)      Write down the vocabulary word.

2)      Write the sentence in which it appears in the text.

3)      Predict what the word means.

4)      Consult a person or resource for the actual definition and write it down.

5)      Show your understanding of the word by using it in a sentence of your own.

6)      Choose one of the following ways to help you remember the word’s meaning: draw a picture; connect the word with something similar that you’ve heard – in a story, news report, song, or media. Write down the association or connection you have made on an index card. Ex. blockade – blocking another, like in a football game. Keep a file of your new words, definitions, and pictures for future reference.

8)      Explain why you chose this way to represent what the word means to you. What does it remind you of?

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Starting Off the Year Stress Free

For many students, especially our new 6^th graders, starting the year means new teachers, schedules, and new friends. In order to minimize your family’s stress level throughout the year, here are a few suggestions for you and your middle school children:

1. Get back in the routine. Ease transition from summer days to the structure of the school nights by reestablishing reading and homework routines, mealtimes, and appropriate bedtimes with your teen.
2. Set education goals at the beginning of the year. Whether your teen is striving for an A, handing in homework on time, or preparing for tests, setting goals can help set the routine for the new school year.
3. Develop a relationship with your child’s teacher. Take the time to develop a relationship with your child’s teachers. They are the best source for information about scholastic performance and can recommend ways to help your child resolve any difficulties he/she is having.
4. Homework routine and place. Designate and agree on a time and place that is free of distractions. Have tools such as dictionaries, calculators, erasers, and extra paper available.
5. Stay on schedule. Insure your child uses their IMS planner to record assignments and due dates. Students new to middle school may need extra support in keeping track of multiple subjects, homework, teachers, classrooms and books. Planning ahead and developing a workable study schedule is a worthwhile skill that can be used now and throughout college. Organization minimizes late nights completing homework assignments and cramming for test. This can ultimately reduce student anxiety about school.
6. Encourage learning at home. Involve your child in authentic experiences that will use and reinforce reading, writing and math skills taught in school. For example, if your family is thinking about options for a family day trip, your child could plan miles, cost of gas, food expenses, and entertainment. Another idea is comparing and contrasting information to purchase an item, and writing why a particular item is better. Lastly, following directions for how-to projects also help develop critical thinking skills.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Creating a Family Library

Creating a family library has many benefits for everyone. It is a handy source for information, and provides lots of options for recreational reading. Since every family has its own interests and needs, creating a library that reflects this uniqueness, can be lots of fun as a summer project.

Planning

·        Peruse your home library to see what needs updating. Box any unused books and donate them to your local library.

·        Interview family members to determine their preferences for various genres such as mysteries or science fiction. Are there favorite authors that anyone particularly enjoys?

·        Check your reference materials to see if you need another dictionary, thesaurus, or atlas.

Library Book Sales

Now that you have a shopping list of book ideas, a fun and satisfying option is to head to a local library book sale.

There are several book sales this summer at various public libraries. They are selling soft and hard covered books that have been donated and are in very good condition. The best part is that they generally cost $.25 to $1.00. The following are three examples of book sales this summer that you can find on www. book sale finder.com.

1)      Mary Cheney Library, 586 Main St. Manchester (860) 6432471 June 12, 9am –12

2)      Mansfield Public Library, 54 Warrenville Road (860) 423-2501 (10,000 books) Sat. June 5, 9 – 4, Sun. June 6, 9 – 3. 

3)      Wells-Turner Memorial Library, 2407 Main St. Glastonbury, (860) 652-7728 (25,000 books) May 15 and Sept. 15, 9 – 5.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Study - Reading Textbooks

Scenario:

 “I read the chapter twice and I still don’t get it!” If this sounds familiar, then you may want to help your teen to study-read. It is a way to study the chapter in a textbook which helps the reader concentrate better and pay more attention to important information and key points.

 Learning the information in textbooks requires a study method. Some students may be very successful reading novels or magazines, yet experience difficulty when reading textbooks. This is because textbooks challenge students with more difficult vocabulary,  an array of facts, and complex sentences. Here is a study method that will build effective skills in handling textbook material for your teen. Practicing these skills takes another person such as a parent, or a peer “study buddy.”

BEFORE READING TIPS

1. Take a few minutes to see how the textbook is organized and laid out, especially the section you are studying.
2. Find any study aids that could help you. For example, if there is a glossary for terms, plan on using it instead of a dictionary.
3. Take out your notebook and plan on taking notes as you go along. Pay special attention to what the author thinks is important – you’ll see italics, boldface and CAPITAL LETTERS to signal important points.

TRY:  SQ3R METHOD (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review)

Survey

 Take 5 – 10 minutes to get an overview of the reading assignment. Glance at the title, subtitles and headings, introductions and summaries. This is like a movie preview and helps you form an outline of “the big picture.”

Question

Turn the title, subtitles and headings into questions, which you will try to answer as you read. Use the “5 W’s” (what, when, where, why, and how) and include: What About? What if? How much? How many? Look over any questions written by the author.

Read

Read the text with the purpose of answering your own questions, and those questions that are written in the text.

Recite

After you read a section, look away and use your own words to answer your own questions and those questions in the text. Can you relate this information to what you already know? How?

Review

Review your notes to get the main ideas, recite out loud, talk it over with someone, or write a summary. Review your notes as often as possible.  

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Reading Motivation Ideas

As parents you know that reading is important, and you obviously want to make sure that your teenager grows into adulthood with all the skills he or she needs to succeed. The following is a list of ways that encourage your teen to read. 

1. Set an example. Let your kids see you reading for pleasure.
2. Furnish your home with a variety of reading materials. Leave books, magazines and newspapers around. Check to see what disappears for a clue to what interests your teenager.
3. Give teens an opportunity to choose their own books. When you and your teen are out together, browse in a bookstore or library. Go your separate ways and make your own selection. A bookstore gift certificate is a nice way of saying, “You choose.”
4. Build on your teen’s interests. Look for books and articles that feature their favorite sports teams, rock stars, hobbies, or TV shows. Give a gift subscription to a special interest magazine.
5. View pleasure reading as a value in itself. Almost anything your youngsters read helps build reading skills.
6. Read some books written for teens. Young adult novels can give you valuable insights into the concerns and pressures felt by teenagers. You may find that these books provide a neutral ground on which to talk about sensitive subjects.
7. Make reading aloud a natural part of family life. Share an article you clipped from the paper, a poem, a letter – without turning it into a lesson.
8. Set aside a regular time for reading in your family. It could be right after dinner, or right before lights out. As little as 10 -20 minutes of free reading a day can help improve reading skills and habits.
9. Share your reactions to things you read, and encourage your teens to do likewise. Any informal setting would work such as while you’re running errands, or perhaps over dinner.
10. Keep the big picture in mind. For all sorts of reasons, some teenagers go through periods without showing much interest in reading. Don’t panic! Time, and these few tips may help rekindle their interest.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

Writing Motivation Ideas

Writing clearly and thoughtfully is crucial to your teenager’s success as an adult. In our own adult lives we are constantly using a wide variety of written communication for employment, consumer issues, and casual correspondence with friends using email. Just like reading, writing requires constant practice, and the “real life” situations usually found at home can offer these opportunities. This is separate from the classroom curriculum, which offers academic writing in response to novels and content area subjects. Think about the many writing opportunities at your home that can prepare your teenager for adulthood. Here are some writing tips for your teens at home:

Holiday Scrapbook

The holidays are a perfect time to begin traditions that your family members can carry on every year. Have your teen interview grandparents and extended family and put the results in a decorative scrapbook. With a disposable camera and decorative paper found online and in local craft stores, your teen would enjoy putting together family memories. The added benefit is that writers, young and old, shine when they are writing about something very familiar and personal to them.

Writing Box

A gift idea is to assemble various pens, highlighters, dictionary and Thesaurus, ruler, notepapers and a journal. A good writer has access to a journal to record daily moments and thoughts that could be used for future writing. It is different from a diary, which records the daily activities from morning to night. Since good stories become great stories with vivid details and personal thoughts, a journal can be very worthwhile investment in writing.

Put it in Writing!

Next time your teen asks you for something that involves many issues, have him or her explain their thoughts in writing. This is an opportunity to practice persuasive writing skills about something important to them, as well as examine the pros and cons of a situation. It also involves organizing relevant thoughts and ideas. 

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

 Teens and Newspapers

Here are some reasons and tips for encouraging your teenager to read the newspaper, including the Sunday edition, as much as possible. These tips are to make you aware that reading your local newspaper will help your teen in school, prepare him or her for adulthood, as well as develop some individual interests as a young person.

1. A newspaper is reality-based learning which prepares students for the CMT’s and the CAPT.
2. It bridges the gap between the academic classroom and the “real” world.
3. Articles contain practical vocabulary – words students will use repeatedly throughout their personal and professional lives.
4. The articles are perfect models for teaching students to write for a purpose and for a particular audience. This is similar to persuasive writing that students are learning in middle school. For example, you can find someone with an agenda as you turn the page: A columnist who wants you to look at a community problem a little differently, a store that wants your business, a political cartoonist, and the reader who writes a letter to the editor. Is your teen reader able to recognize and analyze persuasive techniques? Is he or she able to compare and contrast differing points of view? Understanding persuasive skills means being able to use them, and your teen can put them to use in a letter to the editor on a topic about which he or she feels strongly about.
5. Emphasize that reading is sharing. Discuss a touching story or a humorous paragraph, read a quote and then start a discussion. Talk over the advice of a columnist.  Teens often perceive reading as a solitary pursuit, but it is an experience of sharing.  Discuss the thoughts of the writer and then its effect on you and others in your life. When you and your teen share the daily newspaper, you both learn and grow.
6. Encourage discussion and feedback. It’s a rare teen that has never questioned parental judgment, but it is important that this critical nature be extended to informational sources as well. All information should be questioned, evaluated, and compared with other sources.  Let your teens know that their opinion is valuable and valid, but they need to have a factual basis for opinions.
7. Your teen probably reads favorite sections in the newspaper on an ongoing basis. Extend this by introducing your favorites as well as other sections of the newspaper. Talk about how you read for various purposes and the strategies that you use on a daily basis – scanning headlines, and finding particular items of interest. Very few people read the newspaper cover to cover! Also show how to search for information in particular sections. For example, in the Hartford Courant, where can you find the Manchester news section?
8. As you prepare your teen for adulthood and decision-making, the newspaper could now serve as a source of ongoing discussions, common beliefs, and goals that are important to your family.

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant

How to Hit a Homework Homerun

Here are some homework tips to discuss with your teens at home. Illing students gave me the following suggestions that worked for them.  I thought you may want to use them in your home as well.

 The Dugout – Before leaving your class, look over the assignment, and make sure you understand the directions. Ask your teacher if you have any questions.

 Up at Bat - Check in your planner and look ahead at the due dates of important projects. Study the rubric for the assignment. Pace yourself and work on a portion of the assignment each night. This is an important skill to learn for the block scheduling in high school and college. In high school, you will have perhaps two days to complete an assignment, and you can’t complete everything on the last night. 

 First Base – Check your backpack carefully to make sure you bring home all the needed materials. At home, do you have extra ink cartridges or disks for your computer, and extra paper? Give yourself enough time to work around “ last minute” printer failures and other equipment problems.

 Second Base – Schedule a time to do homework that works best for you. Find a quiet area that you’ll be comfortable The key is find and keep a daily homework routine that you can handle. For example, a student suggested taking a short break after school, eating a healthy snack such as pretzels and peanut butter, and then starting homework. Another suggestion is to take a short rest after a certain period of time. My favorite suggestion is to give yourself a treat when you’re done. When you think about it, you have about six hours each weekday night to eat, relax, and do homework. There really is enough time to accommodate an effective homework schedule to suit everyone’s needs.

 Left Field – If you find yourself stuck, “network” with classmates using the telephone. However, make sure you call them at a reasonable hour. Another source of help is your family. Also keep in mind the HOMEWORK HELPLINE, which is sponsored by the Big Y and offers free one-on-one homework assistance from Monday - Thursday from 4 -7 pm. The toll-free number is 800-866-BIGY. However, if you just need more information for your assignment, check out LINKS on the Illing Website. The references are there for Illing students to access for class projects.

 Third Base – Homework is a way to review what you learned that day. At times, your teacher will give you a study assignment rather than a reading or writing assignment. Good students know that if you don’t review, then there will be too much to understand and learn before a quiz or test. Additionally, textbooks have sidebars, stories, and interesting facts you can look over – perhaps there wasn’t time to cover them in class. 

 Homerun – The key to scoring a homerun is to use your own experience to find out what works best for you. If waiting until 7pm is too late to finish your homework, and you’re too tired in the morning to get up early and finish it, then plan accordingly to suit your needs. Good study habits at home and at school will guarantee an improvement in your grades and brighten your attitude about learning. The time you put into your homework will reward you with the feeling of success. You met the challenge and hit that homerun!

 Next Season - Build on your successful skills for handling homework. Think of it like the practice that athletes do in spring training. They have a winning attitude to always become better, not just to be “good enough.” They see training and preparation as important parts of their game. Just like the pros, let thembe part of your game, too. As a student, you will be expected to take on more responsibility with each higher grade. You will find that doing homework allows you the extra practice to become better prepared to succeed academically season after season!  

Peggy Ellis

Language Arts Consultant