HELP YOUR CHILD BEGIN TO READ
SECOND GRADE
Presented by Nyack PIE.
Box 167
Nyack, NY
845-358-2033
nyackpie.org
WHAT TO EXPECT IN SECOND GRADE
Here is some of what you can expect your second grade child to be doing by the end of the year:
Read any short word and be able to sound out longer ones.
Read books like A Chair For My Mother and My Father’s Dragon and be able to explain them.
Be able to talk about ideas in the books they read.
Use title and pictures to predict what will happen in a story
Write more advanced sentences and paragraphs.
Plan and correct her own writing.
Read alone for 15 to 20 minutes.
Recognize the correct spelling of words
By the end of Second Grade, your child should be able to spell new words that follow familiar patterns. 25 books will be read to him in school.
HOW YOUR CHILD WILL BE TAUGHT
Your child’s Second Grade teacher will teach reading in a number of different ways. These will include:
guiding your child in small reading groups
teaching your child to understand spelling patterns for reading and writing
helping your child understand and think about what has been read
expanding your child’s vocabulary through different kinds of books (fiction, non-fiction, biography)
writing about what they have read
WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP
You are your child’s first teacher. No matter how well you read or what language you speak, you are already helping. As your child learns, give praise. If they forget, don’t worry. Learning should be something they want to do. Second Grade is a great year for easy chapter books like Cam Jansen, Junie B. Jones, Stories Julian Tells.
Talk to your child. That’s how they learn language. Talk about what is important to them and what they are learning in school. Discuss ideas; explore how things work. Be a role model!
Find easy crossword puzzles or MadLibs for your child.
Children this age love joke books and poetry. Make learning language fun.
Read to your child as often as you can. Or, get a book on tape, go to library programs, or have an older brother or sister read.
Stop and talk about what you read.
Get your child a library card. (It’s free!) Visit the library or other places where people read aloud. Continue to show how we use reading all the time: on signs, in newspapers, cereal boxes, ads, etc.
Continue to listen to your child read aloud. Encourage them to read on their own using the skills they learn at school.
Encourage your child to write cards, lists, and notes - even poetry or short stories.
If your child’s homework is making you both crazy, talk to your child’s teacher. The goal is for your child to be able to think about what he or she has read and to enjoy reading. Children learn at different ages and at different speeds. Make sure you ask the school to show you how your child’s progress in reading is measured throughout the year. If you have questions, or want some suggestions for good books your child can read, call Nyack PIE at 358-2033.
