Reading & Literacy
 

Grades 3-5

In these grades, children usually find it easier to read and write more quickly and accurately. They are no longer just learning how to read; they are using their reading skills to experience new stories and learn new ideas. This new ability to read on their own brings them joy. They love to read both stories and books of facts. At the same time, they still like to hear adults read stories, to try out new words in conversation and to share their writing with teachers and family members.

At school, your children will be asked to read and write in every subject area. They might:

  • Read a story and write a play about it.
  • Create a travel brochure about a foreign place they have studied.
  • Write solutions to math problems in both words and numbers.
  • Take a nature walk and write observations about changes that happen in the fall.

What you can do at home

Speaking and Listening

  • Talk with your children about school, friends and activities.
  • Encourage them to share thoughts and feelings.
  • Listen to their interests, concerns, likes and dislikes. Ask them to give you reasons for their opinions.

Reading

  • Talk about what books your children like to read. Let them read to you.
  • Ask them to compare books they are reading now with other books already read. 
  • Continue to read to them. Talk about how the story makes them feel or how the characters might feel. Encourage them to predict what might happen next or to ask “What if?” questions about the plot.
  • Provide books to match their interests. Ask them to keep track of favorite authors. 
  • Set aside a quiet place and a specific time for reading and homework. Give them encouragement.
  • Engage them in making thoughtful decisions. For example, you might read the TV guide together and decide which show to watch. 
  • Encourage and help them to read at least 25 books a year.

Writing

  • Provide your children with a space for writing and respect that space.
  • Encourage them to write in different forms (like stories and poems) and to make the writing beautiful by using drawings and color.
  • Ask them to share their writing with you. 
  • Give them a journal or diary. Let them keep it private.
  • Create a family newsletter to share with friends and relatives. Ask them to write it and arrange for them to “interview” family members.

What your student may be experiencing at school

Speaking and Listening

  • Presenting ideas to their classmates, making sure their main points are well organized and supported by facts.
  • Expressing ideas in different ways (through discussions, presentations, plays, poetry).
  • Listening to others and comparing different points of view.
  • Asking questions and agreeing or disagreeing with evidence.

Reading

  • Setting reading goals and reading both individually and in groups.
  • Reading aloud with expression.
  • Talking about the characters, setting, main ideas and supporting details of books they have read or heard.
  • Restating ideas they have read about in their own words.
  • Reading to understand a topic by making inferences and drawing conclusions.
  • Making connections among different books they are reading.
  • Raising questions about what an author writes and trying to answer them through reading.
  • Making their own interpretations about books they are reading; comparing and contrasting information on a single topic.
  • Reading to get information and taking notes on facts and ideas about a topic from more than one source.
  • Identifying important and unimportant details, facts vs. opinions, themes and different perspectives.
  • Comparing information from two different sources.
  • Reading independently for sustained periods of time.

Writing

  • Writing for many purposes: telling original stories, conveying information, describing people's lives, creating poetic images.
  • Writing imaginative stories and personal narratives to share insights and cause a reaction in the reader.
  • Learning how to write in all subject areas, for instance, writing a clear, well-organized report in social studies using at least two sources.
  • Learning the formal structure of language, like rhyme, rhythm and good word choice.
  • Learning the formal structures of writing such as paragraphs and different ways to organize (cause and effect, chronological order).
  • Applying the skills of good writers such as choosing the right words, organizing ideas and using metaphors and descriptive language.