These videos and activities provide families with information about how to support children as they practice foundational reading skills at home.
Learning to read begins at home through everyday parent-child interactions, long before children attend school. Your continued support of literacy development throughout elementary school positively affects your child's reading ability.
These Family Activities include easy-to-follow plans to help you support your child's foundational reading skills at home. Materials needed for each Family Activity, such as letter cards, are included. They begin with simpler activities and progress to more difficult ones. You may want to start with the first activity and move to the next when you notice that your child has a firm understanding of the content from that activity. We encourage you to select appropriate activities for your child, and feel free to set aside anything that seems too difficult. The goal is to engage your child in activities that promote learning in a positive environment, not to induce frustration. The activities should be completed with the child, frequently, with patience, and positive feedback. Using the activities at home will be a fun way to spend family time together!
The Family Literacy Videos show families engaging their child in the Family Activities just described. The key points about the videos help you know what to focus on for a specific activity.
Second Grade: Developing Language
Talking While You Read Informational Text
Expose your child to the formal language that is common in books and in school.
Having a conversation about a book will develop your child's vocabulary and build knowledge about the topic of that book. Whether you are reading a fairy tale, a picture book, an informational book, or any other text, you can engage in a discussion as you enjoy reading together.
Informational books contain factual information, like an article about the water cycle, a book about animals that hibernate, or a biography, which is a description about someone's life. Reading and talking about informational books can help your child develop their language and improve skills like problem-solving.
It is best to choose books about topics which are interesting to your child. You can read books from your home or borrow a book from your child's classroom library, school library, or the public library. You can also access books on laptop computers, tablets, digital reading devices, and smartphones. Websites such as Project Gutenberg provide free access to books and mobile formats especially for smartphones. Don't forget to look through your smartphone's app store for free apps containing books for children.
To talk while you read, use a tool called CROWD to ask different types of questions to prompt a discussion about a book. See the Talking While You Read Tri-folds for how to use CROWD. The texts in the tri-folds are arranged from easiest to most difficult (Tri-fold 1, Tri-fold 2, and Tri-fold 3).
Talking While You Read Using CROWD
Key Points About the Video
- Mom encourages her son to point to the words as he reads because she knows that his accuracy is better when he points to the words.
- Mom asks different types of questions using CROWD (Completion, Recall, Wh, and Distancing).
- Mom encourages son to look back at the text to find the answers to the questions.
Talking While You Read Trifold 1
The Talking While You Read Trifold includes an overview of how to use CROWD. There is also a text with questions placed where they are most helpful to prompt your child.
Talking While You Read Trifold 2
The Talking While You Read Trifold includes an overview of how to use CROWD. There is also a text with questions placed where they are most helpful to prompt your child.
Talking While You Read Trifold 3
The Talking While You Read Trifold includes an overview of how to use CROWD. There is also a text with questions placed where they are most helpful to prompt your child.
Books to Share
Take turns reading or listen to your child read. Stop after each page or so to ask questions to prompt discussion. Use a tool called CROWD to ask different types of questions to prompt a discussion about the book.
- Completion Ask your child to complete a sentence or a phrase from a book you are reading.
- Recall Ask about details of what you read.
- Open-ended Ask about a picture in the book.
- W- Ask wh questions that begin with Who, What, Where, When, or Why.
- Distancing Ask questions that relate something in the story to your child's life.
- Charlotte the Scientist is Squished by Camille Andros
- The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive by Scholastic
- There's No Place Like Space: All About our Solar System (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Tish Rabe
- Pop! by Meghan McCarthy
- Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History by Sandra Markle
Talking While You Read Stories
Stories are written for enjoyment and are typically not true. An example of a story is The Three Little Pigs. Stories often include characters, a setting (or where the story takes place), a problem, and a solution. The characters in The Three Little Pigs are the three pigs and the wolf. The setting is at the pig's houses. The problem is the wolf blows down the pig's houses. The solution is all the pigs live in the strongest house made of bricks, which the wolf cannot blow down. Reading and talking about stories can help your child develop their understanding about how stories are organized and can improve comprehension.
It is best to choose books about topics which are interesting to your child. You can use books from your home or borrow a book from your child's classroom library, school library, or the public library. Also, keep in mind that you can access books on laptop computers, tablets, digital reading devices, and smartphones. Websites such as Project Gutenberg provide free access to books and mobile formats especially for smartphones. Don't forget to look through your smartphone's app store for free apps containing books for children.
Talking While You Read Stories (The Day the Crayons Quit)
Key Points About the Video
- Mom and son take turns reading.
- Mom facilitates a conversation at the end of the book by asking questions about the story and using the bookmark as a resource.
- Mom asks questions that refer to typical characteristics of any story (character, setting, problem, and solution).
Talking While You Read Stories Bookmark
Use the Talking While You Read Stories Bookmark to ask questions about the characters, setting, problem, and solution while reading a story with your child.
Supporting Oral Language and Vocabulary Development
Oral language is the way we communicate with others through speaking and listening. Vocabulary knowledge is a crucial part of oral language and includes understanding the meaning of words, how to use them, and how to pronounce them.
Oral language practice will help your child expand his or her vocabulary. Children with strong oral language skills and larger vocabularies typically become better readers. The best ways to give your child a strong foundation for learning to read are to read to, talk to, and listen to your child every day. Talk about people you know, places you go, and experiences you have together. Writing with your child also helps with oral language development.
- Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. For example, instead of asking, "Did you have a good day?" ask, "What was your favorite part of school today?" Continue to ask questions about your child's response. If the answer was "Recess," ask, "Who did you play with?" "What did you do?" "How do you play that game?"
- When you speak with your child, model speaking in complete sentences and providing details. Use the words your child says and expand on them. For example, if your child points to a car and says, "Yellow car!" say, "That is a bright yellow car that is moving quickly! Where do you think that person is going?"
Talking and Writing in the Kitchen
Key Points About the Video
- Mom continually uses the word round to help her daughter build vocabulary.
- Mom restates her daughter's answers in complete sentences to model oral language skills.
- Mom uses the Talking While You Read Bookmark to remind herself of kinds of questions to ask
Talking and Writing in the Kitchen
Use these questions, activities, and conversation starters to have fun while you talk and write in the kitchen.
Grocery Shop Talk
Use this activity to make a grocery list with your child. Ask your child questions and engage in conversations while you grocery shop together.
Second Grade: Linking Sounds to Letters
Help your child link sounds in speech to letters in print.
Linking individual letter sounds to letters is typically achieved by second grade. However, if a child needs practice with pulling apart and putting together sounds in spoken words and linking sounds to letters in print (M says /m/), please visit Supporting Your Child's Reading at Home, First Grade, Recommendation 2 (**linked to Page Not Found on IES site**)
Second Grade: Blending Letters, Recognizing and Reading Words
Blending to Read Words
Help your child blend letters to read words and recognize common word parts and words, and encourage them to write words.
Blending is the ability to put letter sounds together to read a word. To read a word, children must know the sounds the letters represent in the word and be able to blend those sounds to come up with the correct word. For example, after children know the letter sounds /f/ for f, /i/ for i, and /sh/ for sh, they learn to blend those sounds together to read the whole word. When they see the word fish, they are able to say, "/f/ /i/ /sh/, fish." We call this, blending because you are putting sounds together to read a word.
Short and Long Vowel Sort
Help your child identify short or long vowels and read words.
Fun With Consonant Blends and Digraphs
Key Points About the Video
- Mom explains that a digraph is two (or more) letters that make one sound (sh says /sh/).
- Mom explains that a consonant blend is two or more consonants next to each other that keep their individual sounds (You can hear the /s/ and the /l/ in the word sleep).
- When her son has difficulty with the /ch/ (as in chick), Mom models it for him and has him practice it several times.
Fun With Consonant Blends and Digraphs
Help your child blend consonant blends and consonant digraphs from left to right to read a word. A consonant blend is two or more consecutive consonants that make their individual sounds (sl, gr, ft). A consonant digraph is two consecutive letters that are read as a single sound (ch, th, sh).
R-Controlled Vowel Sort
Key Points About the Video
- Dad reviews the r-controlled vowels on the activity sheet before they begin the activity.
- Dad provides positive feedback to his son: "Great job, buddy!"
- Dad uses words in a sentence to model oral language and help his son understand the word.
R-controlled Vowels: ar, er, ur, or, ir
Help your child identify r-controlled vowels (ar, er, ur, or, ir) in words and spell those words.
Sound-Spelling Patterns
For the following activities, your child will blend letters, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words. Use the documents below as needed before or while engaging in the activities.
Sound-spelling patterns consist of letters that are often combined to make a specific sound. Common sound-spelling patterns can include consonant patterns, vowel patterns, and syllable patterns. See examples below (not an exhaustive list of examples).
Syllable Pattern Examples
| Pattern Type | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Consonant Patterns | Consonant digraphs are two or more consonants next to each other that make one sound. |
th (this) sh (fish) tch (patch) |
| Consonant blends are two or more consonants next to each other that make their individual sounds. |
st (stop) ft (raft) scr (script |
|
| Silent-letter combinations are two consonants next to each other where one says its sound and the other is silent. |
kn (know) wr (write) mb (lamb) |
|
| Vowel Patterns | Vowel teams are two or more letters next to each other that say one vowel sound. |
ea (weak) igh (night) oa (boat) |
| Vowel diphthongs two vowels next to each other that begin with one vowel sound and changes to another vowel sound within the same syllable. |
ow (cow) oi (noise) |
|
| r-controlled vowels are vowels followed by r. |
ar (car) er (her) ir (sir) or (afford) us (fu) |
A syllable is a word part with a vowel in it. Usually, a word has as many syllables as it has vowels. Vowels are a, e, i, o, u. The other letters (like b, c, d, f) are consonants.
- Cat has one syllable.
- Picnic has two syllables (pic-nic).
- Yesterday has three syllables (yes-ter-day).
Syllable Pattern Examples
| Syllable Pattern | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Open | A syllable ending with a vowel sound that is spelled with a single vowel letter (a, e, i, o, or u). |
me pro/gram mu/sic |
| Closed | A syllable ending in one or more consonants and a short vowel sound spelled with one vowel. |
hat dish bas/ket) |
| VCe | V stands for vowel. C stands for consonant. e is the silent e at the end of a syllable or word. A syllable pattern that ends in silent e, which makes the vowel before it a long sound (say its name). |
stripe shine bake |
| Vowel Team | A syllable that has multiple vowels spelling the vowel. |
tooth pain train/er |
| Vowel-r | A syllable that has at least one vowel followed by an r. The r always comes directly after the vowel (ar, er, ir, or, ur). |
car bird cor/ner |
| Consonant-le | A final syllable that contains a consonant followed by le. The e is always silent in this syllable pattern. |
sim-ple puz-zle a-ble |
Floss Spelling Rule
Key Points About the Video
- Dad clearly explains the floss rule and provides examples at the beginning of the activity.
- Daughter uses her favorite color markers to complete the activity.
- After several practice opportunities, Dad asks his daughter to explain the difference between words that follow the floss rule and those that do not.
Floss Spelling Rule
Help your child practice the floss spelling rule. When a one-syllable words ends in f, l, or s, double the final f, l, or s (sniff, fall, mess). We call this the floss spelling rule because the word floss follows this rule and includes the letters f, l, and s to help us remember the rule.
Long Vowel Spelling Patterns
Key Points About the Video
- Mom explains and shows examples of long o spelling patterns before beginning the activity.
- Mom does the first one to show her daughter how the activity is to be completed.
- As each word is spelled by the daughter, Mom uses it in a sentence to promote vocabulary and oral language.
Long Vowel Spelling Patterns
Help your child identify long vowel spelling patterns and spell words.
Vowel Diphthong Bingo
Key Points About the Video
- Siblings have fun identifying vowel diphthongs while playing bingo.
- Oldest son engages both siblings in the activity.
- Oldest son encourages siblings to use the word in a sentence to promote language development.
Vowel Diphthong Bingo
Help your child identify vowel diphthongs (ou, ow, oi, oy) in words.
Double the Consonant and Add -ing or -ed Spelling Rule
Key Points About the Video
- Mom explains the double the consonant spelling rule and provides examples at the beginning of the activity.
- Mom reviews the double the consonant rule with each word her daughter spells.
- Mom asks her daughter to use a word in the sentence to promote language and vocabulary development.
Double the Consonant Spelling Rule
Help your child practice the double the consonant spelling rule. We use this rule when we add -ing or -ed to a word. When a vowel is followed by a consonant in a one-syllable word, double the consonant and then add -ed or -ing (swim/swimming, shop/shopping, mop/mopped).
Change the y to i Spelling Rule
Help your child practice the "change the y to i and add the ending" spelling rule (rely + ed = relied).
Map and Swoop Open Syllables and Closed Syllables
Help your child identify open and closed syllable patterns to read and spell words. An open syllable ends with a vowel sound that is spelled with a single vowel letter (a, e, i, o, or u). Examples include me, pro/gram, mu/sic. A closed syllable has a short vowel ending in a consonant. Examples include hat, dish, bas/ket.
Open and Closed Syllable and Sort
Help your child identify and sort words with open and closed syllable patterns.
Map and Swoop VCe Syllable Pattern
Help your child identify VCe syllable patterns to read and spell words. A VCe syllable pattern ends in silent e, which makes the vowel before it a long sound (say its name). Examples include stripe, shine, bake.
Map and Swoop Vowel Team Syllable Pattern
Help your child identify the vowel team syllable pattern to read and spell words. A vowel team syllable pattern has multiple vowels spelling the vowel. Examples include train/er, boat/ing.
Vowel Team Syllable Pattern Practice
Key Points About the Video
- Dad discusses what vowel teams and syllables are to make sure his son understands before starting the activity.
- Dad is patient and encouraging ("you're doing a great job") throughout the activity.
- Dad points out and explains the "tricky" words (boatload, toenail). These words are compound words, and each include two vowel team syllables.
Vowel Team Syllable Pattern Practice
Help your child identify the vowel team syllable pattern in words.
Map and Swoop Vowel-r Syllable Pattern
Key Points About the Video
- Mom explains vowel-r syllable patterns before beginning the activity.
- Mom explains the meanings of unknown words (cursor) to promote vocabulary development.
Map and Swoop Vowel-r Syllable Pattern
Help your child identify the vowel-r syllable pattern in words. A vowel-r syllable pattern always has at least one vowel followed by an r. The r always comes directly after the vowel. Examples include start, learn, doc/tor.
Common Word Parts
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Reading Words
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High-Frequency Words
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Challenging and Important Words
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