• What Is Reading?
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         In second grade, the focus of reading is to read fluently in order to comprehend what one is reading.  We also study phonics related to multi-syllabic words and continue to learn sight words.
         Successful reading is so much more than decoding words and being able to recognize words.  A reader should have expression and a smooth rate while reading.  By second grade a reader should be able to retell a story. 
         Discussing what a child is reading is critical at this stage of reading development.  Here are some things you can do to help your child become a better reader:
     
    Encourage your child to use expression while reading. (If your child is not using expression while reading, he or she is probably not comprehending what he or she is reading.)
     
    Ask your child to tell you in his or her own words what he or she has just read.  (Some children might need to be asked this after every couple of sentences, others might be able to read a few pages and then tell you.)
     
    If your child is having difficulty reading smoothly or with expression, encourage them to reread.
     
    Ask your child to predict what might happen next.
     
    Encourage your child to think about what he or she is reading.  (How are the characters feeling?  Why are the characters doing what they are doing?  Is there a problem in the story?  How is the problem solved?  Is there a lesson to be learned?)
Last Modified on July 18, 2009