Welcome!

Hi! I am happy you found me! My name is Kristin Hummel and I am the Literacy Specialist/Reading Resource teacher at St. Matthew Catholic School in Champaign, IL.

As primary teachers, we make it our main goal to teach, encourage, motivate and model reading skills. Now, you can know our tidbits of knowledge that can help you as a parent.

HOW TO READ YOUR CHILD
It sounds pretty simple, huh? Well it can as routine as brushing your teeth. You can also bring a book to life; here are some suggestions: Your enthusiasm can be very contagious!

• Use different voices for each character.
• Stop and talk about title, author and illustrator. Use these terms!
• Run your fingers under the sentences or under special vocabulary that make the story more interesting.
• Stop before the ending and make up your own ending.
• Talk about the pictures; does the text adhere to the illustrations; use critical thinking skills to discuss what is inferred in the drawings.
• Have your child “read” those favorite, have “read it a billion times” stories TO YOU.
• Ask your child why the author wrote this story; can you search on the internet and find out?
• Use your imagination

WHAT DO I READ TO MY CHILD?

Even junior high and adults love to be read to. It is relaxing, soothing and a great way to spend time with family and friends. Have you read YOUR favorite childhood books to your child?? Give them some of your memories.
 Your child may enjoy the fancy cover books, but some of the more simple covers tend to win the Caldecott Medal (annual award given to picture books). The Newberry Medal is given to a chapter book annually. A resource to find these titles are as follows:

http://www.ala.org/ala/awardsgrants/booksprintmedia/childrenyngadults/index.cfm
When you find a favorite book, look for books by the same author.

ENRICHING LITERATURE

• Create a snack from a story: Ex: Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle.
• Write a letter to one of the characters in the story.
• Write a new ending to the story.
• Write a letter to the author.
• What new character could you add to the story?
• List what you know BEFORE reading; List what you know AFTER reading; Ex; non fiction books.
• Invite friends or neighbors over and act out the story.
• Visit a museum or town after a book; Ex; Springfield, after an Abe Lincoln story.
• Use a craft to enhance the book: Ex; make funny glasses after reading Arthur’s Glasses, Marc Brown.
• Watch the movie after reading the book…is it different?

     Ex: Charlottes Web