10-4-10 Segment of "Ask The Teacher" on Star 94

Another great segment on Star 94. Thanks to the callers who phoned in their questions!


Question #1
My son is in Kindergarden and is having trouble blending the sounds in words when trying to read. What can I do to help him?


Getting children to use their bodies to be hands on learners greatly helps the learning process. There are many fun activities that can help with blending. As children learn to read, they typically begin by sounding out the letters in words. It is often difficult for children to then blend the sounds together. You can put letters on cards and place them on the floor. As the child sounds out each letter, have them walk alongside side of it to show the importance of "moving" through the word. You can also use letter tiles/magnets. Put them on a table with some space in between each one. After the child says the sound of each letter, move the tiles/magnets closer together and get them to use their hand and "move" through the word (they can move their hand under the letters as they say the sounds faster when you push the letters together.)
Just remember that Kindergarten is a year when children will begin to be taught the blending skills.


Question #2
My daughter is in 6th grade and it takes her at least two hours to do her homework each day. After such a long day and so much homework, I don't want her grades to start slipping and for her to become anxious. What can I do?


It is a big jump in workload from elementary school to middle school. There are different teachers for different subjects and they may not all be aware of how much homework their colleagues are assigning. First, if there is any homework that comes home that is not due the next day, try to make a schedule that would make the workload more manageable. Next, talk to other parents and see if it is taking their child as long . (If your child seems to be working twice as long as others, talk to their teachers because they may be struggling in that class.) Finally, talk to one of your child's teacher and see what they recommend. Your child is not the first one to have this problem and the teachers may have some good advice or help that they can offer.


Question #3
My daughter is in Pre-K. I heard that one of her classmates is reading already. Is that possible?


It is possible although it is not typical. Children develop at different rates and most children at that age are not ready to read. Pre-K children are NOT expected to read at that age. There is usually a big discrepancy in reading abilities in Pre-K through first grade students due to the rate their reading skills develop. By second grade, the playing field has usually leveled out.