Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my child is having trouble with reading?

In the early grades, children learn to read.  By third grade they should be reading to learn.  Here are some warning signs that your child may be having reading difficulties:

How do I help my child get started reading a new book?

Previewing a book is a good way to create interest helps your child to have a basic understanding of what the book is about.  Look at the cover, title and illustrations throughout the book.  Ask: "Who are the characters?  What do they seem to be doing?  What do you think is going to happen?"  Scout out a few difficult words ahead of time.  Find them in the book, read the sentence and discuss the meanings before the child reads the book.

What kind of things can I do to improve reading comprehension?

Try "paired reading" with your child.  Start by taking turns reading a paragraph out loud to each other.  As one partner reads, the other listens.  When the paragraph is done, the listening partner should summarize what was just read by saying, "I just learned that..." or "The character just did...."  The other partner can add more information if needed.  As you get skilled at this, you and your partner can read longer and longer passages.  Then you can take turns reading silently and summarizing afterward.

What is AIS for ELA?

Academic Intervention Services are defined as additional instructional services that supplement regular classroom instruction and/or student support services designed to help students achieve the New York State Learning Standards.  Academic Intervention Services are direct services intended to assist students who are identified as being at-risk of not achieving the New York State Learning Standards in English Language Arts in grades K-12.  In addition, the services are provided to those students who are identified as being at risk of not gaining the skills and knowledge nescessary to meet or exceed designated performance levels on the New York State assessments.

What does AIS in ELA look like?

AIS in ELA may be delivered by a reading teacher, classroom teacher, special education teacher or teaching assistant.  It can delivered in the following ways:

Tier II ELA- A reading teacher, teaching assistant, special education teacher or classroom teacher meet regularly to provide your child small group support and instruction 3-5 timers per week for 20-40 minutes.

Tier III ELA- An individualized reading program usually provided by a reading teacher or special education teacher that meets 4-5 times a week for 30-40 minutes.  Group size is usually 1-3 students, which allows for more intensive indivdualized instruction.

Monitored Services- This is periodic communication between the classroom teacher and service provider to review student progress.

The first place to begin is with your child’s classroom teacher to discuss your child’s progress. You and/or your child’s teacher  will than decide on the next action to take place that will best  help your child with his/her reading. Some additional data may be collected to develop a plan that best fits the needs of your child.

My child is going to the middle school next year, how do I prepare them for middle school?

~First and foremost, reading and discussion of your child's reading should NOT stop over the summer.  This will reinforce comprehension, vocabulary, fluency (speed and sound), and all the necessary strategic skills that your child has learned over their elementary years.

~Challenge and encourage them to read independently for purpose 

~Encourage and model on-going reading for pleasure. It is expected that students will be able to read for pleasure fluently (with appropriate speed and voice)

~Frequent writing and responding to reading in a journal can also be very beneficial. Students need to be able to link sentences into well organized paragraphs independently.

~Have you child implement new vocabulary that they learn from books, environment, etc, in their writing.  It will be expected and encouraged throughout their middle school and high school years.

~It is assumed by the time your child reaches middle school that s/he can write coherently, incorporate supporting details in their writing, create a clear beginning, middle and end to a story, and use proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Have you child share their writing with you and look for these components.