Pen pals! An old idea given a new dimension through the program: in2Books. Check out it’s website: http://in2Books.com.

This carefully designed program provides intermediate students with one-on-one opportunities to discuss ideas about books with a pen pal who has read the same book. You’ll notice that the program is developed for classroom experiences.

However, the in2Books structure can be morphed into connecting your older developing reader with a grandparent, another relative, or a friend of the family! Your child experiences an authentic discussion of the book with an adult beyond you.

The letters could travel through your inbox for your inclusion into the scope and content of the discussion. As your child drafts the letter to the pen pal, you could encourage the discussion of the types of questions that are commonly found in the Third Reading: Analysis guide of Practickle.

Let us know if you try this! I’m going to try this with my five-year-old granddaughter! I don’t want to wait until she’s in third grade!

At this time of year, parents are looking for effective ways to get meaningful information about how their children are really doing in school.

Here are a few hints to guide the building of discussions that lead to important details about the school day and the emotional barometer in your child’s world.

• Pick a time when you can listen, such as: while seated at the dinner table or during your “tucking in” Model good listening.
• Have questions and sentence starters in a jar. Pick one each evening. OR Ask if anyone has a question or sentence starter to suggest for the day.
• Choose questions and sentence starters that encourage engagement from everyone, not just spotlighting the school-age member/s of the family. (Children need to know that everyone has good and bad events happen to all of us each day.)
• After you’ve chosen your conversation starter, begin with an anecdote about your (Children need your examples to learn more about both you and the world.)

Suggestions:

What was something that you heard/learned today that was new to you or or you questioned?

Was there a new words that you heard someone use or that you read?

(Vocabulary is one of the most successful indicators of success in school. Read                          Practickle’s suggestions about a family Word Wall.)

How did you help someone today? OR How did someone help you?

Sentence starters: Today, I wondered why………….   OR  Today, I wondered what if…………….

What was the best thing you did at school or work today?

*If your child is having difficulty deciding on what to share……..Think about deciding on the day’s question or topic in the morning. This helps everyone be “on the look out” for something to add to the day’s conversation.

I am drawn to articles with educational statistics on how well our children are doing in school. Here are a few that have caught my attention, because they are supported by numerous educational resources:

•  40% of errors on standardized math tests are related to reading errors due to weak critical reading skills and misunderstanding vocabulary.
• 60% of the thinking that we do each day requires the forming of an inference. The National English Language Arts Standards expect students in kindergarten to start forming inferences.
• 90% of the reading we do each day is informational text.
• Boys lag behind girls in reading proficiency in all 50 states on standardized reading tests.
• Parents who read to their children frequently and are frequent readers themselves are 6 times more likely to have children who read a lot

Quality reading experiences don’t just happen. We must help children develop the skills to improve their reading comprehension skills through research-based story time practices. That’s Practickle’s goal!

Tell me: Have you read any startling education statistics recently? It seems there are always results from new studies coming out!

At this time of year, parents are looking for ways to get meaningful information about how their children are really doing in school – more than “just fine!” Here are a few hints to guide the building of discussions that lead to important details about the school day and the emotional barometer in your child’s world.

1. Pick a time when you an listen, such as: while seated at the dinner table, during an evening walk through the neighborhood or during your “tucking in” time. Model good listening skills.

2. Have questions and sentence starters handy in a jar. Pick one each evening. OR ask if anyone has a question or sentence starter to suggest for the day.

3. Choose questions and sentence starters that encourage engagement from everyone, not just spotlighting the school-aged member(s) of the family. Children need to know that everyone has good and bad events happen each day!

4. After you’ve chosen your conversation starter, begin with an anecdote about your day. Children need your examples to learn more about both you and the world!

Here are some example questions and sentence starters:

• What was something that you heard/learned today that was new to you?
• Was there a new word that you heard someone use or that you read? (Vocabulary is one of the most successful indicators of success in school!)
• How did you help someone today? Or how did someone help you?
• What was the best thing you did at school or work today?
• Today, I wondered why _________.
• Today, I wondered what if ___________.

(Tip: If your child is having difficulty deciding on what to share, think about deciding on the day’s question or topic in the morning. This helps everyone be “on the look out” for something to add to the day’s conversation.)

I love doing this with my grandchildren to keep up with what they do at school each day. Does your family have any similar traditions or activities? Please share!

An old idea is given new dimension through the program in2Books, and I couldn’t be more impressed! Through this program, your child will:

• Be connected with an online pen pal
• Select and read the same five books as their pen pal each year
• Exchange six to ten online letters with their pen pal
• HAVE FUN!

The program was created for classroom use but can be easily adapted for use in your home. Your child can experience an authentic book discussion with an adult beyond you. The in2Books structure can serve as a way to connect readers of any age with a grandparent, other relative, or a friend of the family! However, if you wish to be included, these online letters between your child and the pen pal can travel through your inbox allowing your comments into the discussion.

I am going to try this with my 6 year-old granddaughter, and she’s going to pick our first book! 🙂 Have you tried any similar ways of engaging with others about literature?