Reading Room

Summer Reading Video

View this wonderful student-created video: Why is it Important to Read Over the Summer? This was created by Mrs. Dierolf’s 5th-grade literacy class to learn why skipping out on summer reading is never a good choice!

Book List Suggestions

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a wonderful resource to discover summer book suggestions for 2022 as well as other engaging selections that represent a variety of cultures, graphic novels, gender identities, and social justice.

2023 Master List Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Illinois Children’s Choice Award
Students in grades 4-8 in Illinois have voted these books/authors as the most outstanding!

Imaginationsoup.net regularly updates book list recommendations based on genre and age levels of readers from elementary to high school.

Destiny Discover

Did you know that even though the Central School’s library is closed over the summer students can still check out ebooks? Click here to be connected to Destiny Discover where students can find new books by genre/topic and explore books before e-checking them out.

Finding Leveled Books at the Glencoe Public Library Grades K-4

Did you know that the Glencoe Public Library has EARLY READERS color-coded to help your child find books at their independent reading level?

GREEN DOTS- Are for beginning readers that need help with reading. Level Range- A-C
RED DOTS- Are for independent readers that still need some support. Level Range- D-F
BLUE DOTS- Are for independent readers that can read silently on their own. Level Range- G-I
YELLOW DOTS- Are for students reading early chapter books. Level Range- J- M

Reading Fluency and Ways to Help Your Child at Home- K-5

As your child progresses through the grade levels you will hear a lot about your child’s reading fluency development from their classroom teacher. Check out our Fluency FAQs for information about Reading Fluency and ways to help your child at home.

Early Stages of Reading Development Survey

Take this quick survey to determine your child’s current stage of reading development. This is a useful tool for identifying reading areas to develop with your child at home.

How Can I Help My Child Read an Early Reader

Fun ways to help your child develop their reading skills using simple leveled books!

1. Before reading the book - THE PICTURE WALK

Going on a simple picture walk with your child, before reading the book can stimulate their natural curiosity and spark an interest in the story. By taking a picture walk with your child you are activating their prior knowledge of the book’s topic, discussing new vocabulary words that may be difficult for them to read and basic story structure. Taking a picture walk is as simple as flipping through the book, page by page, without reading any of the words. You ask questions about each picture they see and try to prompt answers that are based on the images on the pages. Always stop before the last page and predict how the story is going to end. Then read to see how the story does end. Use the simple picture walk strategy as a guided for you and your child. Eventually this will become a simple habit.

2. During the reading of the book - READING TOGETHER STRATEGIES

A beginning reader needs help and encouragement getting through the text in a new book. A wonderful reading together strategy for the early reader is called echo reading. This strategy helps the child gain confidence in reading aloud, develops their sight vocabulary and models what fluent reading sounds like. In echo reading the parent reads a sentence first and points to each word. The child then becomes the echo, reading the sentence back to the parent and pointing to each word. It is very important to remind the child to point to each word as he/she reads.

Another excellent reading together strategy for the early reader is called choral reading. This strategy also helps develop a child’s reading confidence and builds an enjoyment in the whole reading process. In choral reading the parent reads aloud slowly and the child reads in unison with the parent. Both the child and parent should be looking and pointing at the words while reading together.

When your child comes to a word he/she does not know, there are many different choices they can make. They can skip it and continue reading, they can ask an adult for help, or they can look it up in a dictionary. Usually the strategy of using context clues is helpful in finding the meaning of words in the text that a child does not know.

3. After Reading the Book - CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
Story Mapping Using Question Cards: Most children’s stories have a basic structure; one or two main characters, a setting where the story takes place, a goal that one character wants to achieve, or an obstacle, and a resolution of the conflict or goal. After reading a story with your child, use the question approach to check your child’s understanding of the story. Go back to the illustrations and text if needed and reread to support your child’s answer.

Read, Cover, Remember, Retell: is another great strategy for checking your child’s understanding of a story. Introduce the strategy by first modeling it to your child. Read only as much as your hand can cover. Usually a paragraph in a chapter book or a few lines in an early reader. Cover the words with your hand and think about what you just read. It’s okay to peek if you forget. In YOUR OWN words retell what you just read.

Choosing Books for Independent Reading Grades 5-8

Students in grades 5-8 are administered the MAP Growth three times during the school year- fall, winter, and spring. Unlike the paper-and-pencil tests, where all students are asked the same questions, MAP Growth is a computer-adaptive test that adjusts the level of difficulty—based on the responses provided. District 35 uses MAP Growth data to track student growth from fall to spring, annually, and over longer periods of time. MAP Growth data is also used to set appropriate instructional goals for individual students. You can use the Lexile Range shared on your child’s MAP report to set a starting place for book selection. Additional information on MAP Growth can be found here.

What Makes Children Read Independently

Article from the Washington Post

The Scholastic Kids & Family Reading ReportTM: Fifth Edition is out and offers a snapshot of where young people are when it comes to reading independently.

Here are some of the findings of a nationally representative survey conducted last fall by Scholastic in conjunction with YouGov. Some of the results are surprising, including the fact that kids prefer to read books in print.

Retell Bedtime Stories and Boost Your Child’s Comprehension

Try this simple strategy from Scholastic Parents to help your child absorb all the details as she reads.

Tips For Reading With Your Child at Home-Grades K-8

Reading with parents and family members at home is one of the most important parts of a child’s literacy development. Even as your child grows older and becomes more independent, reading together at home can continue to be an engaging and meaningful experience. Check out this PDF for specific tips on reading with your child at home throughout grades K-8.

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resources to support your child with reading development