As parents, we all know how important daily reading is for our child’s learning development. But do you ever find yourself lost as to how to help your kids practice their reading and writing skills? Author and public school teacher Heidi Cooley knows this tension and wants to not only help your kids with their reading skills, but also help them to know God more with her new Mighty Reader resources for both first and second grade, available now! Follow along during our Teacher Talk series for great tips from Heidi!

Hello Parents! This week we are focusing on reading skills. In the Mighty Reader Workbook, your child will be able to use the reading strategies that I mentioned last week to help master the different reading skills. These skills are based upon state standards that are taught in first and second grade, and some of them overlap between the grades.

However, when a child moves into second grade, the text becomes more complex, and the use of the skill becomes more extended. That’s why each of the reading passages in the workbook are grade level appropriate, allowing your child to practice the reading skills without becoming too frustrated. I have listed some of the reading skills below.

Reading Skills:

• Key Details—This skill focuses on reading comprehension of the passage through the use of questioning. Identifying the problem and solution of the passage is one way to practice this skill.
• Visualization—This skill helps a child to create a picture in his mind in order to demonstrate comprehension. Drawing a picture to represent what has been read is one way to practice this skill.
• Context Clues—This skill helps the child determine the meaning of unknown words found in a passage.
• Phonics—This skill allows the child to work with words and their sounds.
• Writing with Reading—Reading and writing go hand in hand, and both are necessary for helping to build a strong reader. Writing a response to the passage is one way to practice this skill.

These are just some of the skills your child will be able to practice through the use of the Mighty Reader Workbook— all skills that students are practicing in school throughout the year.

Now your child can practice these same skills through 13 different Bible stories that are grade level appropriate. This is a great resource to use with your child during the summer to avoid the summer slump and also throughout the year to help achieve the suggested 20 minutes of daily reading!

I pray your child will grow into a more confident reader, while being blessed by God’s word!

Blessings,

Heidi Cooley