Helpful Hints for Parents

1. Ask your child to read one of the books from the library out loud to you.

2. Ask what grammar feature your child is working on in ESL class (past tense, plurals, etc.) so she can be aware of that feature in her speaking outside of class.

3. Ask your child to keep a small journal of t.v. shows or movies he watches, making a note of any new words he would like to learn.

4. Find pattern books (usually simple picture books that have a similar sentence pattern on each page; i.e., "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?/ Blue fox, blue fox, what do you see?"). Have your child read them several times each in order to reinforce sentence structure and vocabulary.

5. Ask your child to keep a small log of any new words she encounters. See if she can summarize her books for you- it's O.K. if she does this in her native language!

6. After reading a book with him, ask your child to evaluate himself as to whether he read with good pronunciation and good comprehension.

7. Have your child identify any unfamiliar words after reading, and go back to the context to try to guess their meanings.

8. Encourage your child to read and write in her journal over the vacation.

9. If you are travelling, encourage your child to write and send postcards to his/her friends or family.

10. If your child has difficulty organizing him/herself work on a weekly routine (schedule) where your child can have enough time for homework and leisure.

11. Provide your child with a quiet place with few distractions to work on his/her homework.

12. When your child is reading out loud encourage him/her to make connections between what is being read and her/his own experiences. Also, you can encourage your child to make connections to another similar book he/she has read before. This reading strategy will allow your child to have a better understanding of what he/she is reading.

13. Encourage your child to write on a reading journal before, during, and after reading questions. After reading the story, your child can try to answer the questions. This will help your child self-monitor his/her comprehension.

14. Encourage your child to listen to songs in English and sing along.

15. Play language games, like Bingo and Hangman at home with your child.

16. Make your home a "Print Rich Environment". Have plenty of books, magazines, newspapers, etc. in your home. Label items around the house. For example, put a card with the word "television" printed on it, on the TV. Encourage your child to "Read the Room", where he reads all the word cards on items.

17. Be a good model for your child. Let your child see you reading, writing and being a good listener. Parents are children's first teachers.

18. With supervision, let your child send email messages to friends. This is a fun way of putting his thoughts into words.

19. Foster independence and responsibility by assigning certain chores around the house for your child to do. (Pick up dirty laundry, set the table, pick up toys, etc.) Keep a record chart and give a reward when they have done their chores everyday without complaining.