Some children just love reading; however, others may find it difficult or even boring. They may be missing foundational skills or have difficulty sitting for long periods of time. Reluctant readers can learn to enjoy it! With schools currently closed, parents have an increased need to help make reading fun at home! By making reading fun (instead of frustrating), as well as improving reading skills, your child can develop a lifetime love of reading……Be sure to keep reading over the summer! http://bluebeepals.com
Bluebee Pals and the Bluebee Pal Program are excellent instructional tools for early reading skills! Due to their endearing appeal, Bluebee Pals and The Bluebee Pal Program, Bluebee app, Techie Rangers E-book and free Activity Guide are uniquely suited for use with reading support. The Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 interactive plush learning tool connects via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities. Each Bluebee’s “mouth and head” realistically moves while teaching curriculum through educational games, activities, and apps.
Bluebee Pal Free Sources for Readers
* The Bluebee Pal Program is a free curriculum focused on PreK and Elementary Common Core State Standards, including reading skills. You will find the curriculum here: https://www.bluebeepals.com/general-education/
* Bluebee comes with a FREE companion (life skills /educational) app. https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-app
* The Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-book with Activity Guide takes readers on an adventure with Andy and his Bluebee Pal Techie Ranger friends. Andy, a student with complex communication needs, uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device or “talker” to speak to the Techie Rangers as they help him return to the Rainbow School. The accompanying free Activity Guide provides fun extension activities focused on literacy and math. Don’t forget to check out the Bluebee Pals Curriculum for a lesson plan made especially for the Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-Book and Activity Guide. You can find the E-book and activity guide here: https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-techie-rangers-book/#
*The Bluebee Pals Curriculum, Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-Book and Activity Guide, app recommendations, numerous video tutorials, and extensive professional development resources are all available at www.bluebeepals.com
Empowering Struggling Readers: Fun While Reading at Home:
- Use technology! Use Bluebee Pals along with any available technology to increase engagement with reading. Kids love tablets, computers, and phones! Use colorful book apps with Bluetooth devices to encourage reading. A set of personal earplugs or headphones would improve attending skills and give great auditory feedback.
- Pick the right books– Select books your child will enjoy according to interests. Let your child help choose books. This will make reading less of a chore and more of a fun activity.
- Read aloud– Take turns reading aloud to add excitement to the story using fun, different voices.
- Encourage all forms of reading– In addition to books, magazines, graphic novels, road signs, recipes, and newspapers are also great reading materials.
- Create a reading space– Make a fun reading area or fort where your child can read on his or her own. This is especially fun with a Bluebee Pal!
- Make connections between books and life experiences– Read adventure books before you take a camping trip or dinosaur books before a trip to a museum.
- Offer developmentally appropriate reading through audio books– They are a great way to make reading more enjoyable while helping to improve comprehension skills. Providing human-read audiobooks allows struggling readers to focus, visualize, and become engaged in the story. Audiobooks help build vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. Students can gain access to grade-level content so they can participate in class and work along with their peers. This builds more confident and engaged learners. Taking away the mechanics of reading and allowing students to work at their ability lowers stress, allowing them to succeed.
- Read a series– High interest book series help keep your child engaged. Also read multiple non-series books by favorite authors.
- Have a daily “reading hour”– Have a scheduled reading time every day. During this time, ask your child what is happening in the book, what his or her favorite part was, and what he or she thinks might happen next.
- Take trips to the library– Let your child get a library card and select books that catch his or her attention. Participate in age-appropriate story hours at the library, as well as any summer reading programs offered.
- Teach reading strategies– Lots of kids don’t like reading because they don’t have the necessary skills. Talk to your child’s teacher about strategies to help improve reading motivation.
- If your child’s teacher has assigned an online reading program via your school system, be sure to complete assignments as scheduled! This extra reading help will be tailored to your child’s needs and is scientifically-based instruction.
These excellent reading sites for pre-K and elementary children are backed by a tremendous amount of research into how kids learn to read and how they become fluent readers.
Kahn Academy Kids: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/khan-academy-kids/id1378467217
Between the Lions: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/btl07-ex/
Starfall: https://www.starfall.com/h/
StoryPlace: https://www.storyplace.org
Storyline Online: https://www.storylineonline.net
ReadWriteThink Student Interactives: http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?resource_type=16&type=32
PBS Reading Games: https://pbskids.org/games/reading/
WordWorld: http://www.wordworld.com/apps-and-games/
Storynory: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/storynory-audio-stories/id337740577
OxfordOWL: https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk
ABCya: https://www.abcya.com
Resources:
https://gradepowerlearning.com/how-to-make-reading-fun/
https://thisreadingmama.com/helping-struggling-readers/
https://www.weareteachers.com/best-reading-websites/
https://wehavekids.com/education/elementary-reading-websites-for-kids