Welcome to Welcome to Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the

Gifted and Talented.Gifted and Talented.

Parents’ Association MeetingParents’ Association Meeting

September 23, 2008September 23, 2008

Paul Mirsky AuditoriumPaul Mirsky Auditorium

Benefits of ReadingBenefits of Reading

Successful readers Successful readers are successful are successful students.students.

Reading helps with Reading helps with building the tools building the tools necessary for necessary for students to become students to become lifelong learners.lifelong learners.

Reading helps to Reading helps to develop critical develop critical thinking skills.thinking skills.

Benefits of ReadingBenefits of Reading Reading helps to Reading helps to

improve a host of improve a host of language abilities language abilities (writing, vocabulary, (writing, vocabulary, communication skills).communication skills).

Reading increases a Reading increases a student’s core of student’s core of knowledge.knowledge.

Reading expands Reading expands one’s horizons and one’s horizons and increases increases understanding of understanding of people and the world.people and the world.

Reading can be fun!Reading can be fun!

Reading improves performance Reading improves performance on standardized tests.on standardized tests.

Grade 6Grade 6 – January 20 - 22, 2009 – January 20 - 22, 2009Reading passages and listening selectionReading passages and listening selectionMultiple choice responses, constructed responses, Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and extended responsesand extended responses

Grade 7Grade 7 – January 20 - 21, 2009 – January 20 - 21, 2009Reading passages and listening selectionReading passages and listening selectionMultiple choice responses, constructed responses, Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and editing paragraphand editing paragraph

Grade 8Grade 8 – January 20 - 21, 2009 – January 20 - 21, 2009Reading passages and listening selectionReading passages and listening selectionMultiple choice responses, constructed Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and extended responsesresponses, and extended responses

Suggested ActivitiesSuggested Activities Allow your children to see you Allow your children to see you

reading on a regular basis.reading on a regular basis. Schedule a specific time for your Schedule a specific time for your

child to read each day.child to read each day. Have a wide variety of reading Have a wide variety of reading

material on hand.material on hand. Read the same book your child is Read the same book your child is

reading and discuss it together.reading and discuss it together. Supervise as your child follows a Supervise as your child follows a

recipe.recipe. Join a book club.Join a book club. Utilize incentive charts to reach Utilize incentive charts to reach

goals.goals.

Suggested ActivitiesSuggested Activities Listen to and discuss audiobooks Listen to and discuss audiobooks

during car rides.during car rides. Play games such as Play games such as Twenty QuestionsTwenty Questions

that sharpen listening & memory that sharpen listening & memory skills.skills.

Stress any activity that requires your Stress any activity that requires your child to write on paper such as:child to write on paper such as:

shopping listsshopping lists

recipesrecipes

directionsdirections

letters to family/friendsletters to family/friends

journalsjournals

schedulesschedules

contestscontests

Resources for ParentsResources for Parents Reading Is Fundamental Reading Is Fundamental

http://www.rif.org/parents/tips/default.mspxhttp://www.rif.org/parents/tips/default.mspx Family EducationFamily Education

http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/parents-and-http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/parents-and-school/33582.htmlschool/33582.html

National Education AssociationNational Education Associationhttp://www.nea.org/parents/reading46.htmlhttp://www.nea.org/parents/reading46.htmlhttp://www.nea.org/readacross/parents.htmlhttp://www.nea.org/readacross/parents.html

ScholasticScholastichttp://www.scholastic.com/parents/index.asphttp://www.scholastic.com/parents/index.asp

Schwab LearningSchwab Learninghttp://www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=720http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=720

NYS Department of Education (testing information)NYS Department of Education (testing information)http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/