• homework help for parents

    Parental involvement in the educational process is one of the most important keys to a student's success. What you do to help your child at home can make all the difference. Here are some tips and suggestions:

    General Tips for Better Literacy

    1. Daily Reading Rituals: Read to your child every day, from a young age. This helps develop listening and comprehension skills. Make it a consistent part of your routine. Engage with the stories your child reads—ask questions about the plot, predict what will happen next, and discuss characters' motivations. Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story.
    2. Word-Rich and Language-Rich Environment: Surround your child with a variety of books, magazines, and other reading materials. Ensure your home is filled with words and opportunities for conversation. Narrate daily activities, describe what you see, and engage in discussions to expose your child to a rich vocabulary and varied sentence structures. Make sure these resources are easily accessible and let your child choose what they want to read.
    3. Lead by Example: Let your child see you reading. Your enthusiasm for reading can be contagious. Whether it's a novel, newspaper, or e-reader, show them that reading is enjoyable.
    4. Use Phonics-Based Activities: Incorporate activities that focus on phonics and word recognition. Play word games, sing alphabet songs, and practice letter sounds to make learning fun. For example, "I spy with my little eye...something that starts with the letter B!"
    5. Use Technology Wisely: Use educational apps and e-books to make reading interactive and engaging for your child. There are numerous apps designed to boost reading skills through games, interactive stories, and other fun activities. Look for apps that are age-appropriate and have strong educational reviews. E-books often come with features like read-along audio, animated illustrations, and interactive vocabulary activities, which can make reading more immersive and entertaining for kids. Balance screen time with traditional reading to ensure a well-rounded literacy experience.

    5 Tips to Support Literacy in Math

    1. Make a Math Connection: Talk, read, and write about the math that affects them and the world around them. Encourage “math talks” during daily activities or “math walks” where students identify math in their environment. Keep math journals to document these connections.
    2. Read Math Books: Spend time discussing engaging math-related literature. After reading, discuss the math concepts in the stories. What problems do the characters face? How do they solve them?
    3. Make Predictions: Encourage predictions and inferences as part of math instruction. Before solving a problem, ask students what they think the answer might be and why. Discuss the reasoning behind their predictions.
    4. Create Problem-Solving Opportunities: Encourage kids to be thinkers and problem solvers. Frame problem-solving as a fun adventure. Use games or real-world scenarios that require creative thinking to solve.
    5. Vocabulary Matters: Have a “word wall” at home and encourage the use of math language. Encourage students to explain their thinking using these terms while solving problems. Update the word wall regularly with new words they encounter.

    5 Tips to Help Support Literacy for English Language Learners 

    1. Don’t be afraid to use your native tongue: This tip may be the most important since it is the bridge between your child’s learning situations — that is, the connection between his or her primary language and culture and new language and culture. You can explain unfamiliar words and concepts in the language familiar to your child and continue to build his or her literacy skills in the primary language, while practicing and developing English and academic literacies. Consistent opportunities for practice and meaningful practice and reinforcement of learning the new language and understanding the new culture are important.
    2. When it comes to homework, have a routine: Establishing a good study routine at home can make a significant difference in your child’s learning. Provide a quiet environment  by removing or minimizing any potential distractions and make sure that your child has all the supplies he or she needs, including pencils, books, paper, etc. Take the time to answer any questions your child may have. If you don’t know the answers, you can help your child find resources to help answer the questions he or she has, or you can help your child write down the question to ask his or her teacher. Even if you cannot yet speak English yourself, you can still check on your child to see if homework assignments are finished.
    3. Study the same thing in new ways: Try picking a folktale or children’s story with which both you and your child are familiar. Although your child may not understand all the words at first, your child should generally be able to follow the plot of the story and will pick up new vocabulary and grammar along the way. Asking questions about the story’s plot, characters, etc. can help with your child’s understanding. You can also try watching movies in the new language or even play games that involve language to practice and learn language at home.
    4. Use creative outlets to practice and learn language: A fun way to practice and learn language is to engage in creative activities. For example, make a scrapbook together featuring things that have taken place in your new home, city, and/or country and write all the captions and titles in your new language. Does your child like to paint or write? Have them draw a picture and write or tell a story about it. The possibilities are as limitless as your child’s creativity.
    5. Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities: Extracurricular activities such as being a member of a drama or yearbook club provide additional meaningful opportunities to develop language and literacy. Such activities can help students link the perspectives, strategies, roles and responsibilities they experience in the classroom with those outside of the classroom. Understanding and using language and literacy skills across settings is important in learning and achievement.