1. Welcome to Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the Gifted and Talented. Parents’ Association Meeting September 23, 2008 Paul Mirsky Auditorium

2. Benefits of Reading Successful readers are successful students. Successful readers are successful students. Reading helps with building the tools necessary for students to become lifelong learners. Reading helps with building the tools necessary for students to become lifelong learners. Reading helps to develop critical thinking skills. Reading helps to develop critical thinking skills.

3. Benefits of Reading Reading helps to improve a host of language abilities (writing, vocabulary, communication skills). Reading helps to improve a host of language abilities (writing, vocabulary, communication skills). Reading increases a student’s core of knowledge. Reading increases a student’s core of knowledge. Reading expands one’s horizons and increases understanding of people and the world. Reading expands one’s horizons and increases understanding of people and the world. Reading can be fun! Reading can be fun!

4. Reading improves performance on standardized tests. Grade 6 – January 20 - 22, 2009 Grade 6 – January 20 - 22, 2009 Reading passages and listening selection Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and extended responses Grade 7 – January 20 - 21, 2009 Grade 7 – January 20 - 21, 2009 Reading passages and listening selection Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and editing paragraph Grade 8 – January 20 - 21, 2009 Grade 8 – January 20 - 21, 2009 Reading passages and listening selection Multiple choice responses, constructed responses, and extended responses

5. Suggested Activities Allow your children to see you reading on a regular basis. Allow your children to see you reading on a regular basis. Schedule a specific time for your child to read each day. Schedule a specific time for your child to read each day. Have a wide variety of reading material on hand. Have a wide variety of reading material on hand. Read the same book your child is reading and discuss it together. Read the same book your child is reading and discuss it together. Supervise as your child follows a recipe. Supervise as your child follows a recipe. Join a book club. Join a book club. Utilize incentive charts to reach goals. Utilize incentive charts to reach goals.

6. Suggested Activities Listen to and discuss audiobooks during car rides. Listen to and discuss audiobooks during car rides. Play games such as Twenty Questions that sharpen listening & memory skills. Play games such as Twenty Questions that sharpen listening & memory skills. Stress any activity that requires your child to write on paper such as: Stress any activity that requires your child to write on paper such as: shopping lists recipesdirections letters to family/friends journalsschedulescontests

7. Resources for Parents Reading Is Fundamental http://www.rif.org/parents/tips/default.mspx Reading Is Fundamental http://www.rif.org/parents/tips/default.mspx http://www.rif.org/parents/tips/default.mspx Family Education Family Education http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/parents-and- school/33582.html http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/parents-and- school/33582.html National Education Association National Education Association http://www.nea.org/parents/reading46.html http://www.nea.org/readacross/parents.html Scholastic Scholastic http://www.scholastic.com/parents/index.asp Schwab Learning Schwab Learning http://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/