What would you do if you had an extra $1,500 to spend on your school’s reading program? This coming year, I am the PTA reading coordinator for my daughter’s elementary school. My budget is $1,500. I’ve thought about bringing in a story teller one evening, having the older children record books on tape for the younger children, having reading buddies (match an older child with a younger child), and purchasing books for the classrooms. Can you recommend any reading software I could purchase? I thought Earobics might be good to have. Maybe bring in a speaker to a PTA meeting to talk about reading with your child or spotting learning issues.
The younger kids (grades 1-3) have a reading incentive program, but there is nothing for the 4th and 5th graders. Any thoughts there of an incentive program that might work?
Any ideas you have to share will be most welcome and appreciated. Thanks!
LJ
Re: Great Site!
Hi LJ,
One of the schools my son attended the PTO got places like McDonalds, Pizza Huts etc. to donate free coupons for reading so many books. At the end of each quarter the PTO had used their own money to buy books and let the kids pick their own book to keep. The kids liked that program.
The story tellers are usually always something kids like but if parents have to come back evening it can be hard. If school lets them do it during the day that is fun.
I like your idea of having the older kids work with the younger kids. Some schools here do that and the older ones feel very important and responsible and the younger ones enjoy having a buddy.
I guess since my son has reading issues if I had $1,500 I would use it for specialized reading programs the district doesn’t have…
Re: PTA Reading Coordinator Looking for Ideas
Dear LJ,
I hope to have a CD program before the end of the summer. A group in Poland is putting it into a software product they call Super Memo. It will test (and then teach, if necessary) the 1021 most common English words.
I’m excited. I hope it will prove to be useful.
Peace.
Re: PTA Reading Coordinator Looking for Ideas
Marion:
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Actually, unless the matching is done very carefully, it can be a very uncomfortable situation. My first grade daughter who is above grade level in Reading was matched with a 4th grade student who had much weaker reading skills. Fortunately in this situation, the girls enjoyed each other’s company and the outcome was positive. But it could have just as easily gone the other way.
Marilyn
for a reading incentive program K-8. It’s very similar to Accelerated Reader.
I’m not sure, but I think for $1500 (less, if there’s someone local) you could hire a Phono-Graphix trainer to give an in-service to your teachers. PG is wonderful for both remedial and non-remedial reading instsruction. You might want to call ReadAmerica to ask about this. Website is http://www.readamerica.net
Mary