Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. How do I help my child with spelling words?
2. What is fast recall of addition and subtraction math facts?
3. What can I do to help my child improve his/ her reading skills?
4. Homework is becoming a battle. What can I do?

How do I help my child with spelling words?

Here is a list of spelling words that your child must know before school 
starts: 
the,of,and,a,to,in,is,you,that,it,he,for,was,on,are,as,with,his,they,at,
be,this,from,I,have,or,by,one,had,not,but,what,all,were,when,we.

In second grade your child will bring home words to learn frequently.This is 
the year that inventive spelling changes to real spelling. Often 
they are the same words, phonetic words, or irregular words that just need 
to be memorized. Have your child make flashcards with these words printed on 
them. Have your child read the word, spell it while touching the letters, 
then write it. Only work on 4-5 words a night. Once you are confident your 
child really knows the words, then put the word on the bottom of the pile 
and add another word. Children who are good readers usually are good 
spellers too. Children who are emerging readers have not had enough exposure 
to the words. It is more of a challenge for them to learn to spell the 
words. Having a sticker chart or reward system often motivates children and 
makes the short study session more fun.

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What is fast recall of addition and subtraction math facts?

Fast recall is knowing the fact and saying it as easily as you can say your 
name. Fluency in math facts is essential to successfully working on complex 
2 and 3 step problems. Fluency is defined as being able to answer 40 facts 
in a minute. These facts start out easy and then gradually mastered facts 
are replaced with 2 new facts per drill. We work on these facts daily and 
the children set their own goals. Our goal is to master all the addition 
facts and subtraction facts before 3rd grade. This is the year the children 
stop using their fingers, a number line, or touch math to solve basic facts. 
I am always excited to see their improvement over time.

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What can I do to help my child improve his/ her reading skills?

I know this is a tough one, but if you can turn off the television, 
computer, and electronic games and snuggle up with some good books it will 
make a big impact on your child's interest in reading. Children at this age 
still love to be read to and love to read to you. Obtain a library card for 
your child and make a trip there every Saturday. Check out a basket full of 
books for the week!

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Homework is becoming a battle. What can I do?

Children need time to play once they get home from school. They also need 
family time at the dinner table without the disruption of the television. 
When it is time to start homework be sure the distractions are gone and you 
can sit next to your child. Set the timer and determine a reward system for 
working with a positive attitude. My homework should only take about 20 
minutes and I do accept work that is turned in late.

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