• Language Activities for Kindergarten - Grade 2

    Choose books of interest to read to your child and each page or paragraph (depending on the age of your child) ask comprehension questions, such as who, what, when, where, why, and how. If they have difficulty with answers teach them by modeling what a "where" answer sounds like; add information to your child's answers.

    Ask your child to re-tell books or chapters by saying "now you tell me the story in your own words." if this is too much for your child, chunk the book or chapter and every couple of pages ask them, "tell me what's happened so far." Read a variety of both fiction and non-fiction books to your child. This will help in intermediate grades when they will be reading textbooks in science and social studies, when they begin reading for factual information as well as when they begin to do research.

    Practice:

    • opposites
    • synonyms
    • paraphrasing
    • multiple meaning words

    Play categorization games with your child, ex. Name as many animals, sports, colors, etc. (in one minute) as you can. For a more advanced twist to the game, give them a letter: their list may only contain items that start with that letter. Teach your child what to do and say if they don't know an answer. Start by asking them what they do know if they answer, "I don't know."

    Play same/different games with your child. State two items, ex. popsicle and ice cream cone, ask how the two items are the same and different.

    If your child uses incorrect grammar structures, "I gotted a A on my project," model the correct grammar by saying, "Oh, you got an A on your project."

    if your child uses non-specific words during stories or explanations, ex. "We went there and got the stuff for the thing," label the non-specific words as "garbage words" that don't tell us anything. Model for them how to be more specific, ex. "Your class went to the library to get books for the read-a-thon," now you tell me again.

    Practice sequencing with your child. A couple of different ways: cut out cartoons after you read them to your child and have your child put them in the correct order and tell the story, ask them to re-tell a story, encourage them to use terms such as, first, second, third, and then, next, last; use a real life situation such as, "tell me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."