Thursday, July 14, 2011

Spotlight on an SLI Staff Member

Welcome to the first installment of spotlight on a staff member.

This month we'd like to introduce you to: Jill Heller

Jill is a former classroom teacher who was hired by SLI as a fundraising consultant.

The biggest change Jill would like to see happen in the future is that schools would have less red tape to deal with in order to provide better educational services.

Jill is currently reading a book called Maine.  She is constantly inspired by family and friends.  Her dream vacation would be to travel to Greece.  Ten years from now, Jill sees herself being retired.

Thanks for stopping by and meeting our newest staff member.  Stay tuned for more Spotlights on Staff Members!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Sharpen Student Reading Skills Over the Summer

Sharpen Student Reading Skills

 Over the Summer



Here are a few ideas to share with your children or students to keep them focused during the summer:



*     When you read billboards or signs in restaurants and stores, try to determine the author's purpose.



*     When eating dinner with your family, tell about your day in the correct sequence.  What happened first, next, and so forth.



*     Summarize someone else's story into a few sentences.



*     Tell the main idea of a movie you've seen or television show you’ve watched recently.



*     When you follow a recipe or map, be careful to follow the instructions carefully.



*     When sitting in a waiting room, notice the other people in the room.  What can you infer from their body language, their clothing, the words they use, etc.? 



*     Do the people you encounter remind you of a character in a book?  Who?  Why?



*     Practice making comparisons:  How are two people you know alike or different?  How were today’s events like yesterday?  How is your life similar to that of a famous person? 



*     Think about the lyrics in the music you like.  How does the writer use figurative language like a poet?

SLI hopes these skill based strategies will keep little minds sharp during the summer months! Enjoy!