43
Literacy night a hit with Struthers students, parents
By Sean Barron
STRUTHERS
It appeared someone had taken a large bite out of a book Logan Cabuno took home, though his parents are hoping he will use it as a means to swallow a greater appreciation for reading and literacy.
“I hope this will keep him interested in reading and school, and show that we want to be interested in his academics,” said the second-grader’s mother, Patty Cabuno, referring to Tuesday’s Family Literacy Night for first- and second-graders, and their families, at Struthers Elementary School, 111 Euclid Ave.
The 90-minute event offered four stations to enhance the students’ appreciation for and enjoyment of reading. It also provided opportunities for parents to learn added literacy strategies and tips to use with their children at home.
Logan took home “The Book with a Hole” by Herve Tullet, which shows a gaping semicircle on the side that resembles a cartoon character’s outstretched mouth and becomes an entire hole when opened. The hole serves a variety of age-appropriate, interactive functions.
Logan, who listed math as his favorite subject, likes to read, said his father, Bob Cabuno. The boy’s parents added the literacy program gave them more ideas regarding reading to him and selecting books.
One station featured so-called “just-right” books in which children held up one finger for every word they were unable to read, explained Sandy Horvath, the school’s literacy coordinator. The strategy provided a blueprint to gauge which books are suitable for which students, she noted.
Another literacy-driven activity was an interactive “read-aloud,” in which the reader more closely immerses the youngsters in the story partly by pausing periodically to ask related questions, such as “What do you think will happen next?”
Following such an approach was Stephanie Yon, a tutor who works with kindergartners who need literacy intervention. At one point, she read to about 15 first- and second-grade students the Julia Donaldson Halloween-themed book “The Room on the Broom,” which features numerous rhyming passages.
The strategy encourages greater reading comprehension, Yan said.
Technology also was a major component of the gathering, including a session Katie Olson conducted on using Chromebooks.
Olson, a technology teacher for the elementary and middle school, had many students and adults use the devices, which are small laptop computers that can link users to literacy-based websites and help them more easily find appropriate resources online.
Chromebooks are available for all the school’s estimated 700 students, Horvath noted.