Parent Letter: Set purpose for reading at Teach Daily

Your child is currently working on the literacy strategy, Set purpose for reading, which helps with the overall goal, Comprehension.

Have you ever struggled to stay with a text you are reading? You might find yourself skipping around or pausing to daydream, and then having to go back and reread to refocus yourself. Or, can you relate to what it feels like to start a book, only to abandon it after a few pages or chapters because it doesn’t meet your needs? This is common among readers of all ages and often happens when the reader is not engaged in the text, does not have a purpose for what they are reading, or finds that their purpose for reading isn’t being met.

Readers who know why they are reading and what they want to get from the text are more active and engaged. This is why Set Purpose for Reading is one of the first comprehension strategies we teach. Knowing the purpose can help readers be engaged and fulfill their purpose for reading and can also help them decide what to read. For example, when you’re reading for pleasure or to be entertained, you will read more quickly and be focused on fun, but if you’re reading for new ideas, you most likely need to slow down and read more carefully, slowly, and deliberately.

How can you help your child with this strategy at home?

When reading with your child, ask questions such as
- What do you like to read about?
- What do you think you might learn from this book?
- What do you already know about this text or topic?
When they are watching TV or working on an electronic device, ask questions about the purpose of the show or application. Is it to entertain? Inform? Teach something? Solve a problem? This will help get them thinking about the purpose of books, shows, and apps.
Before your child starts reading, ask what their purpose is for reading the selection in front of them. When they finish, ask if their purpose was achieved.

Thank you for your continued support at home!

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