Dear Elementary School Families,

As another vibrant week at ACS draws close, I want to highlight a cornerstone of academic growth: the power of daily reading. Beyond the joy and adventure stories bring, consistent reading plays a vital role in expanding your child's vocabulary, a skill that underpins success across all subject areas.

You may have heard of the "Matthew Effect" in education, often summarized as "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." This concept is particularly insightful in the context of reading and vocabulary development. Children who read more are exposed to a broader range of words, naturally absorbing new vocabulary and grammatical structures. This increased exposure further enhances their comprehension skills, making reading an even more rewarding and accessible activity. Consequently, they tend to read even more, creating a positive growth cycle. Conversely, children who read less encounter fewer new words, potentially widening the vocabulary gap over time.

Research consistently demonstrates the strong correlation between reading volume and vocabulary size. Studies have shown that children learn thousands of new words yearly through independent reading. This passive acquisition of vocabulary, encountered in meaningful contexts, is often more effective and long-lasting than rote memorization. A rich vocabulary improves reading comprehension, strengthens writing skills, enhances communication, and fosters critical thinking.

As parents, you are your child's first and most influential teachers. Here are some practical ways you can cultivate a love for reading and support vocabulary growth at home:

• Make Reading a Daily Ritual: Even 15-20 minutes of shared or independent reading daily can make a significant difference. Establish a cozy reading nook and a consistent time for reading.

• Be a Reading Role Model: Let your children see you reading! Discuss the books or articles you are enjoying. This demonstrates the value and pleasure of reading.

• Read Aloud Together: Continue reading aloud to your children, even after they become independent readers. This allows them to engage with more complex texts and exposes them to sophisticated vocabulary in a supportive environment.

• Discuss New Words: Don't shy away from unfamiliar words when reading together. Encourage your child to ask questions, and together you can explore the meaning through context clues, picture clues, or a quick look in a dictionary.

• Provide a Variety of Reading Materials: Offer a wide selection of books, audiobooks, magazines, and even comics that cater to your child's interests. 

• Connect Reading to Real Life: Talk about how the words and concepts encountered in books relate to your child's own experiences and the world around them.

• Play Word Games: Engage in fun word games like Scrabble, Boggle, Connections, Wordle, or even simple rhyming games to make vocabulary learning interactive and enjoyable.

At ACS, we are committed to fostering a love of reading in our students through engaging classroom activities and a well-resourced library. We believe that by working together – school and home – we can empower our students to become lifelong learners with strong vocabularies, enabling them to embrace challenges, value perspectives, and become resilient global advocates, just as our mission statement guides us.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.

Yours,

Michelle Alzamora