Grade 2 English

By Alexis Burling
October 9, 2009

Young readers and writers complete chapter books and write stories, poems, and songs about their lives

Most children enter second grade with a grasp of the fundamentals of reading. Throughout the school year, teachers will work to strengthen these skills so students will be able to read proficiently and with comprehension by the time they enter third grade. Teachers will read longer books out loud to the class, and students will read more on their own, in the classroom and for homework. Second-grade teachers often have students read folktales, myths, and poetry at the beginning of the year and basic chapter-books toward the end. Many teachers will set aside a daily time for students to read quietly and independently at their desks. Second-graders will also practice summarizing a book’s main idea and plot, and identifying its main characters and settings. They will be expected to know the difference between fact and fiction and they will be asked to relate personal experiences to episodes in the books they read, to help them comprehend major themes or morals. When you were in second grade, you may have had separate lessons in spelling, handwriting, and punctuation before you ever had classroom writing assignments. Your grandchildren will most likely learn these mechanics as they write. By the end of the year, they will have developed reliable strategies to “decode” unfamiliar words and deduce their meaning from context, and they will master the spelling of frequently occurring words. At the same time, they will be creating a portfolio of self-written short stories, poems, and silly songs.

Who’s Really Gifted? In some states, schools begin testing children for entry into “gifted and talented” programs in second grade. (Some districts begin as early as pre-kindergarten.) Switching to gifted programs can be helpful for kids who are clearly advanced and possibly bored with the standard curriculum. However, the move can also put unwelcome pressure on children who may be near the cutoff for gifted programs but are still trying to juggle everything they are learning. Competition between kids (and, of course, parents) can be fierce. But it’s crucial that all children are recognized for their own strengths, not pushed into a program that may not be the best fit simply because it’s “the thing to do.”

• Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales (W. W. Norton, 2007), compiled by the Nobel Peace Prize winner, is a gorgeous collection of fables and legends from across the African continent, written and illustrated by a diverse group of authors and artists. This impressive volume will inspire grandchildren to dream about lands far beyond their own.

• Remember the Bobbsey Twins and Dick and Jane? They’re still around, and you can share these classics with your grandchildren. The series have been repackaged for modern readers and collected in various editions, including The Bobbsey Twins Complete Series Set (Grosset & Dunlap, 2007) and The World of Dick and Jane and Friends (Grosset & Dunlap, 2004).

• The hilarious, award-winning PBS series Between the Lions has been praised for its ability to connect with kids and get them excited about reading. The show’s website offers games, downloadable stories, video clips, and reading resources for parents and grandparents.

Catch a Literary Star. These days, children’s book authors don’t just write. They travel by plane, train, and even Winnebago, to give readings, answer questions, and sign books for adoring fans at libraries, schools, and bookstores nationwide. Check the websites of your grandchildren’s favorite authors to find out when they may be coming to an area near you, and plan a trip with the kids to meet them.

What’s Going on Here? Second-graders are learning how to use the captions that accompany photos in nonfiction articles and books to find out what’s going on in an image and how it relates to the main idea. Crack open an old photo album with your grandchildren, and ask them to come up with captions to describe what’s happening in each picture. It’s a way to introduce some family history while kids practice their writing skills. Or work with your grandchildren to create a new photo album, with photos of times you’ve spent together, complete with captions provided by the kids.

Dear Journal. A child’s early elementary-school years can be frenetic, with new experiences around every corner. Children can get a handle on their experiences by writing their thoughts in a journal. Many second-graders keep journals in their classrooms, but you can treat your grandchildren to a special one that you keep under lock and key for them to write in whenever they visit.

Editor’s Note:Alexis Burling is a freelance book reviewer and writer in Brooklyn, N.Y. She also edits and writes for Storyworks, a classroom language-arts magazine published by Scholastic.

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Source: Grandparants