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Welcome to Ms.Mello's 5-8 Reading Site
deborah_mello@mvyps.org
Student Selection: Students are selected for targeted reading instruction based on standardized testing results such as MCAS and the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test as well as teacher observations and recommendations. 
Testing: The Gates MacGinitie Reading Test is given in early September every year. Scores are tracked for each student year to year to measure student growth over time. This helps insure that all students are progressing and helps to indicate which students are in need of additional reading supports.
Parent Tips:
- Share the love of reading with your child by reading aloud with him or her. We are never too old to enjoy sharing a book.
- Try to be a reading example. Children will think reading is worthwhile if they see family members reading every day.
- Plan to set aside a time dedicated to reading with the TV off and the house quiet. One half hour every day can produce dramatic results!
- Crossword puzzles are a highly effective way to build a large vocabulary. They encourage flexible thinking, and help students recognize and use accurate spelling.
- Scrabble is an engaging activity which will help to reinforce spelling skills.
- Magazine subscriptions make wonderful gifts. Children love to receive these in the mail and they can give your student extra information on their favorite outside interests.
- Subscribe to a daily newspaper and share articles and news with your student. This can help enliven dinner discussions and help your student consider issues beyond our island borders.
- Try learning one new word from the dictionary or thesaurus every evening at super time and try to incorporate it into regular conversations. This is a fabulous way to increase and stretch word usage. Families that have put this into regular practice report back that it is fun and beneficial for the entire family.
- Make sure your student has his or her own town library card and plan regular visits. You will find that the library is an amazing resource and a wonderful way to reinforce the message that reading is rewarding.
Summer Reading: Summer reading is very important for our students. It is an opportunity for students to follow their own interests by self selecting titles while helping to expand their thinking and maintain important reading skills over the summer break. Students who read a lot over the summer are able to return to school with strong skills, ready to begin and move ahead during the new school year.
Although your student may not voluntarily read during these months, parental encouragement can make this happen. It is strongly recommended that you expect that your student will read every day for a minimum of one half hour.
These web pages are sure to provide support in the areas of vocabulary growth and comprehension skills:
eduplace.com
timeforkids.com
bookadventure.org
A Suggested Favorite Authors: Spinelli, Gordon Korman, Avi, DeFelice, Paulsen, Peck, Fleschman, Amato, Gantos, Lemony Snicket, DiCamillo, Haddix, Funke, Lasky, Sharon Draper, Catherine Rhees, Anthony Horwitz, Robert Horwitz.... and so many more. Talk with the LA teachers, the librarian, or Mrs. Mello for more ideas.
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