Summer Reading Comprehension and Writing Groups
1.Summer Reading Groups
The purpose of the two week-long summer reading groups is to increase students’ awareness of the necessary steps in order to read for meaning, and to increase their repertoire of strategies for understanding what they read. Through explicit teaching of strategies, use of visual organizers, modelling of strategy use, and supported practice while reading texts, students will have an opportunity to learn and use various strategies for understanding text. Specific topics that will be covered include:
- The three stages of the reading comprehension process
- Specific strategies for each stage of the reading comprehension process
- Using text structure to foster understanding
- Key words that foster understanding
- Text connections: text-to-self, text-to-media, text-to-world (narrative texts only)
Different kinds of text, chosen to reflect what students have to read in school, will be used. More specifically, narrative texts in the form of short stories will be used for teaching and practicing targeted strategies in the first reading comprehension group. In the second reading comprehension group, expository texts in the form of content material (e.g., science, history, geography) will be used. As strategies are taught throughout the week, resources and completed work will be sent home daily with students so parents can review the material with their child. As well, a summary of the lesson, Q&A, and any work to be completed at home is available to parents during the last 15 minutes of each session. (… MORE)
2. Summer Writing Group
The purpose of this week-long summer writing group is to increase students’ awareness of the necessary steps in order to produce written text, and to increase their repertoire of strategies for doing so. Through explicit teaching of strategies, graphic organizers, modelling, and supported practice, students will have an opportunity to learn and use various strategies for writing a text. Specific topics that will be covered include:
- The four main strategies for the writing process
- Specific strategies for brainstorming, making an outline, and revising and editing
- Writing an expository text in which there is a main idea supported by details with an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence
- Elaborating on ideas
The focus of the writing group will be on expository writing, particularly essay-style text. The skills and strategies taught will be applicable to a variety of writing assignments and expectations for students in grades 5 and up, including a persuasive essay, a paragraph-length response to a test/exam/comprehension question, and a response to literature (literary essay or personal essay). The strategies can be applied to French writing tasks, as well. (…MORE)
NEW! Unlocking Study Strategies and Test Taking Skills
The Study Strategies and Test Taking Skills group is aimed at students entering Grades 9, 10 and 11 to provide them with evidenced-based strategies to employ while studying for and writing exams. The group will run from July 8th to 26th, 2024 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (total of 9 sessions) from 2-5 pm.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, strategies will be introduced and practiced, in a group setting, using subject content (e.g., history, science), which will be finalized once group registration is complete (i.e., the subject content will depend on the needs of the students registered in the group). Students will be sent home with a home program (~30 minutes) to complete on Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to further practice these new strategies. On Fridays, students will participate in a “mock” test in order to apply their new skills. Following the “mock” test, an in-depth analysis of the test will occur to breakdown what worked and what can be improved on. Students will be introduced to strategies such as…
- before-, during-, and after-reading strategies for expository texts,
- activiating prior knowledge before reading a textbook chapter,
- note-taking for an expository text using various graphic organizers,
- how to paraphrase when note-taking,
- understanding and responding to various comprehension questions,
- predicting test questions when studying,
- as well as test-taking anxiety management strategies.
A parent/guardian information session will occur during the week of July 8-12 to introduce parents/guardians to the strategies and what to expect from the group, as well as to provide an opportunity to answer any questions. A second information session will occur during the week of July 29-August 2, following the completion of the group in order to provide parents/guardians with continued strategies to support the students at home when studying for exams in the upcoming academic year.
The location of the group will be confirmed shortly, but it will be in close proximity to the Montreal Fluency Centre (~15 minute drive) or at the Montreal Fluency Centre.
Get Ready for Kindergarten or Grade 1
- Expressive language (i.e., language use): vocabulary expansion, sentence structure and grammar, narrative skills
- Receptive language (i.e., understanding language): basic concepts, following directions, sequencing, WH-questions (e.g., who, what, where, when, why) comprehension
- Social language skills: turn-taking, sharing, repairing communication breakdown, asking for and giving relevant information, topic maintenance
- Early literacy skills: phonological awareness, print awareness, rhyming and letter-sound practice
For more information, click the Register button
Summer BLITZ
For who?
BLITZ welcomes students in grade 1 to 4 schooled in immersion, in a bilingual curriculum or in a 2nd language who would like to improve their reading and writing skills in French and/or in English. A diagnostic of learning disability is not required.
What could the students work on?
- Grapheme-phoneme correspondence
- Reading fluency (speed and accuracy)
- Tools and strategies for spelling
- Grammatical rules
- Vocabulary in 2nd language
- Strategies for reading and writing in a 2nd language
- Preparation to use assistive technology
How does it work?
A screening is required to assess the student’s skills and needs. With this information, an individualized learning plan will be created specifically for the student. Our clinical team composed of educational therapists and learning coaches will prepare educational or remedial activities to reach eachstudent’s goals. The literacy activities take place in the morning. Each student is paired with their own literacy mentor that will assist them in the learning activities. The afternoon is dedicated to recreational activities providing a supportive environment. This safe space will allow them to explore and practice other skills to become more independent learners (e.g., communication, problem-solving, teamwork).
How is BLITZ different from other literacy programs?
- Individualized interventions
- Student-centered approach
- 1:1 adult to child ratio in the morning
- Daily review and adjustments based on the student’s progress
- Research-based interventions
- Gamification of the learning activities to make challenging tasks more appealing
- Focus on learning strategies and tools to become a more effective and independent learner
- Focus on essential literacy knowledge and skills for stronger foundations
- Resource binder kept after the program ends
- Flexibility and respect for different learning need
For more information click the Register button below.