What else can I do over the holidays with my very able reader?

[Runoutofideas]

Hi
DD1 is 7 years old. She has always been a very able reader for her age. She loves to do comprehension exercises for fun - I suppose in the same way that people enjoy sudoku or crosswords.....

She achieved a level 3 in her sats. I recently bought her some workbooks with comprehension exercises designed for the end of KS2 not KS1 and she still got all the answers correct on the level 4 exercises, completely independently.

She clearly has a skill with reading and interpreting the written word, but is there anything else I can do with her to encourage this, other than just keep encouraging her reading and giving her these workbooks whenever she asks for them? I am honestly not trying to be pushy, just trying to feed her interest. Thanks

Have you got an iPod, lots of free classics.

DD1 down loads the trial chapters of paid books and then orders the ones she likes from the library.

(both DDs are very mean with their iTune points, DD1 visits the library and DD2 uses Vevo or Utube never actually buys a tune.)

I agree with poetry: learning a short poem by heart, with expression and good control i.e not just internalised reading. voiceis suppo, and some verbal reasoning booklets, my daughter loves these

Learning a short poem by heart to say out loud (with expression, appropriate pauses, voice control etc) ?

Some verbal reasoning worksheets?

Ooh yes verbal reasoning, good idea, I still remember how much I enjoyed those.

Hi Runoutofideas:

Aside from the local library Summer reading challenges, I'd suggest the following:

If you haven't come across it yet - The BBC has a new website (still BETA version) called BBC Learning www.bbc.co.uk/learning/ - from this opening page, on the right click Teachers box (olive green) and then you'll see an orange outlined box midway down on left with EYFS, KS1 and KS2 tabs - from what you've said it sounds like your DD is ready for KS2 work (ages 7 - 9) so click the KS2 tab. You can then select support materials by curriculum topic.

KS2 Literacy worksheets here: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/keystage_2/topics/literacy.shtml. There are a lot of Tracy Beaker literacy support packs. If your DD likes this show, she may respond well to these writing exercises.

You'll notice that on KS2 literacy - there are also activities tab and games tab - so there is a lot more than worksheets.

Oxford Owl www.oxfordowl.co.uk/ - also has e-books, games and all sorts of ideas to support reading (your DD would probably fall into 'older reader' (ages 7 - 11) category from what you've said).

Other writing ideas during the summer include:

entering competitions (a lot of book series - i.e. Rainbow Magic Fairy series - and magazines have competitons. Also the range of comopetitions with children's tv - all of these can be entered by writing in).

Write to favourite author telling them how much you enjoyed the story, maybe also sending in a drawing.

National Trust/ English Heritage have a lot of 'trails' and 'quizzes' at their sites over the summer.

Postcards - great to send to friends or teachers. Just ensure that it is more than one sentence greeting.

Have your DD keep a journal or log book and record her summer's observations. [we find this works best if DDs chose the notebook and a special pen or pencil for the job]. You can record all sorts of things: How much rain fell between August 1st - September 1st. Record daily temperatures, wild life (count butterflies and identify them - find out more about what plants they need for nectar and what plants they lay their eggs on). Study hover flies or dragon/ damson flies. Study pools (fresh or salt water). Record flowers and find out what they were used for. All this kind of thing is great on building science skills, but also gets lots of writing done and builds vocabulary. Record when you first notice ripe blackberries. Record how long it takes a plant (or several different plants) to go from flower to seed head.

All great practice.

HTH and have a great summer