~ Zachary Warmke
Curriculum Coordinator
Welcome back to all students and families! We hope you had a great summer. All teachers and school staff are excited to be back in the classroom. We have a whole year of great lessons and activities planned. In this article, we will share some ways for students to succeed while reading for Hooked on Books.
Choosing the Best Books for You
Our library is full of hundreds of books of different genres, text types, and reading levels. Hooked on Books is the best time for students to read for enjoyment while also developing their reading skills. What’s the best way for students to find a book that they will enjoy and will provide the right challenge? One easy way is to check the Lexile level.
Lexile Level and Reading Range
Every English book in our library (and on myON) has a Lexile reading level. This is a number that tells you how hard the book is to understand. The number usually has the letter “L” at the end. For example, the popular book Hooray for Fly Guy! by Tedd Arnold is level 380L.
Once students know their reading range, they can more easily search for a good book. The perfect place to start is the bookshelves in the center of the library. They are arranged by Lexile level. Students can simply go to the shelf that matches their reading range, then pick any book that looks interesting. We encourage students to try reading various genres to expand their interests, but they can earn AR points for any book inside their reading range. They could challenge themselves to read all the books on their shelf!
Reading should be a combination of learning and fun. That’s why the most important part of choosing a “just right” book is to pick one that seems interesting. When students read subjects the they like, they are more excited and understand more. We want students to feel happy when they visit the library or log on to myON to check out the huge selection of available books.
Rewards for Hooked on Books
Some students have continued reading English books throughout the summer. Many students also read during recess and at home. This year, we have two new ways to reward students who read more and earn more points.
-Millionaire Club
When students log in to Renaissance, they can see the number of English words they’ve read. Our new “Millionaire Club” celebrates students who have read 1,000,000 words over their years at Kang Chiao.
“Millionaires” will have their photo displayed on the Wall of Fame in school and will receive special prizes to celebrate their achievements. The Millionaire Club will also reward students who achieve milestones such as 10,000 and 100,000 words read. Every month, we will have an award ceremony for every student who achieves a new reading goal.
Although students only need to earn a few AR points per grading period, many students actually earn dozens or hundreds of AR points. We love to celebrate when students set high goals for themselves. We hope these updates motivate our students to reach for higher goals, read more to broaden their interests, and celebrate their friends’ achievements. We look forward to a year full of great achievement!
From the Editor
Fostering a Love of Reading
國際處主任 賴國宜
As we celebrate the fourth anniversary of our "Hooked on Books" program, I am pleased to share with you the remarkable progress we've witnessed. The data collected over the years highlights substantial growth in both the quantity and quality of our students' reading. Our goal has always been to foster a love for reading through "leveled readers" and "self-directed choice." By providing books that match each student's ability and interests, we've seen them grow in both confidence and enjoyment of reading. Looking ahead to the new school year, we are excited to launch the "Millionaire Club," which will reward students who reach significant reading milestones. In addition to encouraging reading within the school, we invite parents to join us in fostering a reading culture at home by reading with your children, and sharing the joy of reading together.
「深耕悅讀」課程 (Hooked on Books) 已經實施四周年，從後台累積的數據來看，我們在閱讀的「量」和「質」上都取得了顯著的成果。當年規畫此課程的初衷，就是希望透過「分級讀本」和「自主選擇」，讓孩子們在快樂中學習，並愛上閱讀。不同年齡的孩子不僅閱讀能力有差異、學習興趣也不盡相同。「分級讀本」為他們提供了適合的書籍，不會因為太簡單而覺得無聊，也不會因為太難而挫折；「自主選擇」則讓孩子能夠挑選自己喜歡的閱讀題材，只要符合他們的閱讀級別，都是好選擇，這樣一來，孩子們在享受閱讀的過程中，不僅能吸收新知識，還能增強閱讀信心和養成良好閱讀習慣。新學年我們將推出「百萬俱樂部」計畫 (Millionaire Club)，嘉獎閱讀數字量達特定目標的孩子，除了在學校閱讀，也歡迎家長在家裡陪孩子們一起選書、讀書，鼓勵他們分享閱讀獲得的資訊，體會閱讀的樂趣和價值、從而愛上閱讀，成為閱讀的百萬富翁。
隨著新學年的開始，又有一批可愛的小一新生加入青山大家庭，本期特別邀請一年級外師Ms.Chen分享上學期一年級的專題Animal Drama Project，讓家長們更深入了解我們的主題探究式課程實施方式。
新學期、新氣象，祝福所有的康橋學子們天天快樂學習，不斷成長進步！