Tyrone Said:

Should there be a comprehension test about bills before voting on them?

We Answered:

I would say 20% of the Congress would fail not because of ignorance on the issue but their basic intelligence is too low to understand some of the very complex bills

I would say every bill for 5 years would not pass cause a quorum could not be obtained because of failing of the tests

Its a great idea

But its like the tooth fairy and term limits for Congress - a fantasy

Julian Said:

Does anyone know where I can download FREE file folder games/center activities for a 1st grade classroom?

We Answered:

www.abcteach.com and enchantedlearning.com are both excellent sites with file folder games.
~An elementary teacher

Francis Said:

Help with first grade reading?

We Answered:

I am a teacher with a degree in Early Childhood Education. (I'm using my husband's e-mail) All reading becomes memorization eventually. You and I read by memorization. As we learn to read, we sound out words less and memorize them more. Your daughter has been reading for a while now and if she hasn't started to memorize those words naturally, my advice would be to help her out. For my son, who is 5 and reads very well, I never used any flash cards. Repetition is important though. When introducing a new book, have her read the same book every night for a week or more if she needs it. That will help her to memorize those words without using flash cards or anything like that. Make sure that she follows along with her finger under the word to be sure that she is reading the word and not just memorizing the story. If she seems to have trouble with a certain word (or a few) go back to those words at the end of the page and then again at the end of the book to have her read them again out of context. My son just started Kindergarten this year. He is expected to start reading at the end of the year. What is expected is only a guideline so that no children fall behind. The comprehension will be a big help as she gets older. All children learn at different paces. They can have stronger skills in some areas while others need extra help. My son is a great reader with a large vocabulary, but he has problems pronouncing his "r" sounds so he is taking Speech classes. In time, he will get over his problem as your daughter will overcome hers. When they get older it wont matter that they took a Speech class in Kindergarten or were in the "remedial" reading group in 1st grade. I hope this helped.

Also, for you reference, teacher have a specific way or finding a child's reading level. It is based on the number of errors made while reading. Some children make errors because they try to read too quickly and don't fully look at the word before they say it. Another reason why it is good to have her follow along with her finger under the word!

Hazel Said:

Do you think this is appropriate for 1st graders well before the age of reasonn and comprehension?

We Answered:

NOT APPROPRIATE! California is not a place I'd want my child to be going to school!!!!!