Try This Once While They're Home
District 6 students are home on Monday, November 2. Here is one kind way to listen: hand them something they want, say the word, and wait. Once is plenty.
If your child is home today, you have a nice chance to hear them. District 6 students are out on Monday, November 2. Staff are in the buildings, and school is back tomorrow.
You do not need a plan. Here is the whole thing.
Try this once
Wait until they want something. A cup, a jacket, the cereal box. Hold it for a second. Say the word the way you would on any other morning. Then wait.
If they say it, smile and hand it over. If they point, hand it over anyway. You just heard how they talk when no one is watching. That is the activity.
Then let the rest of the day be a day off. Once is plenty. A morning full of drills will feel like school, and today is not school.
What you are listening for
You are listening for the word in that handoff. If they chatter through breakfast, enjoy it. If they are quiet, let them be quiet. You are not grading the morning.
If a READ plan has already been going for a few weeks, this Monday will not tell you whether it is working. You can notice one gentle thing: when you read a page out loud, can they tell you what happened? There is a longer version of that in the READ plan started, now what. The letter itself is explained in what a READ plan letter means.
Should I practice with them all day?
Once is plenty. Hand them the cup or the cereal box, say the word, wait, and then go back to the day.
They talked at home and stay quiet at school. Does today explain that?
Today gives you one example of how they sound with you. If that difference has been going on for a while, we can help you sort it out. One staff day does not answer it.
They were quiet the whole morning. Should I worry?
A day with nothing on the schedule makes some children quiet. That is allowed. Reach out if quiet at home has been the pattern, not because of this one Monday.
Do I need to book something today?
Only if you already wanted to. A staff day is a good day to notice. It is not a deadline. No referral is required to apply, and a reading visit can be on video if getting to Greeley is the hard part.
What if my child is not in District 6?
This staff day is District 6. If your child has school today, try the same handoff tonight or on your own day off. One unhurried moment is the idea.
If you want to tell us what you heard
You are welcome to. The clinic is at 4645 18th St, Ste #200, in west Greeley. Park in the free lot on the right side of the building. We see children, teens, and young adults, birth through 21. Call or text (720) 798-6930. If the question is the words on the page, request a reading consultation. For speech and language, apply to become a patient and tell us what the kitchen sounded like.
Reading visits can be on video from anywhere in Colorado. The Colorado reading page has the details. The school plan stays in place either way.
This article is educational and does not replace an individualized evaluation or medical advice.