Nebraska Department of Education unveils parent-friendly reading standards, new instructional tool for teachers, parents.
Nebraska parents and teachers now can find grade-by-grade resources for use in the home or classroom to help children in reading and mathematics.
Student-Friendly Standards
Student-Friendly Standards have been developed to help students better understand what their teachers expect and why they are expected to do certain activities, said Tricia Parker, state language arts consultant. In addition to students, parents also will find the grade-by-grade standards helpful, Parker said. The Student-Friendly Standards will help parents better understand the learning targets set for their children and find it easier to talk to teachers about their child’s progress.
Student-Friendly Standards are available in several formats as well as brochures that may be printed from the Nebraska Department of Education’s homepage at: http://www.education.ne.gov/read/StudentFriendlyStandards/StudentFriendlyStandardsMain.html
The standards are based on the work of national and state education researchers and were developed with the help of Nebraska language arts educators from different grade levels. Parker emphasized that the standards reflect end-of-year learning expectations at appropriate grade levels.
Standards Instructional Tool
Teachers and parents can search a new web tool by subject and grade to learn what schools expect students to know and be able to do and for activities and resources to help students meet reading and mathematics expectations. The interactive web site, known as the Standards Instructional Tool, is available at: http://www.education.ne.gov/AcademicStandards/SIT.
“We designed the Standards Instructional Tool with Nebraska classroom teachers in mind,” said Donlynn Rice, Nebraska Department of Education curriculum and instruction administrator. “Nebraska parents also will find the resources, activities and exercises helpful when they work at home with their children.”
Reading and mathematics exercises, activities, web links and videos on the site will help teachers and parents understand the state’s learning goals, Rice said. Over time, additional resources will be added. Reading activities focus on comprehension and vocabulary. The Standards Instructional Tool was developed by Nebraska Department of Education staff working with Nebraska teachers.
