Dear Parents,

I would like to invite you and your child to participate in a Listening and Speaking
Challenge for the month of March. As you can imagine there are many standards we are
required to teach your child.
One of the English/Language Arts standards is EL.1.7 2006-Listening and Speaking:
Skills, Strategies, and Applications. Under this Indiana standard Students listen critically and
respond appropriately to oral communication. They speak in a manner that guides the listener to
understand important ideas by using proper phrasing, pitch, and modulation (raising and
lowering voice). Students deliver brief oral presentations about familiar experiences or interests
that are organized around a coherent thesis statement (a statement of topic). Students use the
same Standard English conventions for oral speech that they use in their writing
(https://learningconnection.doe.in.gov).
The standards indicators give more precise explanations, but for now, I would simply
like to stress the idea of talking to your child about his/her school day. My challenge for you this
month is to talk to your child for just five minutes each day about what he/she did and learned at
school. Carrying on this type of conversation is beneficial to both you and your child. Your
childs retention rate will increase by using the review process. Parent involvement is crucial for
a students success, and this will help accomplish it.
On the attached paper you will find the challenges setup. Each of the five school days
has a signature line for you and your child. Every time you and your child engage in a fiveminute school day related conversation, please sign on the line for that day. Conversations can
take place in the car, around the dinner table, or wherever. The goal is to find out about what
your child learned in school for the day, what homework was assigned, what activities he/she did
during his/her special, what he/she did at recess, any special announcements that were made, etc.
Remember, having a dialog with your child is important as well. Go ahead and ask questions.
Each completed five-minute school conversation is worth half a point, the goal being to
fill up the calendar with signatures. Any effort put towards this challenge would be appreciated.
Students completing at least 15 days will receive not only the bonus points, but a certificate as
well.
I strongly encourage you and your child to participate in this challenge, not just for the
month of March, but until his/her graduation. Taking just five minutes a day to discuss your
childs school day can make a big impact.
Thank you for your consideration,
Miss Claire DuVall
1st Grade
ABC Elementary School

March: Listening and Speaking Challenge

Friday, March 1: Parent Signature: _________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Monday, March 4: Parent Signature: ________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Tuesday, March 5: Parent Signature: ________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Wednesday, March 6: Parent Signature: _____________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Thursday, March 7: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Friday, March 8: Parent Signature: _________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Monday, March 11: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Tuesday, March 12: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Wednesday, March 13: Parent Signature:_____________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Thursday, March 14: Parent Signature: ______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Friday, March 15: Parent Signature: ________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Monday, March 18: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Tuesday, March 19: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Wednesday, March 20: Parent Signature: ____________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Thursday, March 21: Parent Signature: ______________________________________________

Student Signature: _______________________________________________

Friday, March 22: Parent Signature: ________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Monday, March 25: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Tuesday, March 26: Parent Signature: _______________________________________________

Student Signature: _______________________________________________

Wednesday, March 27: Parent Signature: ____________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Thursday, March 28: Parent Signature: ______________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Friday, March 29: Parent Signature: ________________________________________________

Student Signature: ________________________________________________

Questions, Comments, and/or Concerns: _____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________