As you have heard so often, reading on a daily basis with your child will give him a better chance of success in all academic areas. Many parents, however, have questions regarding their role when reading with their children, such as, "Should I have my child 'sound out' words he doesn't know?". Below are some helpful tips from the National Education Association, as well as some useful web sites for parents.
Ways to Help Preschoolers
- Playing with alphabet blocks and singing "The Alphabet Song" are happy ways for your child to become acquainted with letters.
- Make books a joyous and important part of your child's life. Read to him every day. Let him talk about the story. Ask questions about the pictures. Ask him to point out pictured objects that are alike and different in shape and color. This activity helps children to observe the differences in the shapes of letters and words, when learning to read.
- Avoid baby talk. Speak to your child in grownup language now so she will recognize words she sees and hears in the classroom.
- Provide a variety of experiences. Take your child to the zoo, the park, the airport. Teach your child the names of the animals, flowers, etc. In order to understand the words encountered in reading, your child should have first-hand experience with the objects they stand for.
- From time to time, give your child simple, consecutive instructions. For example, "Pick up the ball, then bouce it, then put it on the table." Make a game out of it. Such activities will help your child develop memory skills and follow directions accurately, both of which are essential in school.
Ways to Help in Grades 1, 2, and 3
- Have your child's eyes checked just prior to entrance into first grade and periodically after that. Have his ears checked, too. Defects in hearing, as well as in vision, may hold back any reading progress, particularly during the early stages of reading when new words are often introduced orally.
- If he wants to read aloud from his school book, listen attentively. Use the Pause, Prompt, Praise(McNaughton) method if you child comes to an unfamiliar word.
Follow these steps:
Pause - If your child comes to a tricky word, stop and give your child a
chance to solve it - about five seconds.
Prompt -If your child does not continue, ask, "What can you do?" Hints:
- Look at picture
- Check the first letter
- Think about the story
- Go back to the beginning of the sentence and try again. Think about what would make sense.
- If your child reads a word incorrectly, you can ask:
-"Does that look right?"
-"Does that sound right?"
-"Does that make sense?"
Praise - Praise your child when s/he reads well and when s/he corrects
her/himself.
The Pause, Prompt, Praise method helps to foster independent reading.
- Give children extra opportunities to read. Let then read directions for that new game or for putting model airplanes together. Ask them to "help you" by reading the cookie recipe or traffic signs.
- Introduce the pleasures of the library. Let him browse. Get a library card for her. Let her choose books that she wants, rather than books you feel she should read. Buy books for your children, too, as the basis for a home library of their own.
- Let your child see you reading frequently, sharing choice passages with others, and referring to books for answers.
Ways to Help Students in Grades 4, 5, and 6
- Encourage your child to look up subjects that puzzle or interest him using the Interent or encyclopedia. In school, many projects include library research.
- If your child is not enthusiastic about reading, choose books on subjects sure to interest him or her : books on sports, books of riddles or magic tricks, books on hobbies. Be sure they are not too difficult for your child to read. (Click here to learn about reading levels)
- If she's a television rather than a reading fan, see which programs she prefers and provide suitable books on the same subjects. If science fiction is her favorite, for example, she'll probably enjoy some of the fine children's books now available in this genre.
- If a young person is an avid comic book reader (ages 9, 10, 11 are likely to be), don't make a big issue out of it. Make sure your child is also provided with other, more worthwhile, easy to read formats. Most children outgrow the comic book phase, if other literature is available in their home.
If Your Child Is Having Trouble with Reading:
- Don't become irritated or annoyed with her. Her difficulties probably stem from factors she cannot control. Your anxieties will make her resentful and can discourage her from doing better.
- Don't compare his reading with other, more successful young readers in the family or neighborhood. Such comparisons can make a youngster feel inept and inferior, and may keep him from reading at all.
- Don't air your child's reading difficulties in front of families or visitors. In fact, the less you discuss them, except in private, the better.
Useful Sites for Parents
Learning to Read
I'm trying hard to learn to read
But what's a kid to do
When there's a NO and a GO and a
SO and a HO
And then there's a word like TO
Reading BONE and CONE and LONE
and TONE
Can almost be kind of fun,
But I get upset when I have to believe
That D-O-N-E spells DONE!
It's plain to see that kids like me
Can use a helping hand.
Sometimes I try but get confused
And it's hard to understand.
I'm trying hard to learn to read.
And that's just what I'll do.
But for now if you'll just work with me
Someday I will read to you.
