How can I help my child with reading?
§ Before your child reads a book, he/she should: do a picture walk, make connections with the pictures (What does this story remind him/her of? What is happening in the pictures?), and make predictions about what the story will be about. This sets a purpose for reading ~ to confirm or revise predictions.
§ Try echo reading. The parent reads a page or paragraph aloud, and the child immediately reads it back.
§ Try choral reading. The parent and child reads text aloud at the same time.
§ Try shared reading. The parent and child each takes a turn reading a page or paragraph aloud.
§ Have your child get into the practice of stating who/what each page or paragraph is about after it is read. Comprehension is even more important than decoding (or reading) the words.
§ Visit my Sight Words page. Be sure your child is learning to recognize these words/phrases automatically.
§ Visit my 44 Phonemes page. Be sure your child is aware of the various sounds and spelling rules.
§ Visit my Rimes ~ Not Rhymes page. Have your child practice these chunks in words for instant word recognition.
§ Have your child follow along to books on tape or CD.
§ If your child is stuck on a word, he/she should figure out the word on his/her own. Say the beginning letter sound, look for chunks he/she may know, sound it out, skip it, read on, go back, ask what would look right, sound right, make sense?
§ KEEP READING. Children learn to read by reading.