Tips for Reading with Your Child

How do I make reading FUN?

Reading with and to your child can be such a great bonding experience. Spending quality time with you is an important part of what makes it fun. Designate a special time of day and cozy spot for reading to help make it a natural part of the family routine. Make time for trips to the library to help keep your selections fresh and interesting. Provide lots of options for reading materials; the element of choice can be highly motivating!

A few rules to live by when your child is reading to you…

Always stress the importance of reading accuracy and comprehension over reading speed!
It’s perfectly fine to tell your child a word! Don't stress about this too much. However, if they are having trouble reading the text and you find you need to do this frequently (more than five words per page), it’s probably not a “good fit” book for independent reading - yet.
If you notice your child skipping words or lines, encourage him or her to track under the text with a fingertip or use an index card/blank piece of paper as a tracking tool.
If your child is getting frustrated, offer to partner read.
Reading more leads to reading better. There are no shortcuts when it comes to this. When you are firm and consistent about requiring reading practice, you are helping them to improve their skills. Also, feel free to blame me! :) "Mrs. Cahill said you have to read 20 minutes a night."

What should I do or say when my child can’t read a word (or reads it incorrectly)?

Simply point to the word (make that your nonverbal cue to try the word again). No one wants to be a nag, but reading accuracy is really important!
Say: “Can you sound it out/tap out the sounds?”
If they can’t sound it out, sound it out for them and let them blend the sounds together.
Say: “You said-----. Does that make sense? What word would make sense that starts with those sounds?”

Guiding Questions to Support Comprehension

Supporting reading comprehension can be as easy and natural as a conversation. Here are a few suggestions.

Predict: make predictions together. I think----- is going to happen. What do you think will happen next?

Clarify: Stop to discuss tough vocabulary.

Summarize: Talk about the gist of the book or chapter.

Question the Text: Ask questions that don’t necessarily need to be answered, but spur deeper thinking and conversation. Here are some sample starter statements and questions:

I wonder...

Why do you think...

What if...

How would you feel if...

What is something that surprised you about...

My favorite part was...what was yours?

Report abuse