Working out DIFFICULT words

When your child begins to read to you, they will often have difficulty with long or tricky words. It is important to give your child time to work out difficult words themselves. This helps develop their reading skills. You might, however, help them if they are stuck by asking questions like these:

· Look at the picture. What word makes sense?

· Look at the picture. What object can you see in the picture that might start with that letter?

· What letter (or letters) does the word start with? What sound does that letter (or letters) make?

· What letters are in the middle of the word? What sound do these letters make?

· What letter (or letters) does the word end with? What sound does that letter (or letters) make?

· Can you put those sounds together to make a word?

Another good strategy is to ask your child how they worked out the word. This helps reinforce reading strategies they learn from you and from school.