How to read with a beginning reader
- Complete a picture walk BEFORE reading.
- Predict what may happen in the book
- Model and encourage your child to track print.
- Read a word or sentence and have your child repeat it.
- Take turns reading each page.
- Talk about the story as you read. "What do you think will happen next?" "What does this story remind you of?"
- Read the story again! Repeated readings build fluency and confidence!
Tracking Print
Tracking print is an an important tool a beginning reader must learn. Tracking print is when you point to each word as you read it aloud. While reading with your child, encourage them to track print as you read aloud or as you're reading together. Tracking print helps your child learn new words by seeing them and hearing you read them aloud. Tracking print also lets you know if your child is paying attention while listening to a read aloud. Children can track print with their finger, a pencil or a cool pointer! Modeling how to track print as you read aloud is important too!
Asking the Right Questions
When reading with your child, check for understanding by asking questions. Don't just ask questions at the end, it's important to check for understanding before, during, and after reading. Here are some questions to ask!
Before-these are great questions to ask while previewing, or taking a picture walk through the story.
- What do you think will happen in this story?
- What might be the problem?
- Where may be the setting of the story?
- What do you know about this topic?
- What does this story make you think of?
- What are you wondering?
- What does the title tell you?
During-stop every few pages, or during a natural break in the story to ask one or more of these questions.
- What do you think will happen next?
- What can you tell me about the story so far?
- How do you feel about the story so far?
- What questions do you have?
- Whay do you think the character did that?
- What would you have done?
After-these questions are good starting points to review the story, check to see if your child understood the story, or if they have any questions/wonderings.
- What was the title?
- What was the problem and solution in the story?
- Why do you think the author wrote this book?
- What was your favorite part? Least favorite? Why?
- What would you change about the story? How? Why?
- What will happen next?
Sounding Out Words
As your child learns phonics patterns and becomes more and more familiar with the sounds letters make, we often encourage them to use different strategies when they are faced with a word they have difficulty reading. Often we say "sound it out!", but there are many different ways to help your child read a difficult word. Hear are some ways to "sound it out".
- Get your mouth ready-say the first sound (or first few sounds). Read the rest of the word and then say the whole word.
- Slowly stretch each letter sound to make the word. Example: ship = sh iii p
- Break the word into chunks you already know. Examples: m at f l at spl at ter
- Try the short vowel sound, then try the long vowel sound to sound it out.
- Look at the picture. Think "What is in the picture that starts with the beginning letter/sound?"
- Skip the tricky word. Read to the end of the sentence. Go back and try it again.
- Carefully read the whole word. Think about the word parts. Think about what makes sense.
- Try to reread the whole sentence. Think "what makes sense?"
Different Ways To Read With Your Child
Read Aloud
- Complete a picture walk before reading.
- Discuss/Predict what will happen in the story.
- Track print as you read.
- Ask questions before, during, and after reading.
- Point out details in the illustrations.
- Use different voices for the characters!
Echo Read
- Complete a picture walk before reading.
- Discuss/Predict what will happen in the story.
- Track print as you read.
- Read a sentence or page. Have your children echo the sentence or page back to you.
- Ask questions as you read.
Choral Read
- Complete a picture walk before reading.
- Discuss/Predict what will happen in the story.
- Track print as you read.
- Read the story out loud together at the same time.
- Your child will use your guidance if they are stuck on a word.
Follow Me
- Complete a picture walk before reading.
- Discuss/Predict what will happen in the story.
- Track print as you read.
- Begin by reading aloud. Stop in the middle of a sentence. Have your child read the next word or finish the sentence. Continue reading aloud in the same manner through the story.
Non-Fiction and Fiction Text- What's The Difference?
When we are teaching children to read it is important that they are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text. What differences should we teach or point out for each text?
Non-Fiction Text
- Teach the non-fiction text features while reading. Point them out and discuss what information they provide to help us better understand the text and information.
- Non-fiction text features include: table of contents, glossary, captions, bold print, headings, diagrams, charts, graphs, labels, photographs, illustrations, text boxes, and title page.
- This link shares visual examples of non-fiction text features https://goo.gl/images/KXqOJC
Fiction Text
- Teach the structure of the story. Discuss the setting, characters, problem, solution, plot/events of the story.
- Make connections! Discuss what the story reminds you of or what it makes you think about.
- Visualize! Picture the story in your mind. Draw what you see!
- Discuss why the author wrote the story. Was it written to entertain, inform, or persuade?