Tips and Tricks

What to do when your child gets stuck on a tricky word

During this school year, I will be using a new bookmark to encourage students to decode unknown words. Each reading student will get their own bookmark that you see to the right. They will keep these bookmarks in their book bags. Therefore, when reading with your child at home, you can encourage your child to use these strategies when they get stuck on a tricky word.

In the parent welcome letter that I will be sending home, I will give you directions that you can follow to show your child how to sound out a tricky word. However, if your child becomes frustrated by a tricky word, it is totally fine to tell him or her the tricky word and encourage him/her to continue reading.

5 Decoding Tips for Parents

Click on the decoding poster on the left to visit the website, Tiny Steps Make Big Strides. This website is full of great information for parents about reading and many tips that you can try out when helping your child with reading at home.

decoding_tips.pdf

I also want to share a great resource that Middle Tennessee State University put together for parents. This resource explains five common decoding errors that kids make and ways to help when kids make these errors.

General Questions to ask your child when reading at home

Before Reading

Read the title and look at the cover.
Make a prediction.
What do you think this story will be about?
What makes you make that prediction?
(Preview) Do a picture walk. Scan the pages of the book.
Stop and discuss periodically.
Ask: What's happening on this page? What do you notice about this page?

During Reading

Listen to your child as he or she reads. Give your child a compliment.
"Your reading sounds smooth"
"You made your reading look right."
"I can tell you are working very hard on your reading."
Ask: Who are the characters?
What is the problem?
How do you think the story will end?

After Reading

Revisit prediction. Was your prediction correct? Why or why not?
Critique the book. Did you like this book? What did you like about it?
Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?
Did you like the ending?
What did you learn by reading this book?
What was your favorite part?

How to Choose Good Fit Books

Reading is a complicated process that involves decoding words, understanding language, and comprehending the overall text. It is no wonder that many students find reading to be challenging. However, the more that a student reads, the better he or she will get at reading. Motivating a struggling reader to read can be difficult. One way to motivate a child to read is to guarantee his or her success of the reading task. In order to do so, the child must successfully read books at his or her independent level. Books at a child’s independent reading level are also known as “good-fit” books. To find a “good-fit” book for your child, use the 5-finger rule. See the bookmark to the right.

Visit the book suggestions page of this website to find high-quality, high-interest books for your child.

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