Reading With Your Child
Interactive Reading Strategies
Echo reading – This strategy has the adult read a short phrase and then ask the child to repeat what was read by using prompts such as “Copy me!” or “Say what I say!” This allows you to read “with” your child, not just “to” them.
Shared reading- This strategy allows you to take turns reading aloud to each other. You might want to take turns reading sentences, paragraphs, or whole pages.
Choral reading – In choral reading, your child reads along with you. Patterned or predictable books are particularly useful for choral reading, because their repetitious style invites the child to join in.
Technology – Visit Raz-Kids or Epic for additional reading material.
My goal is to help your child become an independent reader. When your child confronts and unknown word, try the following prompts:
Start with the letters. Look at the letters first.
Make every sound. Look at every letter.
Keep your eyes on the letters. Stick with it until the end.
Put the sounds together. Smooth it out.
Look at the word as you say it.
Provide your child with the unknown sound if needed. For example, ou, ai, ch
Reread the sentence.
It is important that children learn to use these strategies independently. When your child “figures out” a word, you might ask how he/she did it. Telling about their reading helps to reinforce learning.
Sight Words (Fundations refers to sight words as Trick Words)
Sight words are words that we read and write often. Knowing as few as 13 of the 109 most frequently occurring words unlocks to 25 to 50 percent of all texts written for children. Reallygreatreading.com has videos that your child can view and shows parents how the sight words are taught in the classroom.
Write sight words on index cards and play a matching or memory game.
Hang sight words in the bathroom or bedroom and make reading two or three words part of your child’s nightly routine. For example, your child might read two trick words after brushing their teeth.
Tell your child that they are going on a scavenger hunt. Give your child a list of words, a newspaper or magazine article and a highlighter. Have your child find and highlight the words.
Identify similarities and differences in a group of sight words. For this activity, you may ask a question such as the following: “Which words have the same vowels?”
Create your sight words with playdough, sand, or shaving cream.