Common Parent Questions

Learning to Read and Reading Aloud

I need activities to help my young reader with rhyming and word play.

My child reads very slowly at home. How can I help him/her read more quickly?

My child reads in a monotone voice with little expression. How can I help?

My child's teacher measures how quickly my child reads. I'm uncomfortable that it's about how fast he/she can go - why is speed even monitored?

My child doesn't know basic words when reading, like "the", "and", "for", etc. This is holding him/her back a lot from reading complete sentences.

Comprehension

What should I point out and discuss while reading with my child?

My child's teacher brought up "previewing a text". What does this mean?

What is reading comprehension? Isn't it just telling what the story was about?

Finding Books, Motivation, and Building Confidence

When I read with my child, he/she needs help with almost every word and becomes frustrated. What can I do to build confidence?

My child refuses to read at home. Any suggestions?

Where can I find book lists to help my child?

My child is a reluctant reader. How can I help?

My child loves one series of books. Is it wise to just stick with those books?

My child loves graphic novels. Can we just focus on those?

How do I choose a book at my child's reading level?My child gets stuck on too many words when reading even very simple books. I can't help him/her sound it out, because it's just a word that you have to know. This is causing lots of frustration for him/her.

School Testing, Reading Levels, and Teacher Concerns

My child's teacher had concerns about my child's reading "fluency". What does this mean?

I was told that my child's reading is "below benchmark". What does this mean?

Why do schools keep track of how quickly kids can read aloud? Why is it important?

Our school told me my child's reading level. What does this information mean?

How do I choose a book at my child's reading level?

My child's teacher requires 20 minutes (or any particular amount of time) of reading each night. Why is that so important?

My child's teacher encouraged me to read with my child each night, but I'm unsure what kinds of questions to ask while we read together.

My child's teacher says that my child needs to practice sight words. What does this mean? I need ideas!

Additional Questions

What other sites could I visit to learn more about literacy instruction for my child?