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- What are the responsibilities of the reading consultant?
- When,Where and How Often Should I Read to my Child?
- Doesn't TV Help Develop Language Skills?
- What if I can't read English very well?
- Can't I just let teachers teach reading?
- What does fluency mean?
- Summer Reading Tips for Parents
- How to Help Your Child Become a Better Reader
- Decoding Strategy Tips
- Comprehension Strategies
- What can parents do to help their preschoolers in the learning-to-read process
- What can I do for my school-age child who doesn't like to read?
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What are the responsibilities of the reading consultant?
The reading teachers at Meadowside perform many different tasks, from
working
with students, to performing leadership roles in the school. The most
frequent task of the reading teachers (more than several times a week)
are
instruction, diagnosis, and serving as a resource to teachers. In
addition
the reading teachers are involved (more than several times a month) in
the
following leadership roles: planning with teachers,selecting reading
material, working with allied professionals,coordinating the reading
program,developing curriculum,coteaching,and participating in school
based
study teams. The reading teachers are also involved in working with
parents,
guiding the work of paraprofessionals,volunteers, and coordinating
professional development activities.
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When,Where and How Often Should I Read to my Child?
It's never to early to read to your child. Some parents read and sing to
children before they are born. Once your child learns to read for him/her
self,don't stop! His/Her interests and knowledge will be way ahead of
his/her
reading ability, so keep feeding the child's brain,imagination and
positive
associations.
Where you read is up to you. You can read to your child while you're
waiting
for an appointment,riding the bus and all sorts of other places. Some
parents
have a nightime and a naptime reading routine.
Read for at least a half hour every day. It's ok to break the time up for
young children{some may have short attention spans) and it's alright if
you
don't finish the story. The important thing is that your child enjoys every
moment of his reading experience, even if that means he/she just
chews on the
book!
When not to read to your child.- When your child has lost interest or is
not
having a good time.- If your child just won't sit still, (see if he/she likes
you reading while the child is playing with a toy).-As a reward or
punishment.(read every day,no matter what).-When you don't have
enough time
to read slowly and make it a fun experience.
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Doesn't TV Help Develop Language Skills?
Not necessarily. Television and videos are passive and impersonal,
whereas
reading actively engages your child's brain and all his
senses-especially
when you make it an interactive experience by cuddling,asking
questions and
giving lots of positive reinforcement.to
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What if I can't read English very well?
Try reading and or talking in your own language(research indicates
bilingual
children have some important learning advantages), checking out
books on tape
from the library, and visiting the library's story time. You may also want to
consider taking a class in English as a second language so you can
better
communicate with your child or grandchild as he grows up.
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Can't I just let teachers teach reading?
You are your child's most important teacher. Studies now show that if
you
read to your child before preschool, he'll have the pre-learning skills
necessary to excel; if you don't he'll be less likely to succceed in school
(and life).
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What does fluency mean?
Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly. When fluent
readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. They group
words
quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read. Fluent readers
read
aloud effortlessly and with expression. Their reading sounds natural,
as if
they are speaking. Readers who have not yet developed fluency read
slowly,
word by word. Their oral reading is choppy and plodding.
Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word
recognition and comprehension. Fluent readers do not have to
concentrate on
decoding the words, they can focus their attention on what the text
means.
They can make connections among the ideas in the text and between
the text
and their background knowledge. In other words, fluent readers
recognize
words and comprehend at the same time. Less fluent readers,
however, must
focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little
attention for understanding the text.
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Summer Reading Tips for Parents
Summer shouldn't mean taking a break form learning, especially
reading.
Studies show that most students experience a loss of reading skills
over the
summer months, but children who continue to read actually gain skills.
Efforts should be make during the summer to help children sustain
reading
skills, practice reading and read for enjoyment.
Parents should remember that children also need free time in the
summer to
relax and enjoy the pleasures of childhood. So summer reading should
be
fun. Listed below are a few tips to make reading enjoyable for your
children
this summer:
Read aloud together with your child every day.
Make it fun by reading outdoors on the front steps, patio, at the beach or
park. Also let your children read to you. For younger children, point out
the relationship between words and sounds.
Set a good example!
Parents must be willing to model behavior for their children. Keep lots
of
reading material around the house. Turn off the TV and have each
person read
his or her book, including mom and dad.
Read the same book your child is reading and discuss it.
This is the way to develop habits of the mind and build capacity for
thought
and insight.
Let kids choose what they want to read, and don't turn your nose up at
popular fiction. It will only discourage their reading habit.
Buy books on tape, especially for a child with a learning disability.
Most libraries sponsor summer reading clubs with easy-to-reach goals
for
preschool and school-age children. Check the library calendar for
special
summer reading activities and events. Libraries also provide age
appropriate
lists for summer reading.
Subscribe, in your child's name, to magazines like Sports Illustrated
for Kids, Time for Kids, Highlights for Children, or National Geographic
World ect.
Encourage older children to read the newspaper and current events
magazines, to keep up the reading habit over the summer and develop
vocabulary. Ask them what they think about what they have read, and
listen
to what they say.
Ease disappointment over summer separation from a favorite school
freind
by encouraging the child to become pen pals.
Present both children with postcards or envelopes that are already
addressed
and stamped. If both children have access to the Internet, email is
another
option.
Make trips a way to encourage reading by reading aloud traffic signs,
billboards, notice.
Show your children how to read a map, and once you are on the road, let
them
take turns being the navigator.
Encourage children to keep a summer scrapbook.
Tape in souvenirs of your family's summer activities picture
postcards,ticket
stubs,photos. Have your children write the captions and read them
aloud as
you look at the book together.
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How to Help Your Child Become a Better Reader
How to Help Your Child Become a Better Reader
Parents are a child's first teachers. Just as they introduce their children
to spoken language, parents can help lay a solid foundation for children
learning how to read written language. There are many ways for parents to
understand the basics of learning to read and to use natural opportunities as
lessons in reading.
Parents can have a strong, positive influence on their child's reading.
Research has shown that enjoying books with a child for even a few minutes a
day can make a measurable difference in the acquisition of basic reading
skills, and that everyday activities--such as a trip to the grocery store--
can be turned into an enjoyable learning experience.
READING is a complex process that develops over a long period of time and
through extensive practice. Early stages of reading development are enhanced
by instruction that teaches children the alphabet, the relationship between
speech and print, and that the letters in written language convey thoughts
and meanings. With practice and continued instruction, readers become fluent
decoders and comprehenders of increasingly more complex books. As readers
mature, they explore ever more complex ideas and material, moving
from "learning to read" in the early
grades to "reading to learn" in the upper elementary and beyond.How can
parents encourage the development of the skills needed by young children
learning to read?
CREATE APPRECIATION OF THE WRITTEN WORD
Find time to read aloud with your child every day. Lap time reading with
picture books and stories can strongly motivate a young child to enjoy
reading. Show how important reading is to daily life.
LEARN THE ALPHABET
Play alphabet games. Sing the alphabet song to help your child learn letters
as you play with alphabet books, blocks, and magnetic letters. Recite letters
as you go up and down stairs or give pushes on a swing. Games, puzzles, books
on tape, and A-B-C, dot-to-dot, and letter-play books are available at most
toy stores. Many engaging computer games designed for teaching children
letters are also available.
DEVELOP AWARENESS OF PRINTED LANGUAGE
Teach about books. When reading aloud, let your child open the book and turn
the pages. Point to the words as you read. Draw attention to repeated
phrases, inviting your child to join in each time they occur.
Point out letters and words that you see in daily life. Make an obvious
effort to read aloud traffic signs, billboards, notices, labels on packages,
maps, and phone numbers. Show your child how printed words relate to daily
living both at home, while traveling to and from home, and elsewhere. Make
writing materials available to your child and encourage their use. Help your
child learn to write his/her name and other important words or phrases.
Gradually, help the child learn to write more and more letters. At first,
most children find it easier to write uppercase letters.
UNDERSTAND THAT WORDS ARE MADE OF LETTERS
Teach your child to spell a few special words, such as his/her name, "stop",
or "exit." Challenge a child to read these words every place they are seen.
Draw attention to these and other frequently occurring words as you read
books with your child. Challenge the child to read these words as they arise
or to search them out on a page.
Play word-building games with letter tiles or magnetic letters. Have the
child build strings of letters for you to read.
UNDERSTAND THAT LANGUAGE IS MADE OF WORDS, PHONEMES (SOUNDS IN SPOKEN
LANGUAGE), AND SYLLABLES
Sing songs and read rhyming books. Sing the alphabet with your child, and
teach your child songs that emphasize rhyme and alliteration, such
as "Willaby Wallaby Woo" and "Down by the Sea." Emphasize the sounds as you
sing. Play rhyming games and clap out names. Jumble the wording or word order
of familiar poems and challenge your child to detect the error. Talk like a
robot, syllable by syllable, and use language in fun and interesting ways.
PLAY WORD GAMES, CHALLENGE YOUR CHILD TO PLAY WITH WORDS
For example, ask your child to think of words that rhyme with "bat" or
begin /m/. What would be left if you took the /k/ sound out of "cat"? What
would you have if you put these sounds together: /p/ and ickle; /m/ and ilk;
and /s/,/a/,and /t/. Which of these words starts with a different sound-
"bag," "candy," "bike"? Do "boat" and "baby" start with the same sound?
LEARN LETTER SOUNDS
Sound out letters. Point out other words that begin with the same letter as
your child's name, drawing attention to similarities of the beginning sound.
Use alphabet books, computer games, or car games such as "I'm thinking of
something that starts with /b/" to engage the child in alliterative and
letter-sound play. If you have a book that lends itself to alliteration and
rhyme, such as a Dr. Suess book, sound out rhyming words as you read or
challenge the child to do so for you. Play word games that connect sounds
with syllables and words. For example, if this spells "cat," how do you
spell "hat"?
SOUND OUT NEW WORDS
Point out new words. As you encounter them, say the sound while touching each
letter in a new word. For example, say "s-u-n" and then blend sounds to
create the words. In practicing new words, use predictable words with common
sounds and spellings, like "fun" or "sat" instead of "night" or "saw."
In you encounter words with unknown meanings or with complex spellings,
encourage your child to try to sound out the words. However, if too many
words require this kind of attention and effort, it is best to find an easier
book.
Play spelling games with your child. After your child begins pronouncing
words, encourage spelling by saying each sound in the words and then writing
the letter that goes with the sound.
Encourage your child to spell. After your child has learned to pronounce
words, have the child say each sound.
INDEPENDENT WRITING
Encourage your child to use inventive or independent spelling. At early
stages, the child will tend to omit letters and confuse letter names and
letter sounds, producing such spellings as "lent" foe elephant, "say" for
bean, and "fare" for fairy. Encourage your child to look at how words are
spelled and assist him/her in learning word patterns and families in later
spelling development stages.
IDENTIFY WORDS IN PRINT ACCURATELY AND EASILY
Help your children to read easy, enjoyable stories as often as possible. It
is likely that your child will enjoy reading more and learn more from reading
of you sit together, taking turns reading and encouraging discussion. In the
beginning, invite the child to read-well chosen books.
Gradually, as the child becomes able, take turns with sentences, paragraphs,
and pages. At the end of each section or story, revisit those words that
cause trouble. Rereading the entire story over and over several days, and
again weeks later, is a powerful way to reinforce this learning.
LEARN TO READ REFLECTIVELY
Pause for discussions as you read. As you read stories to and with your
child, stop frequently to discuss their language, content, and relevance to
real life and other knowledge. Pause to explore the meaning of new words,
using them in other sentences and contrasting what they mean with words that
have similar meanings. Make an effort to revisit new words and concepts
later, when the book has been put aside.
Above all: Read, Read, and Re-Read
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Decoding Strategy Tips
Decoding
Build awareness of word sounds. Play rhyming games, such as having children
finish sentences by filling in a rhyming word. For example, say, "I like to
run. It's so much ____." For a variation on this game, say a word and have
the child say one that rhymes with it.
Play listening games for letter-sound correspondence. Say a sentence and have
the child clap when she hears a word that starts or ends with a particular
consonant ( p ), or consonant blend ( st ).
Reinforce sight words. Use flashcards to reinforce commonly used words like
the, and, to, and is.
Preview words. Call children's attention to the decoding of difficult words,
and have them pronounce the words before they read them in a passage.
Play listening games for blending and segmenting sounds. Have a child say one-
syllable words such as snow and ball, then blend them together to say the
compound word snowball. Next, have the child break down a multi-syllable word
like caterpillar, saying it slowly and clapping or tapping a finger for each
syllable.
Play Missing sound games with preschool and primary students. For example,
tell a child to say "picnic," then , say it without "pic." Say "sled." Now
say it without the "l."
Involve several pathways. Read aloud together so children can see and hear
the words being read. Use books on tape that allow children to read as they
listen. Sing a song that uses words with the sounds that children are working
on. Read the words to songs the children like.
Emphasize word families. Have children collect word families, such as words
that end in ight or ash. Use them in a rap or other song for children to sing
together.
Write using word families. Encourage children to write stories or poems using
words in word families, such as op (mop, hop, stop, pop), that they are
working on. Children might underline or highlight the repetitive pattern. Ask
children to read their stories or poems aloud to you or to each other.
Teach rules. Some children benefit from learning rules about decoding (e.g.,
when there are two vowels together in a word, the first vowel often says its
name and the second one is silent). Once children have learned the rule for a
vowel combination, remind them to follow it when they encounter that vowel
combination in their reading.
Foster decoding abilities. Provide opportunities for children to become
fluent in their decoding of words, so they can focus on the meaning of what
they read, rather than the decoding itself.
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Comprehension Strategies
Comprehension
Use movement. Play charades to act out words. This activity can build
vocabulary and word understanding.
Build on students' knowledge. Select reading topics that enhance subject
matter previously covered in school or that reflect a child's interests.
Encourage them to develop expertise in a subject and to read different types
of texts about that subject, such as articles, books, and online materials.
Connect yesterday's reading to today's. Continue a story over several days.
Have children make predictions about what they think will happen, then
compare those predictions to what actually happens in the story.
Use self-questioning strategies. Have children develop a list of questions to
answer after reading. These questions and answers can become the basis of
classroom, small group, or parent-child discussions. Have students make a
Think Aloud Bookmark. On the bookmark, have children write questions to ask
themselves after each section. They can personalize it with decorations.
Connect reading to what children know. Have children discuss what they
already know about a topic before reading. Then have them list the things
they would like to learn about the topic, and make predictions about whether
the assigned reading will include these things or not.
Help children get started. Read the first part of a story or passage to or
with the child. Siblings and classmates can also participate by taking turns
reading paragraphs or short sections.
Develop interest in words and concepts. Have children keep track of the times
they see, hear, or use a new vocabulary word. (How many times can they find
the word in a day or a week?) Encourage children to report their observations
to the family or class.
Engage several pathways. Use pictures and diagrams to explain concepts; use
stories on tape or tell stories; and encourage children to interpret stories
through drawings, models, or other constructions. Teach children to "make
movies" in their heads" as they read, visualizing the setting and events.
Stop after a few paragraphs or pages and ask them to describe their "movie."
Focus on important information. Before children begin reading challenging
material, offer an outline of the key ideas or help them make diagrams or
charts that capture key concepts as they read.
Preview difficult vocabulary. Offer children a glossary of selection-related
words and concepts to use while reading.
Read in stages. Break lengthy passages into short segments. Ask children to
summarize each section as soon as they finish reading it, or have them write
a brief summary for themselves at the end of each section.
Select a strategy. Before children begin reading, have them write down the
reading comprehension strategy they plan to use. They might choose guiding
questions, highlighting or underlining significant details, writing comments
in the margin, or summarizing after each paragraph.
Help children locate main ideas and important details. Suggest that they
think about the "5 Ws" as they read: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Post these
questions on a wall or have children write them on a sheet of paper they keep
nearby or use as a bookmark.
Encourage collaborative reading activities. Children who are all reading the
same book might meet in small groups -- or with a sibling or friend -- to
discuss what they have read, plan an oral report, design a mural, or work on
a skit related to their reading.
Focus attention by using reading organizers. Mapping techniques and
organizers such as a story outline help children become familiar with the
structure of stories and keep track of story elements as they read. Make this
a hands-on activity by using markers to identify each story element.
An Example Story Outline
Title: ___________
Setting: ___________
Characters: ___________
Problem: ___________
Event 1: ___________
Event 2: ___________
Event 3: ___________
Event 4: ___________
Outcome: ___________
Strategy Tips: Decide which strategies to try by observing the child and
identifying the ways in which he or she learns best.
o It may take several attempts to see positive results from one
strategy. Don't give up too soon.
o If the first few strategies you try do not improve the child's
skills, try others.
o Most of these strategies can be adapted for use with different age
groups.
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What can parents do to help their preschoolers in the learning-to-read process
Research shows that children learn about reading before they enter school. In
fact, they learn in the best manner-through observation. Young children, for
example, see people around them reading newspapers, books, maps, and signs.
Parents can do a lot to foster an understanding of print by talking with
their preschoolers about signs in their environment and by letting their
children know they enjoy reading themselves.
When reading to your preschooler, you should run your index finger under the
line of print. This procedure is simple and helps children begin to notice
words and that words have meaning. They also gain an awareness of the
conventions of reading (e.g., one reads from left to right and from the top
of the page to the bottom; sentences are made up of words; and some sentences
extend beyond a single line of print).
Every step a child takes toward learning to read leads to another. Bit by
bit, the child builds the knowledge that is necessary for being a reader.
Over their first 6 years, most children
Talk and listen.
Listen to stories read aloud.
Pretend to read.
Learn how to handle books.
Learn about print and how it works.
Identify letters by name and shape.
Identify separate sounds in spoken language.
Write with scribbles and drawing.
Connect single letters with the sounds they make.
Connect what they already know to what they hear read.
Predict what comes next in stories and poems.
Connect combinations of letters with sounds.
Recognize simple words in print.
Sum up what a story is about.
Write individual letters of the alphabet.
Write words.
Write simple sentences.
Read simple books.
Write to communicate.
Read simple books.
Children can take more than one of these steps at the same time. This list of
steps, though, gives you a general idea of how your child will progress
toward reading. (For more details, see Typical Language Accomplishments for
Children, Birth to Age 6.)
Talking and Listening
Scientists who study the brain have found out a great deal about how we
learn. They have discovered that babies learn much more from the sights and
sounds around them than we thought previously. You can help your baby by
taking advantage of her hunger to learn.
Hearing you talk is your baby's very first step toward becoming a reader,
because it helps her to love language and to learn words.
From the very beginning, babies try to imitate the sounds that they hear us
make. They "read" the looks on our faces and our movements. That's why it is
so important to talk, sing, smile, and gesture to your child. Hearing you
talk is your baby's very first step toward becoming a reader, because it
helps her to love language and to learn words. (See "Baby Talk".)
As your child grows older, continue talking with her. Ask her about the
things she does. Ask her about the events and people in the stories you read
together. Let her know you are listening carefully to what she says. By
engaging her in talking and listening, you are also encouraging your child to
think as she speaks. In addition, you are showing that you respect her
knowledge and her ability to keep learning. (See "Chatting with Children.")
Reading Together
Imagine sitting your baby in your lap and reading a book to him for the first
time. How different from just talking! Now you're showing him pictures. You
point to them. In a lively way, you explain what the pictures are. You've
just helped you child take the next step beyond talking. You've shown him
that words and pictures connect. And you've started him on his way to
understanding and enjoying books. While your child is still a baby, reading
aloud to him should become part of your daily routine. Pick a quiet time,
such as just before you put him to bed. This will give him a chance to rest
between play and sleep. If you can, read with him in your lap or snuggled
next to you so that he feels close and safe. As he gets older, he may need to
move around some as you read to him. If he gets tired or restless, stop
reading. Make reading aloud a quiet and comfortable time that your child
looks forward to. Chances are very good that he will like reading all the
more because of it.
Try to spend at least 30 minutes each day reading to and with your child. At
first, read for no more than a few minutes at a time, several times a day. As
your child grows older, you should be able to tell if he wants you to read
for longer periods. Don't be discouraged if you have to skip a day or don't
always keep to your schedule. Just get back to your daily routine as soon as
you can. Most of all, make sure that reading stays fun for both of you!
What Does It Mean?
From the earliest days, talk with your child about what you are reading. You
might point to pictures and name what is in them. When he is ready, have him
do the same. Ask him, for example, if he can find the little mouse in the
picture, or do whatever is fun and right for the book. Later on, as you read
stories, read slowly and stop now and then to think aloud about what you've
read. From the time your child is able to talk, ask him such questions about
the story as, "What do you think will happen next?" or "Do you know what a
palace is?" Answer his questions and, if you think he doesn't understand
something, stop and talk more about what he asked. Don't worry if you
occasionally break the flow of a story to make clear something that is
important. However, don't stop so often that the child loses track of what is
happening in the story.
Look for Books!
The books that you pick to read with your child are very important. If you
aren't sure of what books are right for your child, ask a librarian to help
you choose titles. (For more information on what libraries have to offer,
see "Visiting the Library")
Introduce your child to books when she is a baby. Let her hold and play with
books made just for babies: board books with study cardboard covers and thick
pages; cloth books that are soft and washable, touch-and-feel books, or lift-
the-flap books that contain surprises for your baby to discover. Choose books
with covers that have big, simple pictures of things that she sees every day.
Don't be upset if at first your child chews or throws a book. Be patient.
Cuddling with the child as you point to and talk with great excitement about
the book's pictures will soon capture her interest. When your baby becomes a
toddler, she will enjoy helping to choose books for you to read to her.
As your child grows into a preschooler and kindergartner, the two of you can
look for books that have longer stories and more words on the pages. Also
look for books that have repeating words and phrases that she can begin to
read or recognize when she sees them. By early first grade, add to this mix
some books designed for beginning readers, including some books that have
chapters and some books that show photographs and provide true information
rather than make-believe stories.
Choose books with covers that have big, simple pictures of things that she
sees every day.
Keep in mind that young children most often enjoy books about people, places,
and things that are like those they know. The books can be about where you
live or about parts of your culture, such as your religion, your holidays, or
the way that you dress. If your child has special interests, such as
dinosaurs or ballerinas, look for books about those interests.
From your child's toddler years through early first grade, you also should
look for books of poems and rhymes. Remember when your baby heard your
talking sounds and tried to imitate them? Rhymes are an extension of that
language skill. By hearing and saying rhymes, along with repeated words and
phrases, your child learns about spoken sounds and about words. Rhymes also
spark a child's excitement about what comes next, which adds fun and
adventure to reading. (For rhyming activities, see "Rhyme with Me: It's Fun,
You'll See!")
Show Your Child That You Read
When you take your child to the library, check out a book for yourself. Then
set a good example by letting your child see you reading for yourself. Ask
your child to get one of her books and sit with you as you read your book,
magazine, or newspaper. Don't worry if you feel uncomfortable with your own
reading ability. It's the reading that counts. When your child sees that
reading is important to you, she may decide that it is important to her, too.
(For ideas on how to help your child love books, see "A Home for My Books.")
Learning about Print and Books
Reading together is a perfect time to help a late toddler or early
preschooler learn what print is. As you read aloud, stop now and then and
point to letters and words; then point to the pictures they stand for. Your
child will begin to understand that the letters form words and that words
name pictures. He will also start to learn that each letter has its own sound
one of the most important things your child can know when learning to read.
By the time children are 4, most have begun to understand that printed words
have meaning. By age 5, most will begin to know that not just the story but
the printed words themselves go from left to right. Many children will even
start to identify some capital and small letters and simple words. (For some
ideas on learning letters, see "As Simple as ABC.")
In late kindergarten or early first grade, your child may want to read on his
own. Let him! But be sure that he wants to do it. Reading should be something
he is proud of and eager to do and not a lesson.
How Does a Book Work?
Children are fascinated by how books look and feel. They see how easily you
handle and read books, and they want to do the same. When your toddler
watches you handle books, she begins to learn that a book is for reading, not
tearing or tossing around. Before she is 3, she may even pick one up and
pretend to read, an important sign that she is beginning to know what a book
is for. As your child becomes a preschooler, she is learning that
When your toddler watches you handle books, she begins to learn that a book
is for reading.
A book has a front cover.
A book has a beginning and an end.
A book has pages.
A page in a book has a top and a bottom.
You turn pages one at a time to follow the story.
You read a story from left to right of a page.
As you read with your 4- or 5-year-old, begin to remind her about these
things. Read the title on the cover. Talk about the picture on the cover.
Point to the place where the story starts and, later, where it ends. Let your
child help turn the pages. When you start a new page, point to where the
words of the story continue and keep following the words by moving your
finger beneath them. It takes time for a child to learn these things, but
when your child does learn them, she has solved some of reading's mysteries.
Early Efforts To Write
Writing and reading go hand in hand. As your child is learning one, he is
learning the other. You can do certain things to make sure that he gets every
opportunity to practice both. When he is about 2 years old, for example, give
your child crayons and paper and encourage him to draw and scribble. He will
have fun choosing which colors to use and which shapes to make. As he holds
and moves the crayons, he will also develop muscle control. When he is a late
toddler or early preschooler, he will become as eager to write as he is to
read. (For more ideas on how to encourage your child's desire to write,
see "As Simple as ABC," and "Write On!")
Your preschool child's scribbles or drawings are his first writing. He will
soon begin to write the alphabet letters. Writing the letters helps your
child learn about their different sounds. His very early learning about
letters and sounds gives him ideas about how to begin spelling words. When he
begins writing words, don't worry that he doesn't spell them correctly.
Instead, praise him for his efforts! In fact, if you look closely, you'll see
that he's made a pretty good try at spelling a word for the first time. Later
on, with help from teachers (and from you), he will learn the right way to
spell words. For the moment, however, he has taken a great step toward being
a writer.
Reading in Another Language
If your child's first language is not English, she can still become an
excellent English reader and writer. She is on her way to successful English
reading if she is beginning to learn many words and is interested in learning
to read in her first language. You can help by supporting her in her first
language as she learns English. Talk with her, read with her, encourage her
to draw and write. In other words, do the same kinds of activities just
discussed, but do them in your child's first language.
When your child first enters school, talk with her teacher. Teachers welcome
such talks. They even have sign-up times early in the year, though usually
you may ask for a meeting at any time. If you feel that you need some support
in meeting with the teacher, ask a relative, neighbor, or someone else in
your community to go with you.
For a list of multiple-language books, see Resources for Children.
When you do meet, tell the teacher the things that you are doing at home to
strengthen your child's speaking and reading in her own language. Let the
teacher know how important you child's reading is to you and ask for support
for your efforts. Children who can switch back and forth between languages
have accomplished something special. They should be praised and encouraged as
they work for this achievement.
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What can I do for my school-age child who doesn't like to read?
In the early elementary years, from first through third grades, children
continue learning how to read. It is a complex process, difficult for some
and easy for others. Care must be taken during these early years not to
overemphasize the learning-to-read process.
Reading for pleasure and information develops reading interests and offers
children the opportunity to practice their reading skills in meaningful ways.
Parents of elementary-age children should provide reading materials in the
home that arouse curiosity or extend their child's natural interest in the
world around them.
By encouraging and modeling leisure-time reading in the home, parents take
the most important step in fostering their child's reading development.
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