Ways to Read  'TO'  and  'WITH'  My  Child

1. What are some tips on reading aloud 'TO' my child?
2. What are some tips on reading 'WITH' my child
3. Explain 'echo reading' and how it benefits the 'emergent' reader.
4. Explain 'choral reading' and how it benefits the 'early' reader.
5. Explain 'paired reading' and how it benefits the 'early' reader.

What are some tips on reading aloud 'TO' my child?

1. Pick a quiet place; choose a regular time to share a book. 2. Take turns 
choosing the book. (Don't be afraid to reread one of the child's old 
favorites if it is his/her turn to choose.) 3. Look over the pictures 
together and talk about them with your child.  Relate illustrations to real 
life events. Discuss what the story might be about. 4. Invite your child's 
favorite stuffed animal to join in.  You can also us a puppet to read the 
story. 5. Point under the words with your finger when you read. Let your 
child turn the pages while you read. Read slowly with expression. Try 
different voices for different characters. 6. Stop at appropriate points in 
the story to ask, "What do you think will happen next?, Why do you think 
so?"  6.Talk about the ending in the story and ask your child to think of a 
different ending?

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What are some tips on reading 'WITH' my child

1.Discuss illustrations and/or photographs together.  2. Take turns reading 
sentences or paragraphs or pages. 3.  Help your child with words that he/she 
has trouble reading. (See strategies to confront unknown words in the 
homework section of the web page.) 4. Be supportive and encouraging. 
5. Talk about the story.  Ask your child questions that will help him/her to 
better understand the story and to share ideas and opinions.

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Explain 'echo reading' and how it benefits the 'emergent' reader.

Echo reading teaches right-to-left progression of print, voice-print 
accuracy, and fluency.  The procedure is as follows:
1. Parent reads a line of a poem or a sentence in the story pointing under 
each word. 2. Child reads that same line or sentence pointing to each word.
3. If the child does not point to the right words at the right time, parent 
models it again.

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Explain 'choral reading' and how it benefits the 'early' reader.

Choral reading strengthens rate and fluency.  The procedure is as follows:
1. Parent and child read together in unison. 2. Passage or poem should be 
read repeatedly until fluency and expression is appropriate.

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Explain 'paired reading' and how it benefits the 'early' reader.

Paired reading gives the child confidence to read on his/her own.  The 
procedure is as follows: 1. Child chooses a favorite story. 2. Parent and 
child read the text aloud together.  Child sets the speed.  Parent points 
under each word. 3. If a student struggles or gets it wrong, parent just says
the right word and child repeats it. 4. After several days of reading that 
same book together, child signals with a tap that he/she is ready to read 
some of the sentences alone. Parent stops reading aloud and lets the child 
read alone.  5. If a word is read incorrectly, parent says the word, child 
repeats it and they both continue reading sentences until the child signals 
that he/she wants to read more of the text alone again.

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