CONNECTING: When we connect with a story, we think about how the ideas relate to our lives, the world, or another story that we have read. This connection often helps us understand the new story. When reading with your children think out loud and tell them what connections you have made. Encourage them to do the same and guide them to see how this information will help them better understand what they are reading. POWER READING: First, read aloud to your child for five minutes. Be sure that the book is on your child's reading level. Model good reading for them by pronouncing words carefully and clearly, and by making appropriate pauses for periods and commas. You are modeling great reading for your child. Next, listen to your child read aloud from the same book for the next ten minutes. Your child should begin at the point where you stopped reading. Remind your child to take it slowly and read so the words make sense. Then, talk with your child about what was read. Check how well your child understood what was read by asking general questions. Ask a variety of questions - with answers stated in the story as well as those that must be inferred. Encourage your child to read between the lines and put clues together to find answers.