Learning to read is such a critical milestone in your child's life. As I find helpful hints, I will include them on this site. Various sources will offer a variety of tips. I hope you will find one to be helpful as you develop reading habits with your child.

Reading Tips For Your Child Learning to read takes practice. Loving to read takes enthusiasm. So read with your child often and create a sense of enjoyment, wonder, and even a passion for reading. Here are some easy, practical ways you can increase your child's skills and love for reading.

Read with your child every day possible -- even your baby. Give children something to look forward to by reading to them every day at the same time.

Have your youngster read out loud to you. Listen carefully and make sure to praise your child's reading. Take turns reading -- You read a section, then have your child read the next section.

Even after children can read on their own, keep reading to them so they can enjoy stories and books that interest them but are too hard for them to read by themselves.

Five Tips for Parents of Reluctant Readers

Would your child rather clean up his room than pick up a book? These five tips from reading expert Marie Carbo can help you get your child back on the right reading track.

1. Make reading relaxing and low-key for a short part of the day.

2. Read aloud some funny or interesting parts of your favorite book.

3. Draw your child in with a riddle book for kids, a passage from Sports Illustrated, or a newspaper story.

4. If your child likes a movie, see if it's based on a book, then bring home the book. 5. For kids who have lost the motivation to read, use material that's intensely interesting to them. Your child may almost have to disassociate what he's doing at school with the act of reading something for fun.

Reading Selection Rules

There are some simple ways to help your child select a book that is “just right” for him /her to read.

Goldilocks Method

“Too Easy” Books

1. The book is short.

2. The print is big.

3. You have read the book before.

4. You know all the words in the books.

5. The book has lots of pictures.

“Too Hard” Books

1. The book is long.

2. The print is small.

3. There aren’t many pictures in the book.

4. There are a lot of words that you can’t figure out.

5. There’s no one to help you if you get stuck.

6. You don’t know much about this subject.

“Just Right” Books

1. The book looks interesting.

2. You can figure out most of the words in the book.

.3. Someone has read this book aloud to you.

4. You have read other books by this author.

5. There is someone to give you help if you need it.

6. You know something about this subject.

Five Tips for Parents of Brought to you by the National Education Association

Ways To Help Your Child Read Well

Five Finger Rule

Here is one way to help your child choose a book. While reading the first page of a book, count the unknown words (using fingers to keep track is fine). If there are five or more, the book is too hard for now. Read that book together!

Reading Just the Right Book

The book that is just right is one that your child can read independently. It is not too hard and it is not too easy. It’s just right for their reading level.

Harder Books

Children have learned to read many words. They may even be reading chapter books. However, they might not understand what’s being read. Ask your child questions about the story to see if they are understanding the story content.

When Your Child Comes To An Unknown Word Parents will tell a child to “sound out” an unknown word . Frequently that prompt is successful and the word is decoded. When sounding it out doesn’t work, adults usually tell the word and the reading continues. Our goal is to help children become independent readers. Here are some alternative suggestions for parents to use when your child confronts an unknown word.

*Wait 5-10 sec. to see what attempts are made. Ask: “What would make sense there?”

*Use the picture to help figure out the word.

*Skip the word and continue reading to the end of the sentence.

*Go back and read the sentence again.

*If the word was on a previous page, go back and try to find it.

*Look for a smaller word in a big one. (chunk)

*Cover the ending (-ed, -ing) with your finger and try the word.

*Look how the word begins.

*Help with blending (sounding it out).

*Let the sound “pop” right out.

*Tell the word and keep on reading.

*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. Always praise their effort!!!