Reading at Home

1.  Read to your child every day.
    Read with your child.
    Let your child read to you.

     We often begin with a book walk in which we look at the title and make predictions as to what the story could be about.  We then look through the pictures and predict what is happening in the story.  Then we are ready to read!!

     I often ask the children to point to the words as they read.  This gives them something to look at as they often easily memorize the text.  Pointing to the words allows them to say and look at the word at the same time.. If they are unable to point to the word that they are saying, it indicates that they have probably memorized the text.  Pointing to words does slow down reading rate, so once they have the idea and have a comfortable bank of reading vocabulary, we move away from pointing.

2.  Take turns reading pages or character parts.

3.  Let your child see you read.

4.  Choose a "word of the day" and have your child see how many places the word can be found or used in a day.

5.  Go to the library together.

6.  Give your child books about their special interest.

7.  Read a variety of books: poems
                                          factual information
                                          realistic fiction
                                          fantasy

8.  Keep books, magazines, and newspapers around the house.

9.  Say rhymes, raps, poetry and sing songs. Use patterned or rhyming books.

10.  Read for information: road signs, at the store, the restaurant, even the cereal box!

11. Engage your child in projects that require reading:  cooking, making models, arts and crafts.

12.  Play word games such as Scrabble.  These help develop vocabulary.

13.  Write notes to your children. They love the surprise!

14.  Check to be sure that your child is familiar with the concepts of print.

Print Awareness

1.  Books are read in a certain direction. We read from left to right and top to bottom.
2.  Books have a front and a back.
3.  Letters have different shapes and names.
4.  Letters have sounds.
5.  There are spaces that separate words.
6.  Words are different from letters.
7.  We can tell the number of words on a page.
8.  Illustrations support the story.
9.  Punctuation is used to stop a sentence.
10.  Punctuation affects the meaning.

15.  Don't let your child get frustrated.  Reading takes time!!

I'm Stuck!!

When your child needs help with a word, start by giving a clue before you give the answer. 
Begin with meaning clues:
      "Look at the picture.  Will that help you figure out the word?"
If your child says 'puppy' for 'dog', it shows that they are attending to the picture clues.
       "What would make sense? Does that sound right?"
If your child says 'dish' for 'dog', it shows that he may be attending to the first letter, but it does not make sense.
      "Look at the word. Does it look like the word that you said?  Get your mouth ready for the first sound.  Does it make the same beginning sound?
       Look at the beginning sound.  What word would begin with that sound and make sense in the sentence?"

 

 

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Last updated on 1/7/07
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