Tips for Reading with your Child

Last time, we talked about strategies you can teach your child to help them select appropriate books for their reading level.  What should you do if your child selects a book, but then still struggles to read it?  Reading Rockets has some great tips:

When they can't read the word, say…

• Can you sound it out?
• Fingertap it.
• Can you think of the word or movement that helps you remember that vowel sound?
• What is the first and last sound? What word would make sense?
• Does it have a pattern that you have seen in other words? (ex-an, ack)
• How does the word begin?
• You said_______. Does that make sense?
• What word would make sense that would start with these sounds?
• Put your finger under the word as you say it.

When they want to read a book that is too hard, say…

• Let's read it together.
• This is a book you will enjoy more if you save it until you are older — or later in the year.
• [Be honest!] When people read books that are too hard for them, they often skip important parts. You will have more fun with this book if you wait until you can read it easily.