Share the reading - read a page each or even a paragraph or sentence each depending on how much support your child needs with the book
Before you read with your child - talk casually about the book and set your child up for success. Try these things:
Look through the book and at the illustrations and discuss these together
Point out any tricky words and tell these to your child
Talk about what you think the book is about
For longer books try reading one or two chapters to your child to help them 'get into' the book
Reading is about meaning so if your child reads a word that is incorrect but means the same thing then let them read on because all good readers do this
Let the reading flow - don't stop them each time they incorrectly read a word - chances are they will realise this themselves further along and self correct
If what they are reading doesn't make sense just ask "That didn't make sense to me can you read it again?"
If your child comes to a word they don't know and gets stuck say "try reading on a bit to see if you can work out what word makes sense there"
Introduce new books to your child enthusiastically - its like giving them a delicious smorgasbord of choice, but let them choose and also let them have their own opinions about whether they like particular books
Reading material can include magazines, information books, brochures, newspapers, recipe books, songs and poems, websites and more
Change locations if reading becomes tedious - try reading on the floor, in the garden, at the cafe or tucked up in bed together
Reading with your child is an act of love - throw away your expectations about reading levels and don't make reading a test. ....Just ENJOY the experience
- Reading is about meaning so if your child reads a word that is incorrect but means the same thing then let them read on because all good readers do this
- Let the reading flow - don't stop them each time they incorrectly read a word - chances are they will realise this themselves further along and self correct
- If what they are reading doesn't make sense just ask "That didn't make sense to me can you read it again?"
- If your child comes to a word they don't know and gets stuck say "try reading on a bit to see if you can work out what word makes sense there"
- Introduce new books to your child enthusiastically - its like giving them a delicious smorgasbord of choice, but let them choose and also let them have their own opinions about whether they like particular books
- Reading material can include magazines, information books, brochures, newspapers, recipe books, songs and poems, websites and more
- Change locations if reading becomes tedious - try reading on the floor, in the garden, at the cafe or tucked up in bed together
- Reading with your child is an act of love - throw away your expectations about reading levels and don't make reading a test. ....Just ENJOY the experience
- For more great tips go to the e:lit website
SUGGESTED BOOKS FOR PARENTS - Try these great books for more ideas or click on them to go to a related website: