How to Read With Your Child (Continued)
How to Read With Your Child Continued
Last month, we went over the basics of reading at home with your child. This month we have even more insights to share. Being hands-on with your child during the early stages of their literacy development is the largest indicator of future academic success.
Focus on one word at a time
To help your child decode a word, take it out of the sentence or book and look at the word by itself. On a small whiteboard or piece of paper, write the word in large, lowercase letters, then ask your child to “touch and say” each letter/letter combination. Then, once they have said all the sounds in the word, ask them to blend the sounds together to pronounce the word. This makes a new or difficult word less overwhelming and allows them to more easily focus.
Phonics rules
Familiarize yourself with the phonics rules your child is currently learning in class, and make sure you understand it and can explain it clearly. If you do not understand what the rule is, or you can’t explain it, google it! Most of English can be explained through fairly consistent phonics rules and looking them up when you’re unsure is a great way to model being curious for your child.
Not sure what rules your child’s class is focusing on? Check out the word list their teacher sent home - it typically specifies a target skill like, “My child should know how to blend two consonants like ‘st’ in ‘star.’”
We recommend you keep a list of phonics rules your child has learned on your phone, along with the HFW list. If your child struggles with a concept, this will allow you to double-check if they have already learned a rule but are struggling, or if they just haven’t covered it yet.
Unsure of why a letter is making a particular sound in a word? Google it! Chances are, there is a reliable rule that will explain how the letters interact.
Partner reading
Take turns reading pages of a book with your child. Not only is this another way to make reading a bonding experience in addition to an academic exercise, but it also gives your child a “brain break” while you take your turn. Make sure to model the way your child should be reading at this stage - touch and say words, and show your enjoyment and interest in the book. This is also an opportunity for you to make mistakes while reading to see if your child catches them. During your child’s turn, make note of their behavior, and see the next section to find out how to tell if it’s time to take a break longer than a page!
Take lots of breaks!
As adults who know how to read, we can forget that early reading is mentally exhausting. If you think about it, your child is problem-solving every symbol in every word on every page - that’s a lot of work. Keep reading for 20-25 minutes total to make sure it is a fun, engaging, and achievable activity.
Your child might be mentally exhausted if:
They can’t sound out a word or figure out a skill you are sure they know (take a look at your Notes app if you’re not sure!)
They are making a lot of errors they don’t normally make.
They’re not taking in any information from the text or are making comprehension errors.
Building reading stamina is part of learning to read, and it will increase over time.
Overall, reading with your child can be a fun activity that you get to share together. We hope that these tips have helped you make progress with your child's literacy at home! If you would like more practice with early literacy and helping your child develop their reading you can always schedule a consultation with us at www.growwithbeck.com. We are currently working on our fall schedule and spots are limited!
