Pre-Reading Skills
Q: How can I help my child get ready to read?Read! Sing! Talk! Rhyme! Play with words and sounds!
Let your child see you reading and writing for various purposes.
If you do these simple activities on a regular basis, your child will build the foundation he/she needs to hear sounds in words and then begin reading when it is developmentally appropriate.
Q: What are some games and activities we can do at home? Do activities to help your child build sound skills (make sure they are short and fun; avoid allowing your child to get frustrated):
Help your child think of a number of words that start with the /m/ or /ch/ sound, or other beginning sounds.
Make up silly sentences with words that begin with the same sound, such as "Nobody was nice to Nancy's neighbor".
Play simple rhyming or blending games with your child, such as taking turns coming up with words that rhyme (go – no) or
blending simple words (/d/, /o/, /g/ = dog).
Read books with rhymes. Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs.
Practice the alphabet by pointing out letters wherever you see them and by reading alphabet books.
Consider using computer software that focuses on developing phonological and phonemic awareness skills. Many of
these programs use colorful graphics and animation that keep young children engaged and motivated.
Phonics and Decoding
Q: When my child struggles while reading, what else can I do besides saying, "Sound it out?"Get your mouth ready for the first sound.
Does that make sense? Reread and think about what would make sense and look right.
Check the middle (or end) of the word.
Cover the ending and find a part you know.
Chunk the word.
Is there another word you know that looks like this part?
Use an analogy. (Ex: The eigh in neighbor is like eight.)
Reread the sentence and look for clues.
Fluency
Q: What is fluency and why is it important?Fluency is not just reading quickly. It is reading with expression, accuracy and rate. (Remember this with the acronym EAR.) The ultimate goal of fluency is that it leads to comprehension.
Q: How can I help my child become a more fluent reader?Reread sentences in different voices (Ex: whisper voice, kindly grandma, stern dad, police officer, whiny child, excited child)
Draw a slash (/) after sets of words to show where natural pauses should occur.
Echo read. (You read a sentence with expression and then your child rereads mimicking your reading.)
Most importantly, reread familiar texts, poems, and songs to practice and build confidence.
Read books with conversation in them (Ex. 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow)
Building Vocabulary
Q: How can I build word knowledge into our everyday discussions?
Create what is called a cloze passage. Cover up every 7th word or selected vocabulary words with a post it note. Ask your child to figure out what word would fill in the blank based on what the surrounding words and sentences say. This is an easy way to talk about specific vocabulary and parts of speech.
Comprehension
Q: What are some other fun ways to practice comprehension strategies while we are reading?
103 Things to do Before, During and After Reading
Q: How can I encourage good comprehension while my child is reading?
Print out one of the following bookmarks and use it as a springboard for discussion with your child.
Q: How can I help my child get ready to read?Read! Sing! Talk! Rhyme! Play with words and sounds!
Let your child see you reading and writing for various purposes.
If you do these simple activities on a regular basis, your child will build the foundation he/she needs to hear sounds in words and then begin reading when it is developmentally appropriate.
Q: What are some games and activities we can do at home? Do activities to help your child build sound skills (make sure they are short and fun; avoid allowing your child to get frustrated):
Help your child think of a number of words that start with the /m/ or /ch/ sound, or other beginning sounds.
Make up silly sentences with words that begin with the same sound, such as "Nobody was nice to Nancy's neighbor".
Play simple rhyming or blending games with your child, such as taking turns coming up with words that rhyme (go – no) or
blending simple words (/d/, /o/, /g/ = dog).
Read books with rhymes. Teach your child rhymes, short poems, and songs.
Practice the alphabet by pointing out letters wherever you see them and by reading alphabet books.
Consider using computer software that focuses on developing phonological and phonemic awareness skills. Many of
these programs use colorful graphics and animation that keep young children engaged and motivated.
Phonics and Decoding
Q: When my child struggles while reading, what else can I do besides saying, "Sound it out?"Get your mouth ready for the first sound.
Does that make sense? Reread and think about what would make sense and look right.
Check the middle (or end) of the word.
Cover the ending and find a part you know.
Chunk the word.
Is there another word you know that looks like this part?
Use an analogy. (Ex: The eigh in neighbor is like eight.)
Reread the sentence and look for clues.
Fluency
Q: What is fluency and why is it important?Fluency is not just reading quickly. It is reading with expression, accuracy and rate. (Remember this with the acronym EAR.) The ultimate goal of fluency is that it leads to comprehension.
Q: How can I help my child become a more fluent reader?Reread sentences in different voices (Ex: whisper voice, kindly grandma, stern dad, police officer, whiny child, excited child)
Draw a slash (/) after sets of words to show where natural pauses should occur.
Echo read. (You read a sentence with expression and then your child rereads mimicking your reading.)
Most importantly, reread familiar texts, poems, and songs to practice and build confidence.
Read books with conversation in them (Ex. 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow)
Building Vocabulary
Q: How can I build word knowledge into our everyday discussions?
Create what is called a cloze passage. Cover up every 7th word or selected vocabulary words with a post it note. Ask your child to figure out what word would fill in the blank based on what the surrounding words and sentences say. This is an easy way to talk about specific vocabulary and parts of speech.
Comprehension
Q: What are some other fun ways to practice comprehension strategies while we are reading?
103 Things to do Before, During and After Reading
Q: How can I encourage good comprehension while my child is reading?
Print out one of the following bookmarks and use it as a springboard for discussion with your child.