Reading

Parent Tips For Making Reading Fun

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How to help  you child develop better reading skills....

Is the book interesting?

Make sure your child is reading a book that they will find interesting and that is appropriate for their reading level.

Consider your child's interests...

Always consider your child’s interests or hobbies when selecting a book. They will be more likely to read longer if they enjoy the plot of the book.

What is the Five Finger Test?

Use the five finger test to help your child select books appropriate for his/her reading level.  Follow these rules:

• Open the book to the middle and choose a full page of text.
• Have your child read the page.
• Put up one finger, starting with the pinky finger, for each word that they do not know.
• If you get to your thumb (five fingers up), the book is too hard.
• If you do not get any fingers up, but are sounding out many words, the book is too hard.  If the child knows all the words, the book is too easy. If there are two or three unknown words on the page, the child has found a "just right" book.

Be creative with your reading time...

No matter what the age children love to have you read books aloud.  Take the time to do this on a regular basis with your child.

Practice shared reading, where you take turns reading aloud with your child. Types of shared reading can be found in the INDEPENDENT READER SECTION.

Invite your child to read a favorite book to a younger sibling or friend.

Record your child reading a favorite book and have them mail the tape to a relative or friend. The recorded story could also become a wonderful addition to a childhood memory box.

Discuss the story with your child to be sure they are understanding what they are reading. Ask some of the following questions:

• Who or what is the story about?
• Who are the main characters?
• When or where does the story take place?
• What happens in the beginning?
• What happens in the middle?
• How does the story end?

Invite your child to draw a picture illustrating a favorite scene or character from a story. Encourage your child to write a descriptive paragraph about it and read it to you.

Have your child reread and then create a list of three favorite books to give to a friend. 

Set goals...

Have your child establish a goal of how many books they will read in a specific time frame.  Have them create a progress chart to log their books. Offer a reward as an incentive for meeting their goals.

Should my child read easy books?

Children sometimes like to read easy books for pure enjoyment. This is fine, a variety is required on occasion, but encourage them to try something harder.

If your child chooses a book that is too difficult, read the book with them or read aloud to them.

Independent Readers...

Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly with appropriate expression. Your child should ultimately read the way he or she talks. 

Fluency will develop as a result of many opportunities to practice reading  with a high degree of success.  You should provide occasions for your elementary school child to read a simple passage orally for one minute.  Mark the last word read each time.  Do this several times and your child will see improvement each time. Be sure to praise your child for reading further the second time. If your child is reading aloud and misreads a word or hesitates for 3 to 5 seconds, tell your child the word and create a list of these words to review at a later date. 

Other techniques to help your child to fluency:

Assisted Reading: The adult reads the text first and then the child reads the same passage.  This will provide the child with a model as to how the passage should be read.  Continue rereading until the child reads the way he talks (Approximately  3 -4 times).

Echo Reading:  This is similar to the first technique except the adult reads one line followed by the child.  The adult gradually increases the speed and amount of text to be echoed.

Choral Reading:  The adult reads the text first.  Then the child reads with the adult.  After several rereadings together, the child should be able to read the passage independently.

Taped Reading:  The child practices reading text and then records himself/herself.

Performance Reading: The child practices a passage in preparation for a "performance" for mom and/or dad. 

Timed Reading or Reading More Words:  The child reads for one minute and marks their spot.  They then attempt to increase their speed in subsequent readings.

Research shows that repeated readings lead to improved comprehension.