How to Read With Your Child

Experts recommend that your child reads at least 20 minutes each day in order to improve his/her reading fluency and comprehension skills. Part of that reading time can be your child reading aloud to you. Some parents find it difficult to figure out what to do or say when their child gets "stuck." Here are some simple steps to take when your child is reading with you and comes to a word he/she is unfamiliar with.

Difficulty:

 

Easy

Instructions

1

1. • WAIT!

     The first thing to do when your child is struggling with a word is to WAIT. Seriously, give them some time to try to figure it out. They are more likely to remember that word the next time they come across it if they figure it out on their own.
   • 2
     Help

     After you allow your child some time, and they come up with a word that does not makes sense in the sentence, give them clues to how that word is used in the sentence. Repeat the sentence to them with the word that they said in it and ask, "Does that make sense?" or "What word could we put here to make the sentence make sense?"
   • 3
     If the mistake does make sense, then have your child look at the letters and sounds of that particular word. Let's say the word is 'cat' and your child said 'cap.' Say something like, "You said cap, would the word cap end in the /p/ sound or the /t/ sound?" Then point out that the word ends in the /t/ sound. This will guide your child to correct him/herself.
   • 4
     If your child cannot come up with the word at all, guide him or her back to the beginning of the sentence and ask them to begin again. Sometimes children struggle so much with sounding out words they forget to take in the meaning of the sentence.
   • 5
     
     

     If your child does not come up with the correct word after two attempts, then say the word for the child so that they can move on. A reader needs to struggle a little, but not so much that they do not care for reading anymore!