How can I help my child with reading?

Children learn to read in grades K-2 and read to learn in grades 3-5.  Our goal is to help your child master the fundamentals of reading in the primary grades so that he/she will be able to do more independent learning in 4th grade and beyond.

     Here are some of the secrets of good readers:

1. They listen to experienced readers (parents and teachers) read aloud daily.
2. They read aloud to an experienced reader daily.
3. They read by themselves for a few minutes per day.
4. They ask for help when they find an unfamiliar word in a story.
5. They understand what they read because the book is on their level.
6. They make a mental picture (a mind movie) of what is happening in the story.
7. They are able to tell what the story was about at the beginning, middle, and end.
8. They are able to tell about the characters and what they are like.
9. They can describe the main events and problems in the story. 
10. They enjoy finding a great book to read and love sharing it with others.

     Students are required to read for 30 minutes each night.  I suggest taking the first 15 minutes to listen to your child read aloud.  Ask questions about the story every once in a while instead of waiting until he/she is finished reading.  Let your child tell you about his/her favorite part of the story and what he/she thinks will happen next.  The last 15 minutes can be devoted to your child reading silently on his/her own.  Don't forget to read aloud one chapter from a chapter book each night before bedtime.  This chapter book can be a book that is above his/her reading level since you will be reading it.  Most importantly, choose a book that you two will love and will look forward to reading every night. 

Tips on Finding Good Children's Books

Pick a children's book with a story that is very clear, or has interesting information.

Choose children's books with colorful, exciting pictures.

Pick books based on the children's interests, abilities and ages.

Check to make sure that all characters in the book are represented positively, and that the books represent people of various cultures, races, and social backgrounds.

The vocabulary should be simple.

Include a variety of kinds of children's books in your collection.

Reading With Your Child

Practice reading out loud to yourself.

     Introduce the book by showing the cover. Be sure to tell who the author and illustrator are.

Try using different voices for different characters. Take your time reading and showing the pictures.   Allow children to ask questions or make comments.

Allow time to discuss the story with your child.

Relate the story to things that have happened to the children.

Try to establish a regular reading schedule.

Have fun sharing a book with children!

Read the favorites over and over again!

Extend the reading time with related activities.

Asking Questions

Good Readers constantly ask questions before, during, and after reading. Questioning provides a purpose for reading and keeps the reader engaged in the text. It propels the reader forward to search for answers to their questions. Questions are answered many different ways: in the text, from prior knowledge, inferences, and further research. There are also some questions that are not answered.

• I wonder.......?

• What do I think is going to happen?

• What am I going to learn?

• Why did the author choose this title?

• Why did the author write this?

• When did the story take place?

• Who is the story about?

• Who is telling the story?

• What do I think will happen next?

• How does the character feel?

• Why did __________ happen?

• I wonder why __________?

• What would I do?

• How is the problem going to be solved?

• Do you think ____ should have _______?

• Am I paying attention to the message?

• Would I be friends with _______?

• What might happen if __________? 

• Do I understand what the author is saying?

• What do I still need to find out?

• Why is this information important?  

• How did I feel when.....?

• What was my opinion of.....?

• When the author said __, I wondered....?

• Why do you think the author.....?

• What was the main idea.....?

• Do I know someone like...?

• What would have happened if......?

• Do I agree with what the author said?

• Would I be friends with _______?

• What might happen if __________?

• What do I still need to find out?

• Why is this information important?

• Do I understand what the author is saying?

Making Connections

Good Readers constantly make connections between what they are reading and their lives, the world, and other texts.  Making connections deepens understanding and brings meaning to the text.

Text-to-Self

This story reminds me of...

I felt the way the character did in this story when......

Text-to-Text

The main character in this story reminds me of the main character in__________.

The problem in this story reminds me of the problem in __________ because...

The solution in this story reminds me of the solution in ___________ because...

Text-to-World