Tips for Reading to Your Child
Tips for Reading to Your Child
from The Parent Teacher Bridge
1. Expose them to fiction (make-believe stories) and non-fiction (factual books).
The trend in schools is for elementary teachers to have ½ of their classroom libraries filled with nonfiction books. As adults, we might enjoy a good novel here and there, but many written materials we need are nonfiction: news articles, instruction manuals—even recipes. Children love nonfiction books with topics such as animals, weather and space.
2. Track your print when you read with them.
This is simply pointing to the exact words as you read them. It is a behavior that is essential to developing a good reader. Children learn from this: which page to read first, which direction to go when reading (left to right) , and get regular sight word practice as they point to each word. For example, the more times they read the book and point to the word “the” or “who,” the more likely they are to remember—even if they see it in a different book. You might have seen the bouncing ball on a sing-along dvd, where the ball bounces on each word at the exact time. It’s the same concept. It keeps the child on track. Even tracking print with a “magic reading stick” (anything you can make look cool) can make the reading more fun if Little Susie is a stubborn about using her finger. With my 4 year old, I made a stick out of twisted aluminum foil.
3. The last tip for reading aloud with your child is to talk with him or her after you reach each page.
You might make a comment such as, “Wow! I don’t think I would answer the door for that Big Bad Wolf.” Or it could be a question you ask. Such as, “What do you think Goldilocks will do when those bears come home?” Modeling this thinking is modeling true reading. Remember, reading is more than just saying the right words on a page. Reading involves understanding and remembering what you have read. Your child will pick up on what you are doing and will begin imitating your behavior.
Reading with your child is such a special time with more benefits than I could possibly describe in this one video. Treasure it and know it is a gift you’re giving your child. Even on your busiest day, try to fit in reading a small book, a few pages of a book, or even a poem. Some reading is better than no reading at all.
