Tips to Help your Child with Reading

The majority of children learn how to read by putting together letters that match up with the familiar sounds they have heard before. Children learn the sounds that the letters make and then learn how letters come together to make words.

Words are not exclusive to books. Just take a look around you and you'll see that words are everywhere. Success in modern civilization depends on the written language. You can use the words that you see in everyday life to help your child in learning how to read.

When children are starting to read, they begin to learn that text on a page actually has a concrete meaning. Words give us information to navigate through the world, to identify our belongings, and to communicate with others.

You can help your child advance his or her reading skills by:

• Singing: Rhymes show children how letters can make the same patterns in different words. Play words games with your child to make word identification fun.
• Play I-spy: This classic game can show your children that every word starts with a letter.
• Point things out: If you are at the grocery store explain to them what everything is.
• Read. Have your child pick out a book for you to read to them.
• Involvement: When you read to your child use your finger to go over the words so they see that words go from left to right and that sentences read from top to bottom.
• Offer Help: Don't make your child guess over and over until they get it right. This will only get them frustrated once they reach a certain point. You need to help them spell the word out and explain to them how the letters make the sounds they hear.
• Offer Encouragement: Positive reinforcement is crucial. Let them know how proud you are of them.