I spent nearly 7 years raising 3 of my grandchildren. Naturally, I was very interested in seeing that they made the most of their education in order for them to do well in their lives. It didn’t take me long to realize that a child struggling with reading will struggle with all aspects of school. Near the end of Kindergarten, when children are beginning to learn to sound out words and to read their first storybooks, my granddaughter fell behind. In first grade, she was reading far below her grade level and it became a cause for concern. We put forth every effort to improve her reading ability, and by the end of the school year, she was not only caught up, but reading above her grade level.
Helping a child improve their reading is not as simple as it first seems. I first had to do some research in order to learn how to teach her. Just reading to her and having her read to me was not quite enough. I utilized the internet and learned how to explain to her the rules of sounding out words. Once she understood the rules that made words sound the way they do, her reading improved greatly. Here are some tips that I learned while helping my granddaughter catch up on her reading.
Learn the vowel rules
What makes a vowel make a long sound? How do you know when a vowel has a short sound? When an adult reads, they aren’t thinking about what makes words sound the way they do. I needed to explain to a child the reasons for the sounds that the letters made, in such a way that she would understand. Using the internet, I was able to learn the rules again. When she understood the rules, she was able to read with more confidence.
Use flashcards
Sight words increase reading speed, and as a result, your child’s reading level will increase. Use index cards to make flashcards with common words on them so that your child will learn these words by sight. A good beginning would be words such as the, and, that, by, but, my, her, him, they, can, do, for, and many others. You can use any words that you see frequently in reading to your child. A word that they see often and usually have trouble with is a good one to put on the cards. Gradually add more words to your flashcards. Your child’s school will most likely send home a list of sight words that they will need to learn. Use this list to make your flashcards also. Don’t limit your child to only what the school requires. As your child improves, add more words to the list.
Reading aloud
Children are tested in school on their ability to read aloud. This is a large part of their grade that determines their reading level. Practice reading aloud to your child, and also have your child read to you. Alternating paragraphs is a good way to do this without it seeming like work for your child. If you make reading aloud fun, it will help them to get past the shyness of reading in front of other people.
When reading aloud it is important to read with expression. Pausing in the appropriate places for comma’s and periods, and using the proper tone of voice are necessary to make your reading understandable to a listener. A sentence that portrays action or excitement read in a dull, monotone voice, maybe be read word perfect, but it does not sound as good as the same sentence read with expression in the voice. If pauses are not in the right spots, the listener might have trouble understanding what you read.
A tip to help your child read with expression would be to take turns reading aloud, and to use voices for the characters when they talk. A scary voice for a villain or a cheerful voice for a talking animal will help your child to enjoy reading aloud. Making reading aloud fun will go a long way toward helping your child improve her ability.
Practice comprehension
The ability to read is not limited to being able to sound out the words. Comprehension is very important. Many children can read the words but do not understand or remember what they have read. You can improve your child’s comprehension by discussing each paragraph after you have read it. With practice, you can go for longer periods before discussing the action in the book. Even small children will benefit from discussing what has just been read to them. Make sure that your child understands the meanings of words also. Whenever you come upon an unfamiliar word that your child doesn’t recognize, use this opportunity to discuss the word, and its meaning.
Books and movies
Many of your child’s favorite movies were first a book. I like to make sure that we read the book before seeing the movie, but reading it after the movie is also good. When you explain to your child that so much more can happen in a book than in a movie, they might not believe you at first. When they have read the book, and also seen the movie, they will understand what you meant.
Sources
http://www.reference.com/motif/Education/vowel-sound-rule
http://www.readingfoundation.org/
http://www.readingrockets.org/
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