Joseph M. Carkenord

Literacy Link ~ Reading Tips

Successful Readers...

Starting to Read

As your child begins to read, here are some things you can do to help.

¨    Point to the words as you read to your child.  This will show your child that pointing is important.

¨    Let your child put his/her finger on top of yours and “ride” as you point to the words.

¨    Ask your child to point to the words while reading.  Help him/her make them match.

¨    As your child reads, praise the following behaviors:

• Reading with expression
• Re-reading a sentence to make sure it makes sense or to try and figure out a new word
•  Fixing a mistake

¨    When your child gets stuck give him/her time to figure it out, don’t jump in right away.  Count to five silently and slowly before offering support.

¨    If your child is still stuck, try saying one or more of the following:

“Go ahead and try.”

“Does that make sense?”

“Look at the picture for a clue.”

“Does that sound right to you?”

“Can we say it like that?”

“Does that look right?”

If these suggestions do not help, then tell your child the word.  If there are many mistakes, or if you have to tell your child many of the words, then the book is probably too difficult.

These suggestions should help your child become a successful reader!