Teaching Your Child to Read

1. Teaching Your Child to Read Fran Mauney

2. Turn Off the TV • Research shows that the more your child watches TV the higher the chances are for developing ADD. • Spend time reading EVERY day with your child. • Have a quiet, comfortable place set up for your child to do homework.

3. Eat Healthy and Exercise • Have healthy snacks available- cheese, crackers, fruits, yogurt, nuts, celery with peanut butter, carrots and ranch dressing • Make sure your child exercises every day. Increases oxygen to the brain.

4. Read Books on Tape or CD. • Go the library and check out books on tape or CD. • Use headphones or listen to tapes in the car, on a CD player or a jam box. • Listen for turn the page signals and follow along by using your finger or reading strip. • Listen over and over again, until you can match the words with the tape. (Memorizing is OK!) • Finally, you’ll be able to read it by yourself!

5. Use Fun Things to Write Words • Use your fingers to write in sand, shaving cream, bathtub paint, felt boards and wikki stix. • Textured surfaces are great to increase sensory input. • Use cool markers, gel pens, crayons, and magnets to spell words. • Try anything that your child thinks is cool.

6. Spell Words with Singing • Use easy songs to help spell words. • Use the tune “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or “The Farmer in the Dell” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb” or “Who Let the Dogs Out?” to spell weekly spelling words. • They will remember the tune and the letters better that way.

7. Draw Pictures • When studying vocabulary words or spelling words, make flashcards. You can make large or small flashcards. • Have the children illustrate the words on the back to help them recall the word and make connections. Children remember by drawing, also. • You can write sentences for them, cut the sentences apart, then say each word. Scramble all the words at the end of the lesson, to see how many they remember. You’ll be surprised!

8. Use a Pen Light • To help children focus on the words when reading text, use a small flash light or pen light to illuminate the words. This makes it fun and exciting!

9. Use a Reading Strip • Make or buy a reading strip for students to use. • You can use an index card to place under the words. • You can cut out a section of the index card, so your child is focused on one or more words at a time.

10. Retell Stories • After reading with or to your child, have him retell the stories in his own words. • This will help with comprehension. • Discuss what happened in the beginning, middle and end of the story. • Drawing the sequence of events is helpful, too.

11. Book Talk • After your child has read a paragraph or more, ask them to retell what just happened. This is called a Book Talk. • Talking about what just happened in the story helps the child remember better. • Tell who the characters are, what the problem is, predict what will happen next, and how the problem is solved.

12. Buy Interesting Literature • Find out what interests your child. • Buy cards, magazines, newspapers, and software programs that appeal to your child’s interests. • Some examples are “Sports Illustrated for Kids”, “American Girl”, “Ranger Rick”, “Time for Kids” are good magazines.

13. Act Out Stories • Be actors and actresses. • Choose a scene from the book to act out. Use accents, expression, and fluency when reading the scene. • Use a microphone to record the readings or a video camera to record performances. Put on a show about your book.