There are many ways that you can help your child excel at reading. Each child is different, and what will help them may also differ. However, there are a few strategies that often work with children of all reading levels and ages.
5 Tips For Teaching Reading at Home
1- Take Turns Reading
One of the best ways to help your child improve their reading skills is to take turns reading with them. Read aloud together, and talk about the story as you are reading. Creating some “us” time when you are reading with your child makes reading a fun experience.
When you read aloud to your child, you allow them to hear how words are pronounced and in what context they are being used. This is essential to language skills.
2- Choose The Right Books
Make sure that the books you read with your child are interesting to them. One of the issues many children have regarding reading is that they do not like the storyline.
Go to the library and look for different types of books and subjects. If your child likes to talk about dinosaurs, get books on dinosaurs. If they like mysteries, find those types of books to read. When they enjoy the subject, they will be more willing to read with you.
3- Make A List of Questions
Before you and your child begin to read a book together, write down a few questions that you hope to have answered by the story. Make some guesses from the title name or pictures on the cover.
This helps improve reading comprehension. Your child will be concentrating on the words more, looking for the answers to the questions. You may even find more questions to answer as you move through the story. This is a great way to interact with a story, and make it more interesting.
4- Find Different Ways to Encourage Reading
Have your child work with you in the kitchen reading directions on a recipe, or read the directions to a place you are visiting. Have your child read brochures about places to visit or instructions on how to make a craft together. Every opportunity to have your child read is beneficial to your child.
5- Consider a Reading Tutor
If your child is still having difficulty reading, it may be beneficial to have a reading tutor. A reading tutor brings a different perspective to the situation. Tutors are trained teachers that can provide one-on-one time with your child.
Tutors also have a way of presenting reading to your child in a different way than parents or their school teachers. For some children, this is exactly what they need to start excelling at this subject.
Helping your child become a strong reader will benefit them for the rest of their lives. It will help them in every subject in school, different activities, and even their career when they are an adult. If your child is struggling with reading, the time to act is now.
