How to Support Your Child's Reading Journey
At back-to-school night, teachers from kindergarten through second grade will often emphasize the importance of nightly reading. But what does that actually mean? The answer varies depending on your child's individual reading journey. Sometimes, a teacher can provide guidance, but there are times when you'll need to navigate this yourself.
The Five Key Aspects of Reading
To truly become proficient readers, children need to develop skills in five key areas:
1. Phonics
2. Phonemic Awareness
3. Vocabulary
4. Reading Comprehension
5. Fluency
These aspects work together to create a comprehensive reading experience. A deficiency in any one area can affect your child's overall reading ability and their enjoyment of reading.
Strategies for Reading with Your Child
1. Read Aloud to Your Child
- Choose books that interest them but are too difficult for them to read on their own. This fosters a love for reading by engaging their interests.
- Reading aloud builds background knowledge, supports social-emotional development, and creates valuable family bonding time.
- Use this opportunity to model good reading habits:
- Stop and look up unfamiliar words.
- Use expressive voice to convey emotions.
- Pause at punctuation marks.
- Ask questions about the story and discuss them.
2. Take Turns Reading
- Alternate reading pages or sections with your child.
- This allows you to model good reading practices and listen to your child's reading.
- Pay attention to:
- Their use of pauses and expressions.
- Whether they sound natural or robotic.
- Words they struggle with.
- Questions they ask and connections they make to the story.
- It's a wonderful sign when your child is eager to keep reading and asks you to skip your turn!
3. Encourage Independent Reading
- Have your child read aloud to themselves in a whisper voice. This allows you to monitor their progress and ask questions during or after their reading.
- Ensure they have a solid grasp of the five key reading aspects before allowing them to read entirely on their own.
- Continue to check in on their progress to make sure they are developing their reading skills properly.
By incorporating these strategies, you can support your child's reading development and help them build a lifelong love for reading.
