A synthesis of advice from various posters to this site regarding early reading (compiled by Suzanne aka Bigmighty):
1. If your child does not show interest in early reading, this is certainly not an indication that the child is not gifted. A great number of gifted children learn to read at six or seven years of age, some even later.
2. Please keep reading to your kids even after they can read to themselves. Go to the library frequently if it is an option. See The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for ideas about what to read to your child at varying ages.
3. Just because your child starts recognizing letters, sight words, and sounding out a few things does not necessarily mean that he or she will soon be a fluent reader. Many parents posting to this board who had very early readers noticed signs of reading at age two or two and a half, yet their children didn’t become fluent readers until age five – some even later.
4. Play rhyming games and sound I.D. games with beginning and pre-readers. Rhyming songs, Dr Seuss and Mother Goose are good too.
5. Point out letters and words everywhere you go with your child – on the highway, in the grocery store, etc. Everything from stop signs to fast food restaurant logos can help enforce early reading skills.
6. While shopping, ask your child to come up with a rhyming word for each item you put into the grocery cart – “Here’s a can of tuna. Can you think of another word that rhymes with can?”
7. Let your child cross items off of the grocery list as you put them into the cart.
8. When reading to your child, follow along with the text with your finger. This reinforces that text in English is read from left to right and also may reinforce some sight words.
9. Have your child take the pre-reading assessment “Get Ready to Read” at:
http://www.familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,23-25466,00.html?promo_home
10. There are some very basic early readers out there that are short enough not to discourage young beginners. Find the Bob Books, the Now I’m Reading series, or Rookie Readers. Some libraries stock these. They are widely available on Amazon and other on-line bookstores. The Word Bird books are available at most libraries. The Brand New Readers series is good because it has a lot of visual cues:
http://www.brandnewreaders.com/bnr/
11. Write brief notes to leave for your child each morning. “Dear John, I love you. Have a super day! Love, Mom” might be just enough to enthuse a beginner about being able to read “all by himself.”
12. Big print is best. Make sure that print on beginning materials is really large and inviting.
13. Consider buying some large beginner sized magnetic words for the fridge. Several companies make them such as these :
http://www.educationalfavorites.com/toys-games/magnetic-poetry-first-words-kid-3185.html
14. Alternate. If your child gets tired of the effort of reading after a very brief period, switch off. You read one line, then your child does. Or, if your child gets disinterested easily, you read two sentences and then point to a word or two for your child. Then you take the lead again. Over time, you will be able to alternate paragraphs, or pages, or even chapters. For a reluctant reader, try having the child read the chapter title to you, then you read the title to her.
15. Develop and print out create-your-own stories with large type on the computer with just a few words for each page. Your child can help with the story line and do the illustrations.
16. As your child progresses, if she is frustrated with the quality of literature that is available at her reading level, engage her help in reading to younger children. She may have no interest in what she deems to be “baby books” but may willingly read those same books to younger siblings or neighbors and get in some good reading practice.
17. Create treasure hunts and leave short clues using words your child is familiar with or can sound out.
18. The “I Spy” stage 1 books are good for children just progressing out of the very early reading stage. There are not too many words per page, plus most of the words are for familiar household things, so your child has likely seen many of them before.
19. Play labeling games in which you type words of common household objects, then run around the house taping their names on them (door, toy, cup, etc.).
20. If you are looking for a more formal way to introduce reading instruction, take a look at the book “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.” Some of the parents who post to this board had good success using this book to assist their young children with reading. It is available at most libraries, so you can check it out first to see if your child likes it before you make a financial investment in your own copy.
21. Another reading instruction program is "Reading Reflex", a book that teaches Phono-Graphix. It has detailed lesson plans and the necessary letters and words. The activities are more appropriate for younger kids than some of the other formal phonics programs. It is also far less expensive.
22. If you are curious as to your child’s reading level, or are in need of assistance with selecting appropriate reading material as your child’s reading improves, there are several reading level assessments that may help. One is at:
http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/articles/060899.htm
Another is:
http://pt.liverpool.k12.ny.us/reading/levelestimator/estimator.htm
23. Check out the preview books at:
http://www.readinga-z.com/newfiles/preview.html
Many can be downloaded and printed.
24. As your child becomes a fluent reader, it may help to check out large print versions of books he or she might like. The big text and extra white space seems to encourage some young readers that they can do it.
25. Even when all of the pieces seem to be in place, many early readers seem to stall at one level and stop making progress for quite a while. Keep doing fun things from those listed above and others that you can think of, but don’t worry if you see no improvement. You will probably be surprised a few months later when something “just clicks” and suddenly your child makes tremendous leaps and bounds in reading level and comprehension. Many parents who post here have shared similar experiences.
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