Helping your child learn to read
literacy; literate; reading; words; spelling; writing; read; illiteracy; illiterate;
Contents
Reading is one of the skills that your child will need so that she can learn, understand and communicate in the ever changing and challenging world in which we live.
Speaking and listening, reading and watching, drawing and writing are all part of literacy. Looking at these different areas of literacy, it is clear that children will start learning a lot of these skills long before they go to school.
As most of the pre-school and junior primary school child's life is spent at home, that is where they start learning these skills.
Our topic on 'More than reading and writing' can give you ideas on how you can help your child develop literacy skills. This topic gives some practical advice on helping and encouraging your child to become a reader.
Reading and watching
Your child will want to read if:
- he sees others reading, especially you
- there are things to read around the home
- you read stories, recipes, instructions etc. out loud and get your child to help so that he understands that reading has many purposes
- he starts to read simple books with lots of pictures to give clues about the story
- you have regular reading times together
- you point out words around you, like parking, street and shop signs, and words on food
- he can help to find things in the supermarket by recognising packaging and words.
Names or sounds?
Words are made up of sounds linked together.
The names of the letters are different to the sounds they make. Sometimes it is hard for kids if they learn the names of the letters first, then try to read words.
- Try using the sounds first, so that the child can see that they link to make words. The sounds of c-a-t together make a word, but the names of those letters don't.
- Learning the sounds first gets the idea across that words are made from the sounds that letters make, so this doesn't confuse the child.
- Of course you will find that some words don't sound like their joined sounds. That's English for you!
Then you can use the 'look and say' technique which consists of using the word so often that it becomes a familiar and recognisable shape.
There is time enough later to learn the 'grown up' names of letters.
Ways to encourage reading
- Play word games like "What does the cow say?", "Moo", or "I spy with my little eye something beginning with a". As this game can only use objects which can be seen, it is helpful for the beginning reader.
- Look for all the letters your child is learning in a sentence, and praise her when she finds them all.
- Use alphabet books or make lists of words that your child thinks of that begin with whatever letter you are teaching.
- Sing nursery rhymes, then 'read' them with your child.
- Use your finger to follow the words in story books, then let her do the same when she knows the words.
- Stick the names of things around the house on a door or fridge, then ask what the words say. Take them off when the child knows the words, but revisit the learnt words again and again until she recognises them instantly.
- Use books and story tapes, and share the book while you listen to the words.
- Draw letters in the sand or use play dough to make letters and words.
- Sound out words when you are talking, or play a game to sound out and guess the word.
Use whatever you can think of to make reading fun and show how good it is to be able to read.
Make it easy for your child to read and to keep up with reading books from school by:
- having a special time together for reading every day
- having a reading place where it is quiet and away from distractions, like the TV or other people in the family
- share this reading time so that other people in the family read with the child too
- list words that he didn't know and go through the list until he can recognise them
- praise him and encourage him to read to others who will also praise him
- don't be too quick, or too slow, to say the word that your child is trying to sound out.
Talk to your child's teacher if you want some more reading ideas.
Watch out for problems
If your child doesn't want to read, can't sit still, gets upset or seems to be struggling to learn or recognise letters, then there may be a problem.
- Ask the teacher if your child is reluctant to try to read at school or home.
- Ask the child why she doesn't want to read. (Be aware that wanting her to read when it is noisy, there are other kids to play with, or a favourite program is on the telly could explain why she doesn't want to read at that time!)
- Ask your doctor. There could be a physical reason for your child not wanting to read, such as a vision problem. It is hard for a child to explain that the words seem fuzzy or the letters seem to move around - after all, she doesn't know that's not what they are supposed to do! All she knows is that reading and concentrating is hard.
All children learn at their own pace when they are ready. If your child seems slower than her friends and there doesn't appear to be any physical reason, don't panic. Just keep on quietly reading to her from a variety of sources. Try finding reading materials about things that interest her. Join the local library and borrow some of the reading games and materials as well as the books there.
Writing
It can be very hard for kids to read written words because there are so many different styles of writing, even in books.
It can be even harder for a child to start learning writing at home and then have to relearn how to make the letters when he gets to school.
In South Australia a very simple style is used. The letters can easily be joined together to make cursive writing when the child is older.
Forming the letters in the right way is really important, so if your child is keen to start writing, ask at your local school for a chart on writing showing how the letters are formed. Learning how to form letters correctly will give your child a great start, he will not have to unlearn and relearn… and his future teachers will love you for it!
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.