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How
Parents Can Help Children
Become Successful Readers
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Read...Read...Read!!!
Reading
is the foundation of success in school...and in life!
The ability to read and write is necessary
before a child can master other subjects or communicate
what they have learned. What is even more important
is that a child ENJOYS reading! This will enable them
to continue to learn and grow throughout their lives.
Parents have a very special and important role to
play in helping their children become better readers.
They know their children better than anyone else,
they can help to pick books that meet their special
interests, they are available to give encouragement
and support, and they want their children to be successful
in all they do.
On this page are some general suggestions from
experts in the field. Click on a specific age group
to see the activities that you could do at home for
a child that is this age.
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Reading
is a skill that gets better with practice! Kids who
spend time each day reading are much more likely to become
good readers. Encourage your children to spend some time
reading each day.
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Give
your children a wide range of experiences while they
are young. These are the foundation for understanding
what they read. Go on trips to the zoo, picnics, trips
to a park, museums, etc. |
Read
aloud to your children! Research
shows that this is the most important thing that you can
do to help your children become successful readers.
*Begin to read to your children as soon as possible.
*Remember that the art of listening must be taught and
will improve with patience and time.
*Kids will ask a lot of questions - answer them as you
read.
*Vary the length and subject matter of the books you read.
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Tips
for reading aloud:
*Stop before the end of the story and ask your child
to predict the ending.
*Ask your child to locate the rhyming words.
*After finishing a story, ask your child to talk about
how the story relates to personal experiences s/he might
have had.
*Ask
your child how they might change the ending of the story.
*Ask your child to draw a picture about something from
a story. |
Set
aside some time each week to visit the public library.
If you check out a book yourself, you can also set a wonderful
example of the importance of reading. The library also
offers great programs for kids!
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Look
for unusual places to do your daily reading time with
your children. This helps to make reading time fun. Have
you tried:
*Outside under a shady tree or at a park?
*Keeping a book in your glove box for traffic delays or
long trips?
*Making
a hideout with an old sheet and a table?
*Setting up a tent outside to read in? |
Make
reading easy! Children should have their own bookshelf
filled with interesting books so that they have easy access
to them.
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| Relax
bedtime rules once a week (during a weekend) as long
as your child is reading in bed. This will encourage your
child to read and reinforce that reading is fun! |
Suggestions
from (and for) busy parents. Schedule your read aloud
time during breakfast, bathtub time, or have your child
read to you during dinner preparations. |
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a family library by giving books as gifts, visit used
book stores or yard sales, and encouraging you child to
swap books with friends. |
Cooking
a recipe together is a great way to incorporate reading!
Choose food that your child will enjoy that is made with
a simple recipe. Have your child help to read through
the directions (and help measure too).
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| Turn
your whole house into a reading lesson by labeling
as many of the items in your house as you can. Use sentences
like: This is the sink. |
Limit
the amount of time that your child spends in front of
the TV. Research shows that children who spend more
than 10 hours/week watching TV do worse in reading.
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| Try
a scavenger hunt in your house. Leave clues for your
child to follow in a search. Your child will have fun
while practicing reading. |
When
your child asks a question that you don't know the answer
to, help him look it up. Use a book in your house
or go to the library. This will show your child how to
find answers in the future.
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Introduce
your child to new vocabulary. Children love learning
the meaning of "big words".
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Model
conversations in a group. Take turns talking, look
at the speaker, ask questions, etc. |
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