First Grade News
Helping Your Child Read
TIPS
for parents of First Graders
Give
your child lots of opportunities to read aloud. Inspire
your young reader to practice every day! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help
your child become a happy and confident reader. Try
a new tip each week. See what works best for
your child.
§
Don’t
leave home without it.
Bring
along a book or magazine any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor’s
office.
Always
try to fit in reading!
§
Once
is not enough.
Encourage
your child to re-read favorite books and poems. Re-reading helps kids read more quickly
and accurately.
§
Dig
deeper into the story.
Ask
your child questions about the story you’ve just read. Say something like, “Why
do you think Clifford did that?”
§
Take
control of your television.
It’s
difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Encourage reading as a free-time
activity.
§
Be
patient.
When
your child is trying to sound out an unfamiliar word, give him or her time to do so.
Remind your child to look closely at the first letter or letters of the word.
§
Pick
books that are at the right level.
Help
your child pick books that are not too difficult. The aim is to give your child lots of
successful reading experiences.
§
Play
word games.
Have
your child sound out the word as you change it from mat
to fat to sat; from sat
to sag to sap; and from sap
to sip.
§
I
read to you, you read to me.
Take
turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents.
§
Gently
correct your young reader.
When
your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read
incorrectly. Many beginning readers will guess wildly at a word based on its first letter.
§
Talk,
talk, talk!
Talk
with your child every day about schools and things going on around the house. Sprinkle
some interesting words into the conversation, and build on words you’ve talked about
in the past.
§
Write,
write, write!
Ask
your child to help you write out the grocery list, a thank you note to Grandma, or to keep
a journal of special things that happen at home. When writing, encourage your child to use
the letter and sound patterns he or she is learning at school.
Reading Strategies Bookmark
