Strategies to Help Your Child Read

Literacy is a gift all children deserve, and parents play an important role in teaching their children this valuable skill.  Some tips for parents of elementary students:

• Read the same book often. Let your child pick old favorites to hear again. Pick favorites of your own to read.
• Choose a time when you are relaxed. Reading to your child should be fun for your child and fun for you, too!
• Let your child ask questions, make comments and talk about pictures. Talking with you about the story is as important as hearing you read the words.
• If the book is too hard for your child to understand, or the pages are too long, just read a small part or use the pictures as a way to have a conversation.
• Ask the librarian to help you find books that your child will enjoy. Library staff can be very helpful in expanding the number of books your child enjoys.
• Point to the words.
• Check the picture.
• Chunk it! Look at the word parts.
• Read to the end of the sentence.
• Go back & reread together.
• Encourage your child to think about the story