How Can I Help My Child with Reading at Home?

It is vital that your children have opportunities to do the following:

• Be read to on a regular basis
• Read to someone else
• Witness reading and writing as essential activities in our lives

Read to your child. Research has shown that children who are read to become better readers and thus better students. Have fun! Before reading, look at the pictures and predict what might happen in the story. Talk about exciting parts, your favorite character, or a new way to end the book.

Read with your child. Praise and encourage early readers who can read to you through the pictures! As your child begins to recognize the words, try to focus on what he or she is doing well. If your child comes to an unknown word, give him or her some time before you speak. Rather than immediately telling your child to “sound it out,” try some of these suggestions:

• “What would make sense there?”
• “Skip over it and read to the end of the sentence. Now what do you think that word might be?”
• “Use the picture to help you figure out what it might be.”
• “Look at how the word begins. Start it out and keep reading.”

Or, simply tell your child the word so he or she can keep going with the flow of the story. Above all else, keep reading an enjoyable activity.

Let your child see you read! Show your child that reading is enjoyable. Share appropriate stories you are reading in the newspaper. Talk about the recipe you are preparing. Look at the instructions printed on a board game. Laugh out loud while reading your favorite novel!

Point out reading as you go through daily living. Reading is everywhere! We read for information and assistance. Talk with your child as you look at street signs, billboards, fast-food menus, or directions.

Visit the library with your child. They will value what you value!

Have books in your home that your child can read. Suggest books as gifts from your family at birthday and holiday times. Help your child find or make a safe place to keep his or her special books, away from pets and siblings. Library books kept in this space will be readily available when they are due.

Book Discussion Questions

Questions to promote discussion about a story.

Plot:
What happened in the story? What happened first, then, next, last?
What might have happened if a certain event had not taken place?
Were you able to predict the ending?
Which chapter was the most important to the story? Why?

Setting:
Where did the story take place?
Could there be a place like this? Do you know of a place like this?
When did the story take place? (past, present, future)
How did the writer create the atmosphere for the setting?

Characterization:
Which character did you like best? Why?
How did the author describe the characters?
Find a passage that tells you about a character’s personality.
How did the characters change during the story?

Author Style:
What special words did the author use to help you hear, see, smell, taste, or feel things?
What pictures have the author’s writing left in your mind?
How does the author let you know when and where the story takes place?
What do you like about this author?

Affective:
How did you feel while reading the book? Why did you feel that way?
What was the most exciting/unusual/mysterious incident?
Does the mood of the story change? How?
Why did you select this book?