Reading With Your Child
Choosing a Book:
If you need to choose a book have the child use the five finger method. Open to the first page in the book. Have the student read and cover each word with a finger he does not know. The material is too difficult if the child covered five words, so choose another book.
Reading Strategies:
Prediction/ Build Background
Do a walk through and look at the pictures in fiction and the pictures, captions, maps etc. in a nonfiction piece. Have your child make predictions as to what will happen or what they will learn.
Methods for reading together:
Modeling:
The parent reads one page modeling reading with expression and noticing punctuation then the student does the same.
The parent/child may do the same with each sentence.
The parent could read and periodically pause allowing the student to provide the word.
You might read in unison.
Clarifying:
Phonics
To coach the child when they encounter an unfamiliar word, walk the student through the steps of figuring out the word by chunking.
1. If the word has more than one syllable, ask the student where they would chunk/divide the word.
2. Then ask what the vowels are and what sound the vowel would make within the small chunk.
3. Once the child has sounded out the small chunk then move on to the next one and do in the same manner.
4. Then have the student put all the chunks together.
5. Does the word sound correct, look correct and make sense there?
6. Giving the child extra wait time, 5-7 seconds is important.
7. Another valuable technique for figuring out an unknown word is by the student using context cues. Here the student skips the word, reads to the end of the sentence, thinks what would make sense in the sentence then goes back to #1 above. Picture clues are also valuable tools.
8. Ask your child how he/she would finger spell the word. You will be amazed by how the youngster has developed reading strategies!
Word Meaning
“I read this word:_________. I’m not sure what this word is or what it means. I look at the picture or read to the end of the sentence. Now I think the word means…..”
An Idea
“ I don’t understand this idea:____________. First I __________ (reread, look at the pictures, etc.). Then I understand that… I reread the sentence and it makes sense.
Comprehension
1. Periodically, stop reading and you summarize what has occurred in the story or have the student summarize important things he/she has read. Ask Who, What, Where, When, and Why type questions. The child might poise a question for you to answer.
2. Ask the child: Did you like the story? What did you like best about the story? Would you recommend this story? What did you learn?
3. Ask the student to draw a picture in his/her head and tell what they are picturing.
If you ask a question that the child can not answer, show the child the paragraph where the answer is located and encourage the child to reread to locate the answer.
The most important thing is to have fun and teach your child the pleasure of reading!
