MAKING THE MOST OF READING WITH YOUR CHILD A Montauk PTA Presentation, October 27, 2009 Presented by Patricia Byrne

Five Components of Reading Basic Tips for Helping Your Children Read Helping Your Child Read Aloud Correcting Reading Errors Reading Aloud to your Child Creating a Good Home Environment for Reading Some Fun Things to Try that Involve Reading

Five Components of Reading 1.Phonics 2.Phonemic Awareness 3.Reading Fluency 4.Vocabulary Development 5.Reading Comprehension Strategies

Some Basic Tips for Helping Your Child with Reading Helping Them Read Aloud Have your child read and reread the same books to build fluency. Encourage them to read easy books, too. Children should recognize 90% of the vocabulary in new books they choose. To work on reading comprehension, keep your child actively engaged with the book. Have them talk about a books content before, during and after a book has been read. When you ask questions, make sure they support their answers with information from the actual text.

Correcting Reading Errors Wait until end of sentence to point out error. Help your child sound out a difficult word; slowly stretch it out. Give hints – Its a long vowel… Dont let your child struggle for more than 3 or 4 seconds with the pronunciation of a word. If they are having real trouble with a word, skip it and go back. If your child doesnt know the meaning of a word, show your child how to figure out from pictures and from clues in the text. Once they say it correctly and understand its meaning, ask them to go back and reread the entire sentence.

Reading Aloud to Your Child Children need to hear language beyond their reading skill. Even older children benefit. Start off by asking them to make a few predictions. Read slowly, with expression. Ham it up! Make sure children can view pictures, if any. Younger children can play quietly while you read – they are listening.

Reading Aloud to Your Child (continued) Dont read past their attention spans, but read to end of chapter or section. Simplify text, if necessary. Set a specific time aside to read aloud – it will be a time of day when you feel closest to them!

Creating a Good Home Environment for Reading Leave all sorts of reading material around- books, magazines, catalogues, joke books etc. Notice what attracts your children's attention and build on that. Ask your child to go through your junk mail every day to see if there is anything worth saving. Set up a reading area in the home; each child should have his or her own bookshelf. Involve them in how you use reading: menus, reading recipes, planning a family trip, identifying a flower or stamp. Let them see you reading for pleasure, and discussing things youve read with friends.

Creating a Good Home Environment for Reading (continued) Get an older sibling to read to the younger ones. Make stopping by the library part of the errands in town that you do with your children. Share your own reactions to something youve read and encourage your children to share theirs. Encourage the kids to play games that are reading- related, such as Scrabble, Yahtzee or other board games Always have a book handy to read aloud to them while waiting anywhere, such as in a doctors office or before a softball game. Consider setting aside a family reading time Have them go to Library Fun at montaukschool.org. Theres lots to explore there!

Some Fun Things to Try: Start a family book club. Choose a theme and everyone can get a book on that subject at their level. Create membership cards. Make secret handshake. Make a speaking stick to pass to each speaker at the club meetings. Designate a Reader of the Day to read out loud after dinner. Have a Reading Picnic outside or in. Just throw a blanket down. Make cookies with the words plot, character or theme written in icing. Children choose a cooky and discuss that topic. Have a Morning Reading Parties on Saturdays. Do a Chain Story, each reader with a different book reading a sentence. Every couple of weeks or so, have a Reading Dinner. Everyone brings something to read to the table, discusses it a bit and then all read silently. Schedule an OH DEAR Day – Drop Everything And Read at a designated time. Spend time making reading hideaways. Toss a sheet over a table or throw some pillows into a corner to make a special place. Host a book swap with some of your childrens friends. They can write their names on the books, set them up and talk about them with their friends, encouraging a temporary swap.

Some Helpful Websites Good general sites on reading: The Library Fun site at edpicks.jhtml?src=ln edpicks.jhtml?src=ln