By Kim Sodano & Nicole Young

Teaching Your Child to ReadThe best way to help your child learn to read is to read, read, read!

  1. Model reading in front of your child. Read directions on recipes, the newspaper, labels on clothing, and street signs. Show your child the importance of reading, and also the pleasure we can get from reading.
  2. Set aside a special time each day to read with your child. It might be right before bed, or you could wake your child up each morning with a story.
  3. Point your finger under the words as you read them.
  4. Talk about the title of the book, the author, illustrator, etc. What is the setting? Who are the characters? Could this really happen or is it just pretend?
  5. Take your child to the library. Help your child get her own library card and take responsibility for books.

    6. Teaching Your Child to Read

  6. Create a special basket or shelf in your home where you keep books and magazines for your child to read. You might also want to keep a backpack filled with books in your car.
  7. Create a soft snuggly place to read. Maybe in the corner of a room with a mountain of pillows or on the bed.
  8. Let the child choose the book he/she might want to read. Even if you have already read it 100 times that week or it is very wordy and not that interesting to you. You can choose to read parts of the wordy story or have him/her help you read the book that he/she has memorized.
  9. Leave a few books in the bathroom.