HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH THE BOOKS FROM OUR CLASSROOM

Step 1: Sit down across the table from your child so that you are viewing the print upside down. Ask your child to tell you everything he/she remembers about the story. If your child has difficulty recalling the story, view the illustrations together. Be curious. Learning to ask and answer questions about stories is an assest in becoming a fluent reader.

Step 2: If your child is reading fluently and independently, please skip ahead to step four. If your child is learning to sound out words, and/or memorizing sight words, you need to read the text aloud to your child. As you do this model reading, track each word.Your index finger should be above the word and your child's finger below the word. The pace of your reading is very important. It must be slow enough for the child to accurately track the words but not so slow that it loses the fluency of everyday speech. Using expression and giving the characters voices will add interst for your child.

Step 3: Have your child read the text with you, tracking in the manner described above. Both of your voices should be heard.

Step 4: Ask your child to read the text independently, using the same tracking method. This repetition imprints the text, increases the fluency of your child's reading, and increases your child's self-confidence in his/her reading ability. Most children find immediate success with reading completed in this manner. Feeling successful is very important. When a child feels positive about reading, he/she is more willing to "take risks in reading" and we see vast amounts of growth in a short period of time.

Step 5: Following the reading, discuss the story with your child. Asking your child who, what, where, when, and how questions will increase your child's reading comprehension. Is your child able to retell the story in his/her own words?

The love of reading is one of the greatest gifts a parent can share with a child.