Welcome to your ultimate parenting resource


 

Improving a child's reading

Parents are more concerned about theirhave meaning. They also gain an awareness of
child's progress in reading than in any otherthe conventions of reading (e.g., one reads
subject taught in school, and rightfully so.from left to right and from the top of the
In order for students to achieve in math,page to the bottom; sentences are made up of
science, English, history, geography, andwords; and some sentences extend beyond a
other subjects, reading skills must besingle  line  of  print).
developed to the point that most of them are
automatic. Students cannot struggle with wordOne of the greatest advantages of reading to
recognition when they should be readingpreschoolers (or children of any age) is the
quickly  for  comprehension  of  a  text.opportunity for vocabulary development.
Children learn the meaning of words through
Because reading is so important to success ingood literature; words take on rich meaning
school, parents can and should play a role inwhen  used  in  an  interesting  story.
helping their children to become interested
in reading and in encouraging their growth inWhat Can I Do For My School-Age Child Who
reading skills. At the same time, parents andDoesn't  Like  To  Read?
teachers need to work together. Many teachers
are now sending home practical ideas forIn the early elementary years, from first
parents to use with their preschoolers. As athrough third grades, children continue
result, young children are developing some oflearning HOW to read. It is a complex
the skills at home that will later help themprocess, difficult for some and easy for
in  school.others. Care must be taken during these early
years not to overemphasize the
What Can Parents Do To Help Theirlearning-to-read process. Reading for
Preschoolers In The Learning-To-Read Process?pleasure and information develops reading
interests and offers children the opportunity
Research shows that children learn aboutto practice their reading skills in
reading before they enter school. In fact,meaningful ways. Parents of elementary-age
they learn in the best manner--throughchildren should provide reading materials in
observation. Young children, for example, seethe home that arouse curiosity or extend
people around them reading newspapers, books,their child's natural interest in the world
maps, and signs. Parents can do a lot toaround  them.
foster an understanding of print by talking
with their preschoolers about signs in theirBy encouraging and modeling leisure-time
environment and by letting their childrenreading in the home, parents take the most
know  they  enjoy  reading  themselves.important step in fostering their child's
reading  development.
As I Read To My Preschooler, What Should I Do
Specifically?How Can Reading Research Information Be
Useful  To  Me,  As  A  Parent?
Many parents recognize the value and
enjoyment of reading to their young children,Current research in reading reveals three
but perhaps they are not clear about theimportant considerations for parents AND
specific skills that could be enhancedteachers:
through the process. Most important, reading
should be an enjoyable experience. ResearchChildren who read, and read widely, become
reveals that when young children experiencebetter  readers.
warm and close contacts with their parents
when they are being read to, they developReading and writing are complementary skills.
more  positive  attitudes  toward  reading.
Parents are important to children both as
Run your index finger under the line ofrole models and as supporters of their
print. This procedure is simple and helpsefforts.
children begin to notice words and that words



1 A B C D E 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129