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Reading Strategies and Activities
These are a few suggestions of activities and strategies that you can enjoy with your child as you help him/her become an independent, life-long reader. These pertain to children in grades K-2 primarily.
Read simply illustrated alphabet books with your child. Talk about the picture that represents the letter's sound. Have your child repeat the letter and a word that represents the letter's sound; for example, you say, "Bb ball." Your child should read the rest of the letters he/she knows following the same pattern.
Make alphabet books with your child. On each page follow this pattern: upper case letter, lower case letter, picture - B b (picture of a ball). These pictures may be stickers, drawings, magazine clippings.
Make a bank of high frequency words. Write them on index cards and play "My pile, your pile." Your child keeps each card that he/she can read. You take the others and practice them until recognition is automatic. Talk about the way the word is used in speaking and writing. Also, stretch words out by saying them slowly. This allows the child to hear the sounds blended in the word. This is far more effective than sounding out the word.
Play with magnetic letters. These may be purchased at toy stores or children's learning activity stores. Place letters o the appliances in the kitchen and talk about letters and words as you and your child manipulate the letters.
Read to your child EVERY DAY. Talk about what you read. Ask your child what he thinks about a story. Have him/her make predictions and check to see if they occur as he/she thought they would.
Have your child read to you EVERY DAY. Listen to the behaviors that we want to encourage. Allow the child to try and correct his/her own errors. NEVER DO FOR YOUR CHILD WHAT HE/SHE CAN DO FOR HIMSELF/HERSELF.
Congratulate efforts and risk taking. Praise for effort and discussion of an error will result in better reading the next time.
Talk to your child. Be specific. Help him/her to respond with more than a noise or a one word answer. Most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH LANGUAGE. Help your child see that reading opportunities are everywhere.
Become a reading model for your child. If reading is important to you, it will be more important to your child.
Prepared by Sandra Gettings©