Summer Fun: Help your child be an eager reader!

Summer Fun:  Help your child be an eager reader!

 

“The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”

(The National Academy of Education Commission on Reading)

Reading aloud cannot be overemphasized. 

Older children should be encouraged to read aloud. They must never be forced to read aloud (other than school assignments) but should know that is a possibility when they choose to do so.

Reading aloud can be a very short activity.  A poem can be read in a few minutes, a short book in five minutes. 

Why read aloud?

• Children enjoy it.  They develop a love of books and reading from this activity
• They learn that words can make them feel and learn. 
• Children develop a sense of story which will enable them to make their own stories later on
• Oral language is promoted
• Literary language is anchored in their ears:  “Once upon a time”  “Then, suddenly….”
• New vocabulary is introduced and learned.
• Children see how an accomplished reader holds a book, turns the pages, reacts to text and pictures
• The reader demonstrates fluency and fluidity of oral reading, including speed, timbre, loudness, pacing, etc.
• Children’s experiences are expanded
• Children hear the distinctions of the language:  plurals, pronouns, etc.
• Children learn to visualize the text
• Listening comprehension is developed
• It is a social interaction between the reader and listener
• Complex ideas are made available and absorbed
• Rhyme, rhythm and literary devices can be explored:  “He was a tornado” “Boom, Boom, Boom”  “Her face was as red as a rose.”

What to read?

• Choose something you and your child like
• Read real stores:  no talking animals, animals with clothes, fantasy creatures for the under six child and only some for the elementary child.  Children love biographies of famous people, books about how things work and nature books. 
• Let the child choose from the home library
• With older children, decide on a favorite author and do author studies
• Vary the genre:  picture books, books without words, poetry, non-fiction, fiction, chapter books (for older children)
• Write a story and read it to the children
• Reread most books at least once, and repeat when your child asks. 

When to read?

• At least once a day
• When a child needs comforting or settling down
• When a child asks
• At bedtime

How to read?

• Be dramatic:  use your eyes, gestures and voice to convey emotions
• Use pauses for effect, raise and lower your voice
• Use props (real apples for a book on apples)
• Preview the book and prepare yourself
• Use post it notes to remind yourself of questions you may want to ask
• Instead of reading straight through, pause for discussion, questions or comments
• Questions are not a “test” of comprehension, but a springboard for greater understanding and exploration.
• Delete passages that are too long, too complex or inappropriate for your child
• Encourage the children’s comments: “I have a dog, too”  “I like apples.”  These are not interruptions, but communication!

What to do after reading?

• Have a conversation using your own life experiences: “I remember when I was a girl about your age and I lived on a farm……”
• Refer back to the text and even re-read a passage to make connections:

“Oh, that part about the fox reminded me about the fox in the book we read last week about Hattie and the Fox.  Do you remember that?”

• Encourage the child to make those connections: “What were you reminded of?”
• Let the child act out or retell the story with other children
• Let the child write or draw about their favorite part, write a continuation, or a new chapter (older children).
• Find other books by the same author
• Start a research project (older children)
• Create a story basket with props for the child to use to act out the story
• Sometimes the best thing to do is NOTHING.  Close the book, smile and pause for just a moment to allow the pleasure to melt into memories

7 Keys to Unlock Meaning

1.    Create mental images and become emotionally involved with what you read

2.    Use background knowledge before, during and after reading

3.    Ask questions before, during and after reading to clarify meaning, make predictions, and focus on what is important

4.    Make inferences.  Draw conclusions, and create interpretations from the text.

5.    Determine the most important ideas and themes.  Identify the theme or main idea of a book to help your child distinguish between important and unimportant information

6.    Synthesize information.  Track thinking as it evolves during reading.  “Oh, I thought the dog was going to run away, but he didn’t.”

7.    Use problem solving.  Demonstrate how to find out when something is not understood.  Use a dictionary, re-read a section, ask questions.

If you speak a language other than English at home, please read to your child in the language you prefer.  Having a second or third language is a real asset in life and should be encouraged!

Look for ideas for summer fun and a some book ideas in the next posts!  Thank you for visiting!