Helping Your Student Read
- Read every day for at least 15 minutes
- Read a variety of subjects. Poetry, biographies, mysteries, how to books, etc.
- Ask questions.
- Take turns. Have everyone get involved. Parents, students grandparents, siblings, and babysitters.
Questions: A Parents' Guide To Reading
Before Reading:
- Look at the cover; what do you think this book will be about?
- Do you know anything about "rockets"? Tell me.
- Who are the authors/illustrators of this book?
- Have you read any other books by this author or about this subject:
- What does the back at the inside jacket tell us about this book?
While Reading:
- Questions to assess understanding: What do you think damp means?
- Questions to link experiences: Have you ever heard a wolf's cry?
- Questions to compare: How is your family similar or different than the boy in this story?
- Questions to relate or express opinion: Did you like this character/setting? Why/Why not?
- Questions to predict: What do you think will happen?
- Questions to guide observation: From the picture can you tell where the rabbit is going?
After Reading:
- What was the story about?
- What was your favorite or least favorite part?
- What would you change?
Take the opportunity to discuss the child's thoughts
More Ideas for Families
Talk to your kids. As you shop, play, work around the house. Ask questions, listen to what they say, give explanations. When you talk to your children you are helping them learn words and what they mean.
Read with your children. Take turns, let them see you read. Make it fun. Build a bear cave out of blankets and have a cozy corner to share books in. Have a sharing time at dinner and let each family member tell about their favorite story.
Visit the library. Let children choose books that foster a special interest such as animals, magic, sports, or drawing. Let them practice their interests, for example a simple science experiment.
Recite poetry, sing songs, practice saying quotes. This helps develop vocabulary, rhythm and memory.
Get the family involved. Have an older child read to the younger ones, invite grandparents over for a reading picnic or tea party.
Plan outings. Children learn from what they see and do. Go to the library and find a book on a place you visited such as a camping site or museum.
Variety. Don't just read books, show children that print is everywhere. Read milk cartons, street signs, cereal boxes, magazines, store signs, newspapers etc.
Tell stories. Share stories you know from memory, tell stories about your family, have children practice telling a familiar story and giving it a new made up ending.
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