Parents are a child’s first teacher. Sure it is a very difficult task but a lot of fun nonetheless. What should be kept in mind is that you do not compare your child to other children. God has created every child in a very different manner. So, each child has a different grasping power. You need to pay attention as to when the child starts showing curiosity for the letters and numbers. You should never force your child to read, otherwise, it may have some adverse effects on him/her. The child may show reluctance towards reading. Let the child show interest towards reading on his own. Do not make reading obligatory for him. Just as they are not forced to play and watch television, they should not be compelled to read.
Here, we have listed some of the steps to teaching your child how to read. They are in no particular order. The information provided below will simply help you with the entire process of reading.
Contents
1. Start reading to your child
Instill the love for reading in your child right from infancy. Even if he doesn’t understand a single word, which is quite obvious, keep reading to him. It will be a special bonding time for the two of you. Read songbooks, lullabies sand show him books with pictures when he’s is 1-2 years. When he grows a little older than that, we recommend reading rhyme books, short-story books, songbooks, alphabet books etc.
2. Make books accessible
Books are of no use if your child does not have access to them. Keep some small books around the corner so that your child has easy access to them. Heavy and pop-up books are not recommended for young children. You can create a reading space in your house. Arrange a small bookshelf and keep some chairs, pillows, and cushions to make the experience comfortable. Also, keep some light snacks for your child near the reading space.
3. Sort books by genre
When your child turns five or more, he starts understanding the difference between fiction and non-fiction. So it is possible that he will even start differentiating between comedy, fantasy and other genres. This will allow him to choose a favourite between various genres and also recall the characteristics of each genre.
4. Ask questions
The motive behind asking questions is definitely not testing them. The objective is to understand their comprehension level and whether they are getting the meaning of the story or not. There are children who can read with fluency but cannot comprehend what they are reading. Reading without comprehending is not what we are looking for here. So, ask the child questions like, “Who is your favourite character? Why? What lesson do you get from the story?” etc.
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5. Know the alphabet
The drawings and the colours of the book really attract the kids but it is ideal if they gradually start recognizing the letters and their phonemes so that later they start understanding that it is all about merging sounds to form words. Magnetic numbers and letters help them to learn a lot while playing.
6. Set a good example
If you want your children to instil the habit of reading, set a good (reading) example for him at home. Show him that reading is an interesting activity. If you are not an enthusiastic reader, read a magazine, newspaper or maybe a cookbook when your child is around so that they develop an interest in reading just by seeing you read. Make your child sit with you in your reading time. Tell them what you are reading if it is something child-friendly.
7. Phonemic Awareness
Phonemes is one of the units of sound that helps us to distinguish one word from another. These sounds consist of consonants, short vowels, long vowels, and digraphs. Phonemic awareness means learning those sounds and how to implement them in a word. Learning the rules of phonics simply helps the child to decode and spell. Break big words into small fragments. It is easier for a child to learn it that way.
8. Practice decoding
Decoding simply means when a child learns to read a word by making the sound of each word rather than reading the whole word at once. Reading is broken into two parts: Decoding and comprehending. Do not except that your child will start comprehending in the first attempt only. Help your child to focus on the decoding part at first and then ask him to decode aloud as then it becomes quite easier for a child to learn how to say a particular word.
9. Identify letters in natural settings
This is one of the most effective methods that will help your child to develop an interest in reading. Do not buy DVDs, flashcards or stuff like that to teach your child. Use natural settings, such as ask him to read what numbers are written behind the car or make him read small words from the headlines of the newspaper. You can hang big letters at some of the places in your house so that he sees them and tries to decode them.
10. Have fun
Do not be harsh on your child if he has a bad pronunciation or confuses some word with the other. Remember that fun must be present at all times. Play various games with your child. The games will help him in learning faster. He will learn about various responsibilities and schedules once he starts going to a school. So, try to have fun learning sessions at home.
Hence, we have concluded some of the effective steps to teaching your child how to read. There is no time limit to make your child an expert reader. Let him take his own time to read and do not force anything on him. Every child is gifted and they have a natural inclination towards reading as they are very young. Each child has a distinct approach to learning. All you need to be is supportive, patient and dedicated.
