How to teach your children to read

The process of reading or decoding letters into communicable words is the very essence of education. Without reading and understanding words, the rest of the advanced learning is either non-existent or extremely difficult. Therefore, making sure that your children learn this skill at an early age should be a priority for parents. Parents who love reading and are seen by their children enjoying books and other reading materials are already setting a good stage for their children.

As soon as a young child shows interest and can remain seated for at least 10 minutes, the parents or caregiver should read picture books aloud to them. As they age, longer sessions will occur automatically as their interest and ability to focus lengthen. Some very good tips in the reading aloud stages are:

• Read with inflection and different types of voices for the characters in the story.

• Use your finger to point to the words that are read; little minds begin to recognize words quickly

• Stop by periodically and ask questions; If the child doesn’t understand, go back and try again.

• Emphasize the direction of words from left to right and reading from top to bottom; young children need to learn so early

After being read to for a year or so, children will want and even pretend to be reading the words themselves. Usually they have memorized a word or two, and it will be a good time to insert the flash cards. Preschoolers can handle about 3 flashcards at a time and once they get a good understanding of those 3, 2 more can be added. This method is called “chunking” and it is very successful. Repetition is important and test the meaning of the word in conversation with the child.

Along with flash cards, magnetic letters are fun and a great teaching tool. Simple words, with good clear sounds and lots of repetition once again, will help the child avoid frustration and maintain interest. Once a toddler has mastered a word with the ability to rhyme like “cat,” then he will enjoy changing the first letter to make the combination of words like “bat,” “rat,” and “fat” sound with an emphasis on how they are used. initial letters of B, R and F sound.

It is very important to teach vowel sounds before the child tries to read a book by himself. There are 19 vowel sounds in the English language, a task that is not easy to learn at any age. Fortunately, young children are more likely to learn quickly, as they have no other languages ​​or bad habits to stop learning. Teaching children to recognize the 5 vowel letters is essential.

Once these steps are mastered, begin reading for fun. With the right selection of books and lots of patience, encouragement, and understanding, preschool parents and teachers can accelerate learning along with songs, rhyming games, and conversations. Many years ago, first grade was the typical grade to start reading; Today, many children enter kindergarten with already strong reading skills.

Beth Costanzo M Ed has been educating children for over 20 years. She is the former owner of 2 highly successful child care centers located in Gloucester, MA. Beth’s love of children and learning prompted her to create The Adventures of Scuba Jack, an educational resource for teachers and parents. http://www.adventuresofscubajack.com