Learning to read should be easy and fun. Here are some suggestions that you can do at home.
1. Read to your child. Help your child choose age-appropriate books.
2. Share ideas about books you read to foster understanding, interest and comprehension. Be attuned to your child’s interests.
3. Make up stories together. Write and read them, pointing out short repeated words.
4. Encourage drawing or painting pictures. Scribbling is fun, and it is also valuable for forming hand-eye coordination, which helps reading and is essential in writing.
5. Help your child write his/her name.
6. Help with writing short words; give lots of space on the piece of paper. Keep the process short, fun and happy.
7. Play board games, word games, memory games and card games, and use table toys that enhance coordination.
8. Sing rhyming songs. Read rhyming books and poems. Encourage your child to fill in the expected words as you read.
9. Teach the word families used in each book. Point out what happens when the first sound changes and how easy reading a list of words becomes.
10. Make reading sessions fit your child’s attention span. Have a great time together!