Bev's Blog
Encourage Your Child to read over the Summer Vacation
There is tremendous value in modeling the joy of reading for children. Very often parents unintentionally give the message that reading is a chore: something that must be finished before the child can move on to more active and enjoyable pursuits. Instead, create a positive atmosphere for reading by showing your child how you use reading for entertainment, pleasure and information gathering. In this way your child will look forward to reading.
• Point out words on cereal boxes, food labels, toys and shops.
• While reading aloud to your child. Point to the words on the page as you read.
• Reading books that seem slightly below a child's reading level can help a developing reader to build confidence and fluency.
• Let your child see you using reading and writing for real purposes such as grocery lists, to-do lists, or short messages to family and encourage them to do the same.
The value placed on literacy in the home, time spent reading with
Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998
children, and the availability and use of reading materials have been
identified as important elements in children's reading success.
• Suggest older children read to younger children.
• Go to the library together.
• Have books, magazines, and newspapers around the house.
• Listen to your child read. Use strategies to help your child with tricky words. For example, when your child comes to an unfamiliar word, you might say, "Skip it and read to the end of the sentence. Now try again – what makes sense and looks like the word that you see?"
• Make reading fun by suggesting your child read in funny voices. Also suggest that your child change names in stories to those of people they know.
• Talk to your child about what he or she is reading. Ask open-ended questions such as "What do you think about that story?" "What would you have done if you were that character?"
• Remember to always praise your child's efforts to read. By supporting your child's reading during the summer months teachers and students may be able to start anew rather than starting from scratch when the next school year begins.
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