Our series so far has explored reading tips for Infants, Toddlers, and Kindergarteners. In this blog piece, we visit the age group that’s one step higher where reading plays a vital role in every aspect of learning – First Graders. We have compiled eleven reading tips for first graders that offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Remember, give your child lots of opportunities to read aloud. Inspire your young reader to practice every day.
- Don’t leave home without it: Bring along a book or magazine any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor’s office. Always try to fit in reading!
- Once is not enough: Encourage your child to re-read favourite books and poems. Re-reading helps kids read more quickly and accurately.
- Dig deeper into the story: Ask your child questions about the story you’ve just read. Say something like, “Why do you think Clifford did that?”
- Take control of the television: It’s difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Encourage reading as a free-time activity.
- Be patient: When your child is trying to sound out an unfamiliar word, give him or her time to do so. Remind your child to look closely at the first letter or letters of the word.
- Pick books that are at the right level: Help your child pick books that are not too difficult. The aim is to give your child lots of successful reading experiences.
- Play word games: Have your child sound out the word as you change it from mat to fat to sat; from sat to sag to sap, and from sap to sip.
- I read to you, you read to me: Take turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents.
- Gently correct your young reader: When your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read incorrectly. Many beginning readers will guess wildly at a word based on its first letter.
- Talk, Talk, Talk! Talk with your child every day about school and things going on around the house. Sprinkle some interesting words into the conversation, and build on words you’ve talked about in the past.
- Write, Write, Write! Ask your child to help you write out the grocery list, a thank you note to Grandma, or to keep a journal of special things that happen at home. When writing, encourage your child to use the letter and sound patterns he is learning at school.
Parents, we recommend you to try a new reading tip each week and see what works best for your child.
