Tips To Help Your Children Start Reading

Parents can help their children start reading. It’s easy. Just follow a few basic rules and use common sense.

Being able to read is one of the most important skills in life for children to acquire. Here are some important tips for parents that they can follow during the crucial time when their children will start reading.

Regardless of the method used to learn,  these tips are both universal and useful. 

When your children want to start reading, read together as often as possible

As a parent,  it is important to develop a routine where you read a book with your child in the morning or in the evening. You can start by reading aloud. However, the child has to participate by moving a finger over the text.

As a result, even if your child cannot read at the same speed as you, he or she will feel part of the activity. Furthermore, your child will begin to identify the letters and words. It will get easier and easier with time.

Enjoy the time you spend together and share the moment with your child. Remember to schedule some family time, where you read together, where everyone has a sense of closeness, while you each read your book.

Sometimes, half an hour is all you need to read. Only in that way, you will create a habit in your child. It is much more effective than any kind of rigorous reading activity.

The reading material needs to interest your child

If your child has a favorite topic, find a book with a related topic  to increase your child’s motivation. Search for reading materials that include your child’s favorite interests. Use it to cultivate the child’s interest in books.

As your child begins to read, let him or her choose his or her own books. 

When children have the opportunity to make their own choices, they have an influence on their learning process. As a result, they will be more likely to participate.

Taking children to libraries and bookstores, and encouraging them to explore the books, can be a wonderful activity for children when they start reading for the first time.

Keep an eye on the process of starting to read

As your child begins to read, you should try to encourage him or her to read more challenging books. Your child should like to go from reading books with one word per page to books that have more and more words. This should continue until your child can read whole sentences.

If you are in doubt about whether a book is right for your child’s reading level, try counting the number of words per page that he or she does not understand.

Talk about what you see on the page

Another helpful activity is to  use books as a way to create conversations around a given topic. After reading, talk for a while about what you have read. You can also talk about it another time.

For example, you can also  have a special diary where you write down the new words that appear with illustrations or drawings,  as well as words that are not explicitly written in the book.

It will make the words easier to remember because there will be a visual and chronological context.

Reading: Avoid comparing with peers

Each child begins to read at his or her own pace. Reading is a personal and individual experience. Children begin to understand things for themselves and learn more about how narratives work as they develop stronger skills.

Therefore, it is not at all helpful to compare children with their peers. These comparisons are unnecessary and not effective. Each child learns at his or her own pace,  which one must respect and understand.

Do not pressure them to start reading

Forcing children to start reading before they are ready  can lead to negative reactions and do more harm than good. Pressure is always a demotivating force. Children without appropriate motivation will not find any activity enjoyable or beneficial. Moreover, they may not want to do them again.

Talk to the child’s teacher

If your child does not like to read and has difficulty reading the words at first glance,  keep in mind that this may be due to a specific learning disability.

If you experience such a situation, you should first talk to the child’s teacher. Educators can approach the situation professionally,  and may even recommend an assessment with a specialist.

In short, parents with children who have started reading should, first and foremost, read with them and make this activity a part of everyday life. Children should be encouraged to choose their own reading material, and they should not be pressured.

By following these simple tips,  you can make an important contribution to your child’s acquisition of this fundamental skill in life.