Teaching a child to read can be a stressful time for parents, but it can also be enriching and rewarding. This is such an important skill, and if kids can master it from a young age, it gives them a good foundation to build on in school. There are various theories about how we should teach children in the early formative years, and some things come down to a matter of preference for parents. The good news is that, nowadays, there are so many sources and tools that parents can use to give their kids a great start. Here are five top tips that will help you get your little one reading.
Encourage Letter Recognition From a Young Age
Parents should be reading to their children from birth in order to expose them to language as much as possible. However, kids should not be expected to start learning to read properly until they are at least three years old. A lot of nursery and pre-school programs will start with letter recognition for three-year-olds. There have been numerous studies over the years about whether to teach children the names or the sounds of letters first, but the findings have been inconclusive as to which is preferable.
According to literacy expert Timothy Shanahan, letters should be treated as concepts that have various meanings. Once children have learned to recognize them, their rapidly growing brains start to decode all the information they are receiving. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to encourage learning the names of letters from a young age, because this allows for a point of reference. Teachers and parents can then speak about these letters by their name, and ask kids to share their knowledge of other details about the letter.
An example question could be, “what sound does the letter A make?” In this circumstance, the child first has to know what letter the adult is speaking about. They can then think about what sound that letter makes. It is similar to teaching a child the name of an object and then asking them what that object is used for.
Plenty of Great Apps on Smartphones and Tablets
There are loads of apps out there that have been designed by experts, and they can help children get an early head start on reading. One of the standout options is Jolly Phonics Adventure from Jolly Learning LTD. This app goes through all the various sounds in the English language and has different activities to help children learn them. For example, children start off by tracing the shape of the letter. They then have to identify it among other letters. After that, they hear the sound used in words, and later have to spell simple words themselves. This app is appropriate for children from around three years old and up.
Another fantastic app for early readers is Endless Alphabet from Originator Inc. This app presents children with words and allows them to move the letters into the correct spaces. Each letter is represented by a monster that makes the letter’s sound within the word as kids drag it across and into place. Once the letter is in the right spot, a narrator says the name of the letter. This app is able to teach kids both the letter names and the sounds.
Hire a Specialist Kids Tutor
For some parents, hiring a specialist kids tutor could be the way forward when it comes to teaching reading. This could be especially appropriate for non-English speaking parents who need extra help from a fluent speaker. Online tutors are specifically trained in teaching young learners and know exactly what they need to do in order to develop properly. There are online language learning platforms with hundreds of teachers, so parents have plenty of options when it comes to areas such as price. Parents can choose a tutor based on their short bio, and they can also see how many active students they have. Using a reading tutor could be best for kids who need to practice their skills with an expert speaker. It is also useful for parents who don't have much time to help their kids.
Gradually Move up the Levels
Once children have an understanding of reading and are able to comprehend full sentences, it is imperative that parents buy the right books for them to use at their level. Following a reading program is the best way to help kids rise up the levels gradually. There are a number of fantastic online reading programs that parents can choose from to follow. These include options like Headsprout Kids Reading Program, Book Adventure, and ABCMouse Early Learning Academy.
Be a Role Model
One final point to make is that parents should remember to be role models when encouraging their children to read. From a young age, kids look up to the adults that they’re closest to and replicate a vast number of their behaviors. This is called modeling, and it's something that we are innately programmed to do. Some parents are shocked the first time they witness their child mirroring their behavior, and this brings it home to them how important it is to set a good example.
With that in mind, if you spend most of your time looking at a phone rather than a book, what do you think your children are going to want to do? If they desire to be like you, they will also pick up the smartphone. However, if they witness you reading a lot of the time, they will be intrigued about this activity and will want to do the same. In order to ensure that children can witness these behaviors, it would be a great idea to schedule a reading period every day and get into the habit of reading as a family.
Learning to read is an exciting time for kids and parents, and thanks to the internet there are so many ways for children to get off to a great start. Parents should remember that they should never force, and reading should always be something that is fun for the child. If they see it as a chore, they are unlikely to want to keep practicing.
