Ebook: Helping Your Child Become a Reader

ISA Professional Development Project, 2012. — 23 p.: illustrated.Donna M. Scanlon, Kimberly L. Anderson, Mary-Jo Morse, Thea Yurkewecz.Your child is learning to read. This is an exciting time for both you and your child. If you are like most parents, you have questions about how to help. This booklet addresses some of the common questions and concerns that parents have. The questions often focus on how to help children learn to read the words. This is certainly important. But, it is important for parents to keep in mind that the purpose of reading is to understand what the words tell us. So, when reading with children, we want to be sure to help them understand and enjoy what they are reading.
This booklet is organized by questions. In addressing each question, we also offer some suggestions and ideas that you might find useful as you help your child grow as a reader.Introduction.
How can I encourage my child to like reading?
What kinds of books should my child be reading?
My child brings books home to practice reading. But, she has already memorized some of them. What should I do?
My child seems to spend more time looking at the pictures than reading. What should I do?
My child does not want to sound out words she doesn't know. Should I insist that she do so?
What should I do when my child makes a mistake while reading?
Sometimes my child reads a word correctly on one page but can't figure it out on the very next page. Why does this happen?
Is it OK for my child to skip over words he does not know?
On some days my child seems to have more difficulty reading than other days. Should I worry about this?
Sometimes my child seems to have trouble reading a whole sentence without going back and re-reading parts of it. Is this a problem?
Sometimes, when my child is reading, he gets annoyed if I tell him a word he doesn't know. Why?
How much time should my child spend reading?
My child avoids reading. What should I do?
What kinds of things should I read to my child?
What can I do to help my child understand what he reads and what we read together?
Schools seem to be involving young children in more writing than I remember. Should I be writing with my child at home too?
My child uses "invented" spelling. Is this OK?
What can I do to help my child learn to spell more accurately?
My child sometimes mixes up letters like b and d, or words like was and saw. Does this mean she has dyslexia?
I have been told that my child is having difficulty learning to read. What can I do to help?