Raising a Reader

  As soon as kindergarteners begin school, they start learning letter sounds and words. Reading starts early and there are several things you can do at home to raise a reader.

-Read with your child every night. We all know how children want the same book read to them over and over again but instead of you reading the book to your child, have them 'read' it to you! Even though they might not be able to actually read the words, they can retell the story. As they read each page they are recalling information, sequencing the story, demonstrating reading left to right, and reading a book from the beginning to the end (instead of starting at the back of the book). As they become familiar with letter sounds and high frequency words they learn in class, they can start figuring out some of the words themselves.

-Set up a quit reading area in your home. Create a reading area with different kinds of books, magazines, newspapers and other materials for reading, along with a nice soft place for them to get comfortable. Pillows or favorite plush toys are also a great addition! Favorite plush pets are great listeners for readers and encourages them to read out loud! Place reading materials neatly on a shelf or in a basket for easy access.

-Be a reading role model. Children pay close attention to what is going on around them. By seeing a parent(s) reading it shows them the value of reading.

-Encourage writing. Reading and writing go hand in hand. In order to learn to write, a child needs to know letter sounds to be able to blend sounds (hear individual letter sounds and put them together to make a word). As an extension to reading, children can use those phonics skills to write about what they have read or write their own story.  And of course, have them read it to you!  Provide an area with different writing materials such as pencils, pens, markers, crayons, and colored pencils to encourage creative writing.



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