Reading Strategies for Word Solving While Reading
- When you are listenting to your child read and she comes to a difficult word, give her a few moments to try to figure it out, then remind her to try one of these reading strategies. (If your child doesn't figure it out after a few attempts, it's okay to tell her the word. We don't want her to lose the sense of the story.)
- Look at the picture and use the beginning letter.
- Get your mouth ready to say the first sound.
- Sloooowly stretch each letter sound together.
- Break the word into chunks you know--m at --fl at --spl at ter
- Try to re-read the sentence. Think about what would make sense.
- Skip the tricky word. Read to the end. Go back and try it again.
- Flip the vowel sound. Try long and short vowels.
- Carefully read all parts of the word.
Questions to Ask Your Child When Reading
Whether it's before, during, or after reading, asking your child a few questions about what he's read can be a terrific way to boost comprehension and connect with your child around books. Here are some sample discussion starter questions to ask:
- What do you think this story might be about?
- What might happen in the story?
- What has happened so far in the story? Is it what you expected?
- What might happen next?
- Who is your favorite character? Why?
- Would you change any part of the story? How?
- Which part was the funniest? Scariest? Saddest? Happiest?
- What would you say to a friend about this book?
Kids: Homework
READ, READ, READ! Read for at least 20 minutes each night.
What can you read? You can read books sent home from Book Club, books borrowed from your teachers, books from the library, books from home.
When and where can I read? You can read after school at home or at daycare. You can read when you get to school in the morning. You can read ANYTIME you have a free moment or two.