Here in the Learning Center, we strive to build and sustain a strong bond between ourselves, our students and their parents. Research has clearly shown that an effective partnership between parents and their child's teachers ensures student success. As such, parents often ask what they can do at home to encourage their children as they are learning to read. Below are some helpful suggestions from The National Center for Learning Disabilities:
If Your Child Is Just Beginning to Read:
If Your Child Is Just Beginning to Read:
- Point out the letter: Sound relationships your child is learning on labels, boxes, newspapers, magazines and signs.
- Listen to your child read words and books from school: Be patient and listen as your child practices. Let your child know you are proud of his reading.
- Rereading familiar books: Children need practice in reading comfortably and with expression using books they know.
- Building reading accuracy: As your child is reading aloud, point out words he missed and help him read words correctly. If you stop to focus on a word, have your child reread the whole sentence to be sure he understands the meaning.
- Building reading comprehension: Talk with your child about what she is reading. Ask about new words. Talk about what happened in a story. Ask about the characters, places and events that took place. Ask what new information she has learned from the book. Encourage her to read on her own.
- Share conversations with your child over meal times and other times you are together: Children learn words more easily when they hear them spoken often. Introduce new and interesting words at every opportunity.
- Read together every day: Spend time talking about stories, pictures and words.
- Be your child's best advocate. Keep informed about your child’s progress in reading and ask the teacher about ways you can help.
- Be a reader and a writer: Children learn habits from the people around them.
- Visit the library often. Story times, computers, homework help and other exciting activities await the entire family.