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10 STEPS TO READING SUCCESS - STEP 2

10 Steps to Reading Success – Progressive Parents Promoting Literacy

This week I will tell you about Step 2

Read with Your Child

“Reading aloud presents books as sources of pleasant, valuable, and exciting experiences. Children who value books are motivated to read on their own.”

Derry Koralek

Reading Aloud with Children of All Ages

https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200303/ReadingAloud.pdf

Listening to an adult model fluent reading increases students' own fluency and comprehension skills (Trelease, 2001), as well as expanding their vocabulary, background knowledge, sense of story, awareness of genre and text structure, and comprehension of the texts read (Wu & Samuels, 2004).

First, let me say that reading is not just about turning pages:

R e-read the book

E ngage and enjoy

A sk questions

D o more

Re-read the book several times. Re-reading the book at least three times reinforces and strengthens vocabulary and supports comprehension. Each time you re-read the book, change the focus of your conversation.

When re-reading fiction books:

  • talk about the what is happening in the story

  • help students to predict what will happen on the next

  • discuss the characters and what they might be thinking

  • change your voice to sound like the characters

When reading non-fiction books:

  • talk about what the author wants you to know

  • help students determine how they will use the new knowledge

  • dig deeper and help children become decision makers

  • help children to make comparisons to other books they have read about the topic

Engage and enjoy with your child:

  • read with enthusiasm

  • use expressive voice tones

  • make it exciting

  • just have fun reading the book

Ask questions:

As you read fiction books, don’t just ask, “What color was the house?”

Go deeper and ask:

  • “Why do you think the illustrator used that color?”

  • “What did the color of the house add to mood of the story?”

  • “How did the color of the house make you feel?”

When you read non-fiction books, ask questions such as:

  • “What does the author want you to learn?”

  • “How will you use what you are learning in your every-day life?

  • “How can you use what you learned to help others?”

These types of questions cause children to think, to comprehend and, to be problem solve