One of the most important ways to help your child become a successful reader is to be both a reader and listener yourself. Research shows that parents that listen to their child read and take the time to read aloud-nightly help their child become better students. The ability to read and write impacts all academic subjects. Imagine an experience that is so rewarding, easy to do, and fun while having a lasting impact on your child’s school life.

Make reading aloud a daily habit.

Read stories that you enjoy and are enthusiastic about.

Stop and process aloud. Children need to hear the strategy adults use to bring meaning to the story. This may sound like.... this reminds me of, I am confused I need to go back and re-read, this is a clue I to what will come later.

Stop reading before the end. Invite your child to predict what will happen and explain how the story supports his or her prediction from the story. Finish the story the next night.

Be consistent with your reading time.

Choose a comfortable place away from the television.

Read books by the same author so your child becomes familiar with characters or plots.

Balance your reading diet. Try fiction, nonfiction, poetry and biographies.

Don’t be discouraged if your child asks to hear the same story again and again. Re-reading allows children to notice things they will have missed on the first reading, and to actively participate in the reading. Choose another book that is similar to follow-up and compare the stories.

Read with expression and encourage your child to read with expression.

Pause on rhyming words, story patterns or predictable parts and have even non-readers complete the word or phrase.

Help your child select books that are easy. If your child misses more than a couple words per page or loses the meaning, it is too difficult. Easy books build confidence and support comprehension.

Make books more accessible than TV watching. If the TV is off limits and books abundant, your child will naturally pick up a book.

Select or write simple plays to read together. Scripts provide a real purpose for re-reading which builds fluency and expression.

Keep reading positive. Use the language of encouragement…. you were right, you figured out the tricky part, you re-read when it didn’t make sense, you sounded just like the character, your reading sounds just like talking.

Make short stories to read together. Children can often read their own writing first. Make a four-page book from folded paper. Together sequence short stories. Have your child dictate or write the text to go with the story.

Talk to your child’s teacher about his or her reading progress.