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6 foolproof tips for teaching your child to read

par | Jan 29, 2021 | School, Parents, Pedagogy Parents

Learning to read is a slow process. Your child will gradually associate the letters he sees with the sounds he hears, isn't that great! But he should feel the need and enjoy it! To do this , Kidlee offers you tips on how to teach your child to read! These tips will not only make it easier for you to teach your child to read, but will also turn the sessions into fun and enjoyable moments.

How to teach your child to read: tips!

Learning to read with your child: 6 foolproof tips! A mom reading with her little girl
Designed by Freepik

Reading becomes a habit!

Make it a habit to read stories to your child regularly, starting at a young age. 

To begin with, he will already appreciate the sound of your voice. Do not hesitate to get into the skin of the characters, marking the surprise, the strength, the questioning... . This will keep his attention and develop his taste! Little by little, around 3 years old, the child is interested in the development of the story. Then, around 4-5 years old, he will be able to distinguish the real from the imaginary! It will be easier for him to imagine the story. 

When you read, when you find a word you've seen before, ask him to read it. As you read, the more you engage him, the more focused he will be. Plus, he'll learn to read more and more words and eventually read the whole story aloud to you!

If you see a word you've seen before with your child, don't hesitate to ask him if he can read it. Sometimes children would rather play than read, but don't give in just yet!

Do at least 10 minutes a day of reading to keep the daily rhythm going. Then he can enjoy himself. Remember, reading should not be seen as an obligation but as entertainment.

An important point to remember:

If mom and dad are reading, it's certainly interesting! Feel free to read in front of him and talk as a family about the book you are reading!

Find out how to make your child love reading on our article : The best books for children: our top 14 to discover!

Ask questions! 

photo of a little girl looking through a magnifying glass and surrounded by books
Designed by Freepik

Try to establish a small daily ritual where you read together. Ask her to participate in the reading. For example, ask her questions during your reading session! First questions about the pictures in the book, then questions about the story you are reading. This will help develop his reasoning and imagination. From the age of 5 - 6 years, the child starts to compare his story with the story you read. You can then ask questions related to this! For example: What would you have done if you were the rabbit? Don't you think the ant is brave despite his small size? 

Read books that are simple and easy to understand. Understanding what they are reading will make them want to read more.

Teaching your child to read letters and their sounds

Show your children the words in the same family. Family words will be words that have the same rhyme scheme. In other words, these words end in the same way. For example, if they learn to recognize the word 'me' they will be able to read 'you', 'king', 'law'. Reading fables or nursery rhymes can be a good way to put these tips into practice.

Use the "sound" of the letters instead of the letter names to make it easier to remember. Also incorporate as much meaning as possible into the words, phrases and stories you read together. 

Associate reading with its environment! 

Reading is omnipresent in our lives, you just have to point it out to children. For example, when you see a sign, a menu, a word in the street... Get their attention and read the letters and then the word to make it easier!

You can also write small and simple messages. For example cute messages that you will leave in his room, on the refrigerator, in his lunch box ...

Involve him in writing the shopping list, and have your child read it.

Adding reading to your reflexes will make your child understand the importance of reading and its omnipresence in daily life. On the other hand, he will recognize words he has already seen and will have learned to read them without even realizing it! 

Teaching your child to read in a fun way

photo d'un jeu de société pour apprendre à lire aux plus jeunes
Source: French Buzz

Learning to read should be seen as a fun activity! In addition, do not hesitate to do manual activities (coloring words, cutting out letters, making games ...). You can also find many alphabet rhymes, or to facilitate the connection of letters and their sounds.

You can also go on field trips: Take him to bookstores and libraries. Show him the different types of books and let him choose the one he likes. Offer him books adapted to his tastes and age! The fact of understanding what he reads will give him a taste for reading and will make him want to read more.

To help you, find our article : The best books for children: our top 14 to discover!

Teaching your child to read requires patience! 

Be patient, reading requires concentration and memorization. It's all new for him! Your child will make mistakes, it's normal, take the time to accompany him, to correct his mistakes. Ask him to repeat, when he sees that this time he has succeeded, it will give him confidence in himself! If the child has lost the little knowledge he has acquired through lack of practice, don't worry, a little practice and it will come back! This is also why it is important to respect the ritual set up.

Learning methods: 

Nowadays, there are different reading methods. However, there are some methods that stand out because of their results: 

Global, syllabic, and mixed methods:

The three most popular methods are the global method, the syllabic method and the mixed method. 

The syllabic method consists of learning to read by starting with letters and then syllables and words to move towards sentences.

With regard to the global methodIt consists of learning to read by starting with the analysis of texts and moving towards syllables and sounds (learning by visual or photographic recognition).

The mixed method combines the syllabic and global methods. The global method allows you to learn to recognize simple words and to read them more. The syllabic method allows you to learn how to break down sounds.

Find the details of these methods on the site Journal Des Femmes.

Reading with the Montessori method 

photo of a pink script series to teach children to read
Source : milestory

Montessori pedagogy encourages children to use their sensory abilities to perceive and memorize. He names objects, recognizes sounds and discovers their writing. For more details : Find  Discover-Montessori.

Discover also our article : Montessori pedagogy: what is it?

Download The Pink Series script from Milestory HERE !

When to worry? 

If your child has trouble recognizing words and letters, syllables. If he/she gets very tired while reading and gets lost between the lines. If he has trouble following the story and is not very attentive or if he cannot write his name, it is better to consult his doctor. It may be that these difficulties hide hearing, sight or learning problems.