Skip Navigation
IES    
REL
Regional Educational
Laboratory Program
Menu
Contact
Tools
ED.gov
Newsflash
Search NCEE


archived information
Follow us on:
Supporting Your Child's Reading at Home
Introduction Recommendation 1:
Developing Language Recommendation 2:
Linking Sounds to Letters Recommendation 3:
Blending Letters, Recognizing and Writing Words Recommendation 4:
Reading for Understanding
Introduction Recommendation 1:
Developing Language Recommendation 2:
Linking Sounds to Letters Recommendation 3:
Blending Letters, Recognizing and Writing Words Recommendation 4:
Reading for Understanding
Introduction Recommendation 1:
Developing Language Recommendation 2:
Linking Sounds to Letters Recommendation 3:
Blending Letters, Recognizing and Writing Words Recommendation 4:
Reading for Understanding
Introduction Recommendation 1:
Developing Language Recommendation 2:
Linking Sounds to Letters Recommendation 3:
Blending Letters, Recognizing and Writing Words Recommendation 4:
Reading for Understanding
Recommendation 1: Developing Language

Expose your child to the language that is common in books and in schools.

Talking While You Read

talking while you read

Having a conversation about a book will develop your child's vocabulary and knowledge about the topic of that book. Whether you are reading a fairy tale, a picture book, an informational book, or any other text, you can engage in a discussion as you enjoy reading together.

The best books to use have detailed pictures and are about topics that are interesting to your child. You can use books from your home or borrow a book from your child's classroom library, school library, or the public library. Also, keep in mind that you can access books on laptop computers, tablets, digital reading devices, and smartphones. Websites such as Project Gutenberg provide free access to books and mobile formats especially for smartphones. Don't forget to look through your phone's app store for free apps containing books for children.

To engage your child in conversation, you can use a tool called PEER: Prompt, Evaluate, Expand, and Repeat. See the Talking While You Read tri-fold and Bookmark for an example of how to use PEER.

Supporting Oral Language and Vocabulary Development

supporting_oral_language

Oral language is the way we communicate with others through speaking and listening. Vocabulary knowledge is a crucial part of oral language and includes understanding the meaning of words, how to use them, and how to pronounce them. Speaking and listening to your child every day about books and his or her experiences will help your child expand his or her vocabulary. Children with strong oral language skills and larger vocabularies typically become better readers. The best ways to give your child a strong foundation for learning to read are to read to, talk to, and listen to your child every day. Talk about people you know, places you go, and experiences you have together. Writing with your child also helps with oral language development.

Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. For example, instead of asking, "Did you have a good day?" ask, "What was your favorite part of school today?" Continue to ask questions about your child's response. If the answer was "Recess," ask, "Who did you play with?" "What did you do?" "How do you play that game?"

When you speak with your child, model speaking in complete sentences and provide details. For example, if your child points to a butterfly and says, "Butterfly!" say, "Yes, that is a monarch butterfly! Aren't her colorful wings beautiful?"

IES    
REL
Regional Educational
Laboratory Program
Explore the Institute of Education Sciences