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Home Resource Supporting Your Child's Reading at Home
Support your child in reading accurately, at a conversational pace, and with expression so they understand what they read.
As your child moves through first grade and continues to learn to read, it won't be long before he or she is reading sentences, paragraphs, and books! As your child practices reading out loud, it is important to help him or her to read words correctly and quickly. When children read words accurately, it helps them understand what they are reading, and as children practice reading, they read words more efficiently by increasing accuracy and rate. When children can read words correctly and fairly quickly, they can focus their attention on understanding what they are reading instead of trying to identify each word.
There are two important things families can do to help their child read words correctly and quickly.
When choosing books for your child to read out loud, select books that are of interest to your child, are not too easy or too hard, and are linked to his or her experiences or concerns. For instance, if your child is interested in cars or is afraid of the dark, it can be helpful to select books on those topics.
Key Points About the Video
Key Points About the Video
When I Read to You, When You Read to Me Bookmark
On one side of this bookmark are tips to use as you read out loud to your child. On the other side are tips for when your child reads out loud to you.
A list of suggested books that you can read to your child to model reading words correctly, at a conversational pace, and with expression.
Experienced readers know when what they are reading does not make sense because they have misread a word. Once they realize they misread a word, experienced readers can correct their mistake. Students are still beginning readers in first grade, and beginning readers don't always notice when they misread a word because they don't always pay attention to what they are reading. So, it is important to show children how to recognize misread words when they read. A reader should think about what he or she is reading and decide whether it makes sense or not, that is, self-monitor. We also need to show children how to self-correct when they misread a word. Improving the ability to self-monitor and self-correct will help children understand what they read and become better readers.
Families can help children monitor what they read and make corrections when words are misread. As you read to your child, you can provide examples of how to recognize when words are misread by "thinking out loud." You can say things like, "That didn't make sense. I'm going to read that sentence again." When your child reads to you and misreads a word, ask her to stop and see if she can correct the error. If not, reread the sentence with the missed word exactly how your child read it and ask, "Did that make sense?" If your child does not self-correct, read the word and have her reread it. Then have her read the sentence correctly.
Key Points About the Video
Does That Make Sense?
Help your child pay attention to what they read and self-correct when a word is misread.
A list of suggested books for your child to read out loud to you while you help your child recognize and correct misread words.
Oral reading practice is when children read out loud. It is very important that students in first grade have many opportunities for oral reading practice. As children read out loud, it is important to have a more proficient reader that listens and offers help when needed. As children read out loud, they get better at reading words correctly, quickly, and with the right expression (fluently). Reading words quickly means reading them at the same pace in which we talk. When you read with the right expression, you understand what commas, periods, and question marks mean. Reading with expression shows that you understand what you read when you, for example, change your voice to be excited when a character is excited. When children read fluently, they can focus their attention on understanding what they read, rather than trying to figure out how to read the words. The more children practice reading out loud with support, the better readers they will become!
There are many ways to support your child in oral reading practice. You can echo read and read together.
The encouragement and support children receive as they read out loud will help them become more fluent and confident readers. Be patient as children learn to read and remind them often of how proud you are of them for practicing reading.
Key Points About the Video
Key Points About the Video
Practice Reading Out Loud Bookmark
Use this bookmark as a reminder of the importance of reading every day with children. One side of the bookmark describes Echo Reading and the other side describes Reading Together.
A list of suggested books for your child to read out loud to you as you Echo Read and Read Together.
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