4 Steps to Teaching Your Child Reading

Article written by Ez Biz Niz

Getting your child to read might seem like the most difficult thing to do but there’s no need to worry. Every one of them ultimately picks up this important skill in a step-by-step manner as they grow from a toddler to a child who is ready to go to school.

So, if you want to be actively involved in this process and think that you might make a hash of things, here are four steps to consider:

#1: Early Literacy Efforts until the age of 3

Simply put, the focus isn’t (and shouldn’t be on) teaching but instead of preparing them for the next stage where learning in school is really important. It’s necessary for you not to assume that singing to them, singing nursery rhymes and playing rhyming games might help them with oral language and print awareness. Better still, reading bedtime stories can be just as helpful too.

#2: Learning the English alphabet

Between the age of 3 and 4, learning the English alphabets is what most children show interest in. So the first thing that must be done is introduce them to letters, both upper and lower case. Apart from reading alphabet books wor with them to solve both alphabet puzzles and magnets too. Let them write if they’d like to as this can contribute to reading better as they grow older.

#3: Blending letters and sounds

As soon as children begin to recognize letters and sounds, it’s then time to combine them into words. If you make your child pronounce each syllable of the word and then the entire word together that can help your child’s reading immensely. Also, continue reading nursery rhymes and play rhyming games too.

#4: Decoding and literacy

This is probably a stage that many children find difficult. This is the ability for children to use phonics to read entire words. You’ll have to practice this with them by reading challenging passages even if you have to read it out for them initially. Also, note that a lot of repetition will ensure that your child’s reading will get better.