BUILDING CONFIDENT PARENTS:
YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD
*Take this Reading Questionnaire!*
Things You Should Know as a Parent
PARENT READING TIPS
Tip #1: Help make reading fun and celebrate all successes.
Learning to read comes in four stages: (**see chart)
1. Learning about Print: Ages Birth to 4 years old 2. Breaking the Code: Ages 4 to 6 years old 3. Going for Fluency: Ages 5 to 8+ years old 4. Reading to Learn and For Enjoyment: Ages 8+ years old The more students practice reading at their appropriate stage of development, the better they get. *Trying to practice reading at a stage that is too difficult for them results in bad experiences for all. |
Tip #2: Reading is a developmental process.
Reading needs to be fun, engaging and motivating for kids. This looks different for each child, age, grade, and stage of reading development! (***See some sample activities you can try for each stage/age here).
Parents need to read to their children, have their children see them reading and enjoying it and discussing words and favorite books with them. Every time children choose to read, parents should notice and be positive about their choice! They will make lots of mistakes but only celebrate their successes! |
Tip #3: Know your student's appropriate reading level.
In order for students to succeed with reading, they need to read at their appropriate level - A LOT!! If you don't know what level your child should be reading at, check out the *** text level correspondence page AND fill out this questionnaire to help you. The more students read at their appropriate level, the more the words become memorized and easily recognized and recalled.
Start with where they can read successfully by themselves - their independent level. This level is not always on grade level - it is usually one to two levels BELOW their instructional level (the level that they can read successfully with teacher, parent or tutor help). Please keep in mind that there IS light at the end of the tunnel. If your child continues to practice reading and can be fluent at and reach a sixth to seventh grade reading level, they have a greater chance of enjoying a successful education. Most texts and magazines are written at a sixth to seventh grade reading level. Questions? Contact me |
Tip #4: Help them pick a book they like.
You can find books on your own (see links) or I can help you get started.
Lexile level - https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/search, ACR book finder - https://www.arbookfind.com/advanced.aspx, scholastic book wizard - https://bookwizard.scholastic.com/ |
When children read books that are interesting to them at a level that is easy for them, they feel successful and want to read more. The more they read, the better they get at reading! When children think they are failing at reading, they read less and become more and more behind and they feel hopeless - they feel like they can never catch up.
When students understand that reading is developmental and they have just been left behind, and that getting to a sixth or seventh grade reading level is sufficient for success, they see light at the end of the tunnel and feel hope! Helping them see their daily gains empowers them to read more which leads to more reading gains! It is a win/win!! Many book sites help students find books that interest them at their level, and they can also help you see if your own personal library is a good fit. |
Tip #5: Assess the FACS - Is it the right book?
The FAC's of Fluent Reading - good readers must be fluent (read naturally with good expression), accurate (no guessing at words) and understand what they read.
Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehension How do you know if the book you and your child have chosen is the right book for your student? Have your student start reading the book out loud and time them for one minute. (* see video) Make a small check on a piece of paper every time they miss a word, say a word wrong or just plain get tricked. After one minute, count how many words they read and subtract all mistakes. This gives you their correct words per minute. Also, ask them questions about what they just read. See how they understood what they read. You will know if they did or didn't. If they missed less than one word out of twenty, the book is just right. If they missed more then one out of ten, it is too hard. If they didn't miss any words but can't tell you anything about what they just read, it is also too hard. Find something easier. It will be more fun for them to read and a better experience for all. |
Tip #6: Don't just take my word for it!
We have access to the best reading research on the planet. If you want to know what reading really entails, and what really works, check out these resources.
Good research follows the scientific method, is replicatable and has been peer reviewed. |
Once you know the answers to these tips, let's work together to find solutions that best meet the reading tutoring needs of your student.
*Coming Soon!*