Home Reading Tips

7 Tips to help your readers at home

1)  Set aside time to read at least 4-5 times a week.  Yes…this might be a struggle. Be consistent… this should be a non-negotiable.  By setting a number of pages goal of say… 5-10 pages per day, this gives you something concrete to work with .  When the pages are read, they are done for the day.

2)  Use incentives such as…

·       Trade time for something they love to do… certain number of pages read translate into minutes to spend watching TV or playing video games.

·       Or so many books read= a trip to McDonalds or a park.

3) Read WITH your child…he reads a page, you read a page. 

4) Have “reading parties” where every one brings a book and snuggles in a spot to read their book.  Sometimes just snuggling in next to mom or dad is enough motivation to read for a while.

5) If your struggling reader has a younger brother or sister, you have just scored big time!  Get them to read to their younger sibling(s).

If you have an older reader in your home, have them read a picture book.  This means the stories are usually shorter (and less intimidating) and probably at a lower reading level (which will make them feel successful when they read it).  They get practice reading and the younger sibling gets the benefit of being read to… also very important!

6) Make sure your struggling reader is reading books that are interesting to them.  Kids will read if they find the book interesting. Don’t worry about reading “high quality literature”. At this point, the goal is to get them reading… and the best way to do that is make sure they are interested in what they read.

7) If the book your kid is reading (and enjoying) is part of a series, try sticking to the series.  A series gives your reader the same format, the same characters, and often the same setting for several books.  These familiar things will help them understand the story more quickly.