Tips for Parents

1. Read with your child every day. Be sure to read to and with your child.
2. Try different ways of reading

* Listen to a reading by your child.
* Read to your child when the youngster is not able to read the book. This helps to build listening skills.
* Read along with the child when a book is somewhat difficult.
* Encourage your child to read silently and tell you about it.

3. Talk about what you have read

* Talk about the stories and the illustrations.
* Speculate as you read, "I wonder what will happen next?"
* What parts did you like? What parts didn't you like?
* What did the story remind you of in your own lives?
* Retell the story in the order it happened.
* Discuss favorite parts, funniest parts, parts you didn't like or something you learned

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4. If your child gets stuck on a word

* Wait so that the child can think about it
* Have your child look at the parts of the word they already know.
* Have your child read past the word and then come back to it.
* Ask your child, What sound does the word begin with? What sounds does it end with? Have your child sound out the word.
* Ask your child, Does that make sense? Does it look right? Does it sound right?
* Give your child the word. Don't lose the flow of the text. Some words are difficult to figure out.

5.Some things to look for when your child is reading.

* Was the reading fluent?
* Does the child pay attention to punctuation?
* Do the errors make sense in the story?
* Do the errors look like the words in the story?
* After an error, does the child self-correct or keep going?

6. Take your child to the library. Give your child books or magazine subscriptions as gifts.

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7. Show an interest in reading by reading yourself and asking your children what they are reading. If you enjoy reading, you are serving as a model that your child can follow.
8. Encourage reading beside books. Cook with your child and ask him or her to read the recipe. When traveling, ask your child to read the road signs. Play a board game or leave notes for your child.
9. Practice writing. Write letters and thank you notes to friends and relatives. Keep a personal journal.
10. Use computers as a learning tool.

* Get to know the computer keyboard. Type the alphabet or a funny phrase.
* Have your children write a story (with your help), print it and read it together.
* Let them e-mail friends and family.
* Visit websites where you and your kids can read together. See Computer Links.

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