Becoming a Better Reader:

Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Children's Reading

Prepared by Kim Persons, Gr. 4 Classroom Teacher, Porter School
HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD BECOME A BETTER READER?
Have lots of material around that they would find interesting to read. This can include but is not limited to favorite books in a series, comic books, and magazines. Set aside a place they like to be at a good time of day and create a "reading ritual". Show your child you value reading by reading to them. If they see you reading at home, they will be more likely to see it as a desirable activity, rather than something they have to do and should only do at school.		 SHOULD I ALLOW MY SON TO KEEP READING EASY BOOKS?
Think about what you like to read at the end of a hard day at work. What would be more inviting - a magazine or a textbook? It's the same with your son. As long as he is reading and enjoying himself, any printed material you think is appropriate is fine.
WHEN SHOULD I STOP READING ALOUD?
Whenever your child indicates that she no longer has the time or interest. There is no magic age. However, for children in third grade and above, make sure time spent listening doesn't replace the time she spends reading silently to herself, as two entirely different skills are being practiced.
 
 
 WHEN MY DAUGHTER READS OUT LOUD TO ME, SHE SEEMS TO MISS A LOT OF WORDS. SHOULD I CORRECT HER?
First, are her mistakes affecting the meaning of the story? Every reader somtimes misreads the author's words.If she understands and is able to retell the story clearly, I wouldn't correct her because it will interrrupt her train of thought and enjoyment of the story.

If the mistakes keep the story from making sense, there are other issues to at, such as: is the book too hard for her? Perhaps she needs help from you or her teacher to choose something more appropriate. Some teachers use the "five finger test" to help their students select independent books. Have her read a page from a book she is interested in and if she stumbles over five or more words, the book would not be a good choice for her to read to herself. Offer to read it to her and have her pick another one.

There are many strategies she can use to figure out unknown
words. She could reread the sentence and think about what would make sense. She could look for chunks she knows in the bigger
word. She could start with the beginning sound and say the parts of the word in order. Since you will not be sitting next to her to help her in school, it is important that she learn to decode unknown words herself rather than relying on outside help.
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY SON UNDERSTANDS WHAT HE'S READING?

Being a successful reader involves two main skills: the ability to read the words AND understand what they mean. Good readers can talk about what they've read - favorite scenes, characters, and themes. Have a family book club and talk about what you're reading!

Last updated: May 9, 2003