In parts 1 and 2, we explored 10 ways that you could help your child further their reading skills at home. These were strategies such as talking to your child a lot, listening to your child read, having your child tell you a story, reading to your child, teaching your child phonemic awareness, and understanding that teaching literacy is similar to teaching other essential skills. As this is such a huge subject, we knew that you’d benefit from hearing even more!

So, here are 5 final points on how to help your child’s reading skills at home!

1. Be a good example (good reader). Children tend to naturally take after their parents. This is why it’s much more likely that they will become an enthusiastic reader if they see that you are too. Therefore, try to create opportunities for your child to see you reading. It doesn’t even have to be a book. Find excuses to pick up a cookbook, or flick through a magazine. The point is to get them to understand that it’s normal to read, and that this is an interesting, worthwhile activity.

2. Identity letters in natural settings. We understand that you’ll be keen to encourage your child to learn the names of certain letters, and may have reverted to drilling letters with flashcards in order to get them to learn. However, if a child feels like they have to learn something, they probably won’t want to do it. However, if you let teachable moments come along naturally, and capitalise on them when they do, your child won’t feel like they’re enduring a lesson. Instead, they will be curious and interested in learning.

3. Include multiple domains of development. Studies have shown that a child learns the best when their different senses are being activated and incorporated into learning. So, when your child starts to show interest in learning letters, try to use natural settings in which to identify letters. This way, several of their senses will be stimulated while they learn. In terms of developing your child’s reading skills and letter development, there are other easy to include multiple domains of development for your child. For example, cutting, glueing and creating alphabet crafts, in order to teach your little one what the shape of a letter looks and sounds like.

4. Classify the genre. Although it may seem a little early to introduce your child to genres, studies show that at 5 years old they are more than capable of recognising them and understanding the difference between reality and make-belief. So, make efforts to convey to your child the different genres of the books you are reading. For example, nonfiction books, fantasy books, realistic fiction, songbooks, or alphabet books. Once you’ve read your child a book from each genre, ask your child to decipher the genre of each one. This will strengthen their ability to process information, remember specific details, summarise a story, understand what they’re reading, and make connections between books.

5. Word families. Teaching children word families may sound complicated, but it’s actually a helpful exercise to simplify their reading skills. Word families are words that sound identically, and they help children to identify patterns in reading. For example, if your child identifies the word “pop”, then they will find it much easier to read other words that sound similar. Such as “hop, mop, cop, or top”. This, in turn, helps them to start reading, as it assists with the recognition of sets of letters in a word.

How to help your child's reading skills at home (Part 3)

Reading is the gift that keeps on giving, says Unii.