How to teach my child to read ? Our top ten tips for reading!

Every parent asks this question at some point in their parenting journey- how do I teach my child to read? As a parent, you can make a big difference in your child’s love for learning and reading- read on to find out how DRS International School thinks you can add on to our DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) program at home…

• Create an atmosphere for reading

Are there open and accessible bookshelves in your home? Are books beyond the reach of your child? Are they piled together or are they placed neatly, with room for movement and shuffling? When it comes to reading, seating and lighting also play a part. Having a designated reading chair, mat or a cozy bean bag for your child could inspire him to read.

• Be a reading role-model

Let’s face it- there’s no one who inspires your child as much as you. Children learn by mimicking and imitating what they see around them. Seeing you huddle up with a book every evening, or seeing you completely engrossed in a novel, can get your child curious about reading.

• Read to your child

Spend quality time with your child by reading to them. Bed-time is a wonderful time to pick up a book and read aloud to your child, but when it comes to reading, any time is a good time. Don’t shy away from slipping into a storybook character- being the Big Bad Wolf or adding a little intonation to growl like the Good Dinosaur will not just entertain your child, and help with bonding, it will develop his/her love for stories.

• Surround them with stories

Skip the Play-station for your child’s birthday this year and buy him/her a box-set of Dr. Seuss books. Trust us, your child will thank you for it. Use every opportunity you get to narrate a story- from your childhood, for example, real or imagined. Or better still, ask your child to tell you a story. Create some sock puppets or use a marker to draw up some finger puppets to make your storytelling sessions more interesting. Our storytelling sessions in the International Kindergarten in the IB PYP, for instance has probably already made your child an ace storyteller!

• Listen to them read

Too many children are shy to read because they have been corrected too often or laughed at, or humiliated in some little way or the other when they try to read aloud. The best thing you can do for your child is to provide a loving, interested and supportive ear when your child tries to read aloud. Resist the urge to correct every mispronounced word and let your child gather his/her confidence first. You can always read the story aloud later again to demonstrate the right way to pronounce. Support your child by helping him/her trace words with his finger, break up big words into smaller words etc.

Happy Reading! If you’re looking for good books for your child, or other parenting tips, feel free to get in touch with us at smart.p@drsinternational.com!