Literacy is one of the most important ways to ensure a bright future for your child. Teaching a preschool child to read can be beneficial if you keep it fun and lighthearted. It should be all about the excitement of exploring and learning.
Both you and your child should enjoy the experience. Why is teaching your child to read from an early age important, and how do you do it?
Why teach a child to read from an early age?
Falling in love with reading gives children many opportunities. Their understanding of the world grows as they gain knowledge from books. Reading becomes an exciting experience for them, and this can inspire a lifelong desire to learn.
It will only take you about 15 or so minutes a day to read together to create a love for books. When you read to a child, it sends a ‘pleasure’ message to the brain.
There are many other reasons to teach a child to read. A few of the reasons are as follows:
- It expands their vocabulary.
- It stimulates their imagination.
- It makes them more aware of the world and the people around them.
- It’s a foundation for developing cognitive skills.
- It motivates them to want to read on their own.
Teaching Preschoolers How to Read
Use reading tutoring services.
Teaching preschoolers to read can help them with their academic life at school and much more. A teacher can achieve much in primary education with a child who can read a book.
Some students get to college and still need writing and reading tutoring. So, are you wondering what is the best reading tutoring program? Are you confused about it? Check this page for five of the best. It is essential to choose a training program with good reviews. Prices, quality, mobile apps, and customer service are just factors to consider.
Ways to teach your child to read.
Your child should never feel pressure from you to learn to read. You should also never pressure yourself to teach your child to read. Consistency is essential, but if the experience isn’t enjoyable, your efforts are likely to be wasted.
Teaching a child to read is a process, and you should implement the following steps when you feel the child is ready.
Read aloud to your child.
Reading aloud to your preschool child can be a particular time of bonding. You can start by showing the child how books work. Look at the cover and ask your child if they can guess what the book will be about. Show your child how to turn the pages carefully.
Don’t try to rush through a book but spend time on each page. Talk and read what’s on the page as your child absorbs what you say like a sponge. There are books suited to every age you can choose, but you will quickly learn what your child enjoys most.
Ask questions
Asking questions while reading to your child will help you determine whether they understand what you’re reading. If a child can’t comprehend what’s being read, it could become a real problem at school. Comprehension matters more than the ability to decode certain words.
Asking questions also helps to promote more interaction between you and your child. Ask why a character in the book makes a particular choice. Ask what a character feels and whether your child has felt the same way.
Play with letter names and sounds
You can use alphabet books, games, and toys to familiarize your child with letters. It also helps to identify letters in natural settings. Children often learn how to spell their names from the sign you hang on a bedroom door. We are surrounded by letters in adverts, magazines, cereal boxes, and more.
If a child is curious about letters in natural settings, this is the perfect opportunity for a learning experience. Practical applications of letters are more meaningful than simply memorizing the letters of the alphabet.
Focus on phonics
Show your child how to go from letter to letter and sound to sound so they can start blending the sounds to create words. Learning phonics rules is essential for them to start decoding words. Soon they will learn to decode simple words like ‘cat’ and ‘hat.’ As children start to decode words, the process becomes automatic. The brain transfers it from long-term memory so it can automatically retrieve it.
Focusing on phonics can be tedious for children, so making it a fun process is essential. Kids of three to four years love rhymes, so it’s an effective way to encourage them to sound out words. They can clap out sounds in words and identify rhyming words. Many interactive phonics games online can make practicing phonics an entertaining experience rather than a boring one.
Teach sight words
Sight words are words that aren’t spelled the way they sound. This means kids can’t decode them using phonics rules. Many online games are also available online to help teach children sight words. There is no other way to learn them than to see them as a whole and memorize them.
Make reading fun with games.
One of the best ways to get your child interested in reading is to make it entertaining. Find books they are genuinely interested in and use various reading materials, including comics or magazines. There are reading games you and your child can play online that stimulate your child’s imagination. Nothing has to be dull about learning to read with all the resources available online today.
Conclusion
Teaching your child to read is a journey but can be an enriching experience. Reading is the foundation of all learning and an essential life skill. You can start by reading to your child and asking questions. By using fun strategies, you can encourage your child to read and have fun together.