Reading Guide
It is strongly suggested that you take the time to read with your child every day. The nurturing and one-on-one attention from parents during reading aloud encourages children to form a positive association with books and reading later in life. Although it is not the only measure of achievement, according to the US Department of Education, children who are read to at least three times a week by a family member are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading compared to children who are read to less than 3 times a week.
Types of Reading
Guided Reading
When adults read to children, in a guided reading manner - discussing story content, asking open-ended questions about story events, explaining the meaning of words, and pointing out features of print - they promote increased language development, comprehension of story content, knowledge of story structure, and a better understanding of language. Guided reading is best when children are still learning the rudiments of reading, or when reading a challenging book.
Independent Reading
However, once able, it’s important that your child reads on their own. Once your child begins to read independently, they should be reading “just right” books. Books should be selected by the child, and should be interesting to them. The library is a great resource for this!
How to identify a “just right” book:
They can read the words smoothly/fluently, but there are some choppy places
They can read most of the words
They can understand what they’re reading
They may have some background knowledge of the subject
Their reading rate is just right - not too slow or fast
They can figure out the tricky words and still get the meaning of the story
They enjoy the book
