“Wow, Ben! I’m impressed that you could read that word,” I said to my 6 year old.
“Well, Mom! I just used the phonics decoding strategies.”
I just loved his response! Mostly because is there anything cuter than little kids using big words?! But more because it says to me – he gets it! The light bulb has gone on, something clicked, and now he’s reading.
For some kids it is a gradual process, for others it seems like they wake up one morning reading fluently. Whatever your child’s reading journey, I’m sure you are like me – we want our kiddos to not only know how to read, but to love reading. We know that good reading skills set them up for success in other subject matters. If you can read with comprehension, then that history text isn’t nearly as daunting. When you read there is an enormous world waiting for you to explore literally right at your fingertips and we want to share that world with our children. Reading stimulates imagination and can be a prompt for higher level thinking skills. You think more and your life is richer when you read – who wouldn’t want that for their child?!
So how can we grow readers?
Create a Language-Rich Home
Reading is more than simply decoding words. Although it is an essential basis, phonics is only part of the picture. Reading happens in the context of language. The more language-rich the environment, the more likely reading skills will develop. I like to think of the home environment as the soil. Fertile soil grows better plants and a home rich in language grows better readers. Here are some proven tips for creating a language-rich home:
- Start young. The more language exposure the better! That means talking and reading to your young ones – even babies and toddlers. Even if they cannot understand everything, it helps language development in the brain if they hear language over and over. “What do I say to my baby?!” you wonder? Talk about what you are seeing outside, talk about your grocery list while shopping, tell them what you are doing while changing or dressing them. The more stimulation, the more neuro-pathways are created, and the stronger the language function will be in the brain.
- In the car. It would be interesting to track exactly how much time we spend in the mini-van! Then again, maybe I don’t really want to know! Time in transit can be a great language building opportunity. It is a good time to foster conversation – you have a captive audience! Audio books can really make the miles go by fast and help everyone enjoy a literacy experience together. Also word games are an excellent way to both pass the time on longer trips and build language skills. Here are a couple of our family’s favorites:
- A,B,C Game. Preschool version – spot all the letters of the alphabet as you find them on signs, trucks, license plates, etc. You can play it competitively (who can be the first to spot the A, and so on) or cooperatively (let’s work together to find all the letters). Emerging readers version – have them find objects that begin with each letter.
- Syllable Game. My mom created this game when we were kids but I have since seen a manufactured version called “Mad Gab.” Basically everyone has to guess the word you are thinking of with clues you give them for each syllable. For example, if the word is “highway,” you might say, “the opposite of low is ____” “if you want to know how heavy you are you can _____ yourself on a scale.” Eventually you can make the clues and words as difficult as everyone can handle.
- Round Robin Story. Create a story together . . . kind of! One person starts with a couple sentences. The next person adds to the plot and around and around it goes!!
- Around the table. Besides working on good manners, the dinner table is a great time to practice communication skills. Have each person share about their day. Be sure to ask open ended questions (Why do you think he did that? What was your favorite part? How did that make you feel?) This helps kids learn to take turns, learn to listen, and learn to express themselves. One great tool to help with dinner conversation is “The Chat Pack.” This is just a collection of questions on little cards – things along the lines of “If you could create an amusement park, what kind of rides would you build?” You could create your own chat pack by either coming up with your own questions or searching out open ended questions on line.
- Anytime and anywhere! Tools that can be used to build language anytime and anywhere are rhyme, rhythm, and song! Rhyming helps to build phonemic awareness (knowing how parts of words sound). Rhythm helps with language patterning and prediction. Songs are a great way to get a dose of both rhythm and rhyme!! You can even use rhyming songs as cues. For example, there are various versions of “The Clean Up Song,” a simple ditty to let everyone know it’s time to work together to . . . well, clean up! Not only does it help with building language, it is also much more pleasant to hear than the nagging rants and threats of which I have been guilty a time or two!! There are fun little songs for all kinds of things from washing your hands to getting ready to go out the door. Anytime you are making communication engaging, you are preparing minds to read.
Make Time for Reading
Turning off everything electronic (well, except kindles and e-readers, I guess!) and just reading not only gives everyone time to practice their skills and enjoy a story, but also shows that reading is a priority. Reading together or quiet independent reading is a great addition to the bedtime routine. If you have a wide age range, have older kids read to younger kids. And be sure your kids see you reading, too. Your example might be the most powerful literacy influence. If your kids need more motivation, charts and stickers are always a fun way to track reading, either by number of books or pages read, or by number of minutes spent reading.
Be Library Lovers!
Your local library is an amazing resource! Besides a huge selection of books, there are literacy programs galore – like story hours, book clubs, and special events. Get plugged in! Most libraries can be accessed online so you can request and renew resources from your laptop, phone, or ipad. It might take some juggling, but schedule a regular library visit into your week.
Besides the local library, build your own library at home. This does not have to require a huge investment. Yard sales are a great place to acquire books inexpensively. Consider giving books as gifts. The more books on hand, the more likely your child will find something that captures their interest.
There is a knack for choosing books for kids whether from the library or for your home library. If they are not reading yet, find books with stories and pictures that YOU like. If you like it, chances are good they will too. Besides, you are the one who will be reading it 50 times in a row, so choose wisely!! If they are beginner readers, find books with larger print, few sentences on each page, and engaging pictures. The aim is to build confidence. For the independent readers, find what fits their interest and attention. This might be a particular type of book (my 6 and 8 year old boys are big into non-fiction right now – the more facts the better!) or it might be a particular author or character. Once they are reading confidently, whatever they enjoy reading is the right book! (Providing it is appropriate and fits with your family’s values and beliefs). As your reader grows, help them find books of higher literary quality. The Newberry books are usually well-written and will nurture an appreciation for good literature.
How does your garden grow?
Just as with those tender plants in the garden, readers need to be nurtured. Plants don’t grow because someone pushed them up through the soil and few readers grow that way either. Provide what they need. Encourage them. Invite them to join you on a journey you love. Then watch what blooms!
Copyright © 2013 J. Hoffman / GSN (NV)
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Email: JHoffman@GlobalStudentNetwork.com