Make Reading Fun

As I've mentioned before, the more fun reading is, the more your child will enjoy the activity. Here are some ways you can make the reading experience enjoyable for both of you.
Silly voices. As you read, make up voices for the characters. Most kids love to act and the sillier it is the more pleasurable it can be. Just make sure they’re ‘accidentally’ gaining skills also, by asking who the characters are, what the main idea is, or what happen in the story.
What’s going to happen next? Ask this question as you read, OR before you start the story, look through the pictures and then guess what’s going to happen. When you finish the story or the chapter, talk about whether or not your predictions came true. Stress that there are no right or wrong answers to this question. It doesn’t matter if you get it ‘right’.
Have your child turn the story into a movie. That means you match your voice to the text. If it’s scary, make your voice slow and low… if it’s exciting, fast and high, and don’t be afraid to put in sound effects. Reading with dynamics can make reading very interesting for everyone. (This is a good exercise to use when you’re taking turns so your child can learn how by doing what you do.)
What was your favorite part? Or if they hated the book, what would you have done differently? Tell the child your favorite part, or say… I hated it when… I wish the author had done this instead, will help your child open up and make the exercise fun.
For nonfiction selections you can preview the book/story and have the child find answers to questions. For example if the story were about whales, you could say, “Can you tell me whether the whale is a fish or a mammal? Let’s see if we can find the answer.” Looking for the answers to fun questions gives the child a goal and helps them pay attention to what they’re reading.
If you don’t have time to preview, ‘activate prior knowledge’. This simply means, ask them what they already know about the subject. At the end, ask them what they learned, and ask what they wished they’d learned. The answers can be surprising and can lead to fun discussions.

When the selection is too hard

First, you can take turns reading sentences or paragraphs. This allows your child to read, while helping to prevent frustration at the difficulty.

You can also use Choral Reading, which means that the two of you read the words out loud together. This helps the child gain confidence by reading the words they know, while you support them by helping with the words that are too hard. (Make sure the child reads also.)

The third option is to read the selection to your child. Make sure you stop frequently to ask questions about what’s being read. This helps to develop ‘oral’ reading comprehension and is a valid skill children should learn. Just make sure to use other methods also.

So... what do you do if the book is too hard, or your child just isn't interested in the story they're supposed to read that night?

Parents and Public Schools

I was talking to my daughters' piano teacher today about her son's reading. She knows I work for the local school district, and was frustrated because she wanted to help him to improve, yet had no idea how to do it.

I hear that frustration a lot, and to be honest, I've been there myself. I've only worked inside the system for the last four years. Before that I sat at home and wondered, What can I do? Am I doing everything I should be?

My blog will be done from the perspective of a mother who's worked hard to gain insights into teaching professionals and what they wish parents knew. A perspective, I believe my position as a Teacher's Assistant and a mother with children who have both excelled at and struggled with school has gained me.

I invite questions and comments, and would be delighted to hear from parents and professionals that have found successful solutions to problems. There's more than one 'right' way, and having worked with many children, I've found that no one technique works for everyone. It's a matter of trying again and again until you find something that works, so the more ideas we have, the better off we'll all be.