Things Families Can Do To Help Their Child Read

1.    Read to and with your children for 30 minutes every day.
It is very important to read out loud to your children before they start
school. Help your children read with you. Ask them to find letters and
words on the page and talk with your children about the story.

2.   Help your children read on their own.
Reading at home helps children do better in school. Have lots of children's
books in your home and visit the library every week. Help your children get
their own library cards and let them pick out their own books.

3.   If your child has a developmental delay, your child may find reading
frustrating. Have books on tape in your home. Borrow or buy a tape player
that is easy for children to use. If you can't find tapes of your child's
favorite books, you or a family member could make recordings of the books
for your child to listen to while looking at the books.

4.   Help your child see that reading is important.
Suggest reading as a free-time activity. Make sure your children have time
in their day to read. Set a good example for your children by reading
newspapers, magazines, and books.

5.   Set up a reading area in your home.
Keep books that interest your children in places where they can easily
reach them. As your children become better readers, make sure that you add
harder books to your collection.

6.   Give your children writing materials.
Children want to learn how to write and to practice writing. Help them
learn by having paper, pencils, pens, or crayons for them in your home.
Help your children write if they ask you. If your child has a special
learning or physical need, regular pens and pencils may not be the best
choice. Ask your pediatrician or people who work with your child at school
or at the child care center to suggest other writing materials your child
can use.

9.   Ask your children to describe events in their lives.
Talking about their experiences makes children think about them. Giving
detailed descriptions and telling complete stories also helps children
learn about how stories are written and what the stories they read mean.

10.  Restrict the amount and kind of TV your children watch.
Watch educational TV programs with your children that teach letter sounds
and words or give information about nature and science.

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Excerpted from: Simple Things You Can Do to Help All Children Read Well and
Independently By the End of Third Grade (1997) U.S. Department of Education
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