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How can i teach my 6 year old to read


Resources for Struggling Learners Ages 6-7

The time between ages 6 and 8 is a crucial one in the development of literacy skills, including decoding. If your child is struggling with learning to read, now is the time to find the tools and strategies to bridge that transition. If you continue to have questions and concerns, set up time with your child’s teacher to ask questions and find out more. The newest research on literacy development in children emphasizes the importance of providing reading interventions as soon as possible.

For more information, find out early signs of a reading difficulty, 8 ways parents can seeking help if their reader is struggling, and why it's important not to wait.  It is much easier to support children at this age than to have to play catch-up later! 

Try these strategies to help build your child's literacy: 

  • Keep Reading Aloud!: Although a main goal of this age group is to learn to be independent readers, the books they can read on their own are often stilted with controlled text. Keep reading interesting picture books and chapter books to expand your child’s comprehension abilities, vocabulary, and sense of wonder about stories! Ask questions along the way to allow your child to continue to develop comprehension skills while her decoding abilities are coming online.  
  • Character Magnets: Find a character or series they like: Clifford, Henry and Mudge, Fancy Nancy, etc. Color copy onto card stock some of the main characters (or have your child draw them!), cut them out, and put magnets on the back. Get magnetic poetry types of words for the fridge or washer (or cookie sheet). Let your child “write” and act out stories! You can also cut out words from magazines or the computer and put magnets on the back. 
  • Magnetic Words: Add magnets to Scrabble letters and help your child sound out and create 3- and 4-letter phonetic words or sight words. 
  • Word Wizard App is a terrific app that allows your child to build and sound out words independently. You can use the app’s word lists or add your own. Its advanced text-to-speech capabilities and fun visual rewards will have your child asking for “more spelling practice please!” Choose the phonetic sounds of letters in the settings menu. The app is $2.99 but worth it.
  • BOB Books Reading Magic Lite app has simple text, fun activities, and is all phonics based. This is a great starting place for struggling readers.
  • Write a letter: What better way to encourage reluctant writers than to motivate them! Invite your child to write to their favorite Disney character. In about 6 weeks, they will get a signed postcard! Save this address:

Walt Disney Company
Attn: Fan Mail Department
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

  • Play board games: There are many skills children use when playing board games -- from reading the directions to building vocabulary through games like Boggle or even Hangman. Developing literacy skills can be loads of fun!
  • Choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA) stories: Helping kids discover the joy in reading can be a challenge, especially when they find decoding the words or understanding the text difficult. One fun way to excite reading is through CYOA books. There are books with many levels (e.g., The Haunted House vs The Abominable Snowman, both by RA Montgomery). Or try out a graphic novel CYOA like Meanwhile by Jason Shina for more visual learners (and those wanting less text). Some fun online variations: 
    • Seussville Storymaker is a different kind of CYOA where your child selects scenes, music, dialog, etc. For a 3-scene Horton the Elephant story; the computer will “sew” together the animation for you.
    • Choice of the Dragon, again, has no audio, but it does have an exciting topic.
    • Addy’s Escape to Freedom: Read American Girl Addy’s CYOA story.
  • Niki’s Adventures is about the adventures of a hummingbird in Canada. It has no audio, but text is relatively simple.
  • Spin the Wheel: There is nothing better for struggling learners than a sense of choice about their work. Let your child spin the Scholastic Computer lab wheel and have fun clicking around and learning.
  • Storybuddy Lite app: Your child can draw directly on the screen, type text, and make fun storybooks that you can share.
  • ABC Spelling Magic 1, 2 & 3 apps help your child build short, phonetic words, consonant blends, and then 5-7 letter words with consonant blends and syllables.
  • Aesop’s Quest app is a wonderful app that emphasizes comprehension in a fun way. Children use what they remember of the story to advance levels. For grades 2-6. 
  • Pic Lits is a fun and simple site for kids who dislike writing. They choose an image and drag “magnets” to create a simple saying or story. While doing so, they will unknowingly be learning how to search alphabetically, and be exploring how to use parts of speech.

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How To Teach A Child to Read In 10 Easy Steps

Teaching your child to read can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!  Here we share 10 tips on how to teach a child to read, from pre-readers all the way to school-age children!

When Do Kids Learn To Read?

As a former first grade teacher, teaching children to read is one of my greatest passions! But because most children don’t start actually “reading” until around 6 years old (which is upwards of the targeted age range for my blog), I didn’t want parents to feel pressured that their 3-year old needs to start reading (which, by the way, they don’t!). However, the information shared below is general information that is beneficial for children of all ages, whether your child is ready to read or not. Don’t implement all of these strategies at once, nor should you expect your child to be able to do everything right away. Learning to read is a process and the information below is simply for you to implement when you feel your child is ready.

Once your child is ready to begin reading, you will need to find a systematic and explicit program that teaches phonemic awareness and phonics.  This is essential. Learning to read is like breaking a cipher code (and contrary to what the title of this post suggests, it is NOT easy).  Every child must learn the code and it makes the most sense to teach this explicitly rather than depending on kids figuring it out on their own.   Please also recognize that although the suggestions below are labeled as “steps”, they are not necessarily in consecutive order, nor are they in order of importance. The information you will find here is simply a guide to help you see how each of the components of reading fit together for your pre-reader.  If your child is school-aged and you are looking for a curriculum on how to teach a child to read, I highly recommend Pathways to Reading Homeschool.

 

 

How To Teach a Child To Read

1. Read Aloud to your child

Teaching your child to read is truly a process that begins at infancy. No, I am most certainly NOT advocating programs that claim to teach your baby to read using flashcards! What I AM encouraging you to do is to begin reading with your newborn within days of welcoming her home! Not only is ongoing reading time building a special bonding time for the two of you, it instills in her a love for books. Enjoyment while reading is one of the single greatest predictors of reading success in school-age children. If children don’t learn from an early age to enjoy reading, it will most likely hinder their ability sometime down the road.

How much you read to your child is completely up to you and your family, but I suggest you aim to read at least 3-4 books a day, even while your child is very young. As she gets a little older and can sit for longer stretches of time, make it a family goal to read together for at least 20-minutes each day.

Here are a few suggestions for the types of books to read to your child. But by all means, read whatever your child responds to and enjoys!

  • Birth-1 Year: Lullabies, Board Books (with real pictures), Cloth Books (with various textures), Song Books
  • 1 Year-3 Years: Rhyming Books, Song Books, Short-Story Board Books
  • 3 Years-5 Years: Alphabet Books, Song Books, Picture Books, Rhyming Books

 

2. Ask questions

Asking questions while reading to your child is not only great for encouraging your child to interact with the book, but it is also extremely effective in developing his ability to comprehend what he is reading. You see, if our main objective in “reading” is getting our child to “sound out” words, we have missed the boat entirely. Even children who can decode words and “read” with great fluency still might not be able to comprehend what they are reading. If a child can’t comprehend what he is reading, there really is no point to reading at all!

While your child is a baby, ask him questions such as, “Do you see the cat?” while pointing at the picture of the cat. This will not only develop his vocabulary, it will also encourage him to interact with the book that he is reading. As he gets older, ask him to point to things in the book himself and make the noises of the animals he sees.

 

 

Once your child is about 2 or 3-years of age, begin asking questions before, during, and after reading the book. Show your child the cover of the book and ask him what he thinks the story is going to be about (predicting). While reading, ask him what he thinks is going to happen in the story or why he thinks a character made a particular choice (inferring). If a character is depicting a strong emotion, identify that emotion and ask your child if he has ever felt that way (connecting). At the end of the book, ask if his prediction(s) came true. Afterwards, ask him to tell you what he remembered happening in the book (summarizing).

Modifying each of these techniques during read-alouds to meet the developmental stage of your child is a great way to promote and increase reading comprehension!

 

3. Be a good (reading) example

Even if your child is fascinated with books from an early age, her fascination will quickly dwindle if she does not see reading modeled in her home. If you are not an avid reader yourself, make a conscious effort to let your children see you reading for at least a few minutes each day! Read a magazine, a cookbook, a novel, your Bible…it’s up to you! But show your child that reading is something that even adults need to do. If you have a son, share this article with your husband. Sons need to see their fathers read, especially since it is not something that young energetic boys are naturally prone to doing.

 

As parents, we can sometimes get wrapped up with what exactly our children should be doing to be successful. But we often forget that children often learn by example. Grab a book and take a load off…for your child’s sake, of course!

4. Identify letters in natural settings

Before our boys were born, we painted and hung large wooden letters spelling their name above the cribs as a decorative accent in their rooms. I would have never guessed that those wooden letters would have such a learning incentive for Big Brother! Around age 2.5, he began asking what letters were above his name. That’s honestly how he learned to spell his name…and he can spell his brother’s name too because he has taken an interest in his letters as well. In technical terms, this is called “environmental print” and includes all of the print we are surrounded by–fast food signs, labels, traffic signs, clothing, magazines, etc.

 

Often times, we want to force our children to learn letter names by a certain age. We buy flashcards or DVDs claiming to teach our children their letters. We drill our 2-year old over and over for minutes on end. Don’t buy into this…allow your kid to be a kid and take advantage of the “teachable moments” as they come along! Children’s minds are like sponges and are certainly capable of memorizing the alphabet from drilling, but that’s not the most effective method that will produce the best long-term results. Your child will be curious about the print he sees around him and will ask questions. That’s your chance to jump in with a practical application that actually has real meaning and significance to your child.

Don’t misunderstand me and think that I don’t think learning the alphabet is important. It is certainly important…but the method in which we teach them is even more important! Always keep in mind that our ultimate goal is to foster a lifelong learner who loves to read, not a child who has simply memorized without any significance.

 

5. Incorporate multiple domains of development

Children learn best when multiple senses or areas of development are included. That’s why hands-on learning produces longer retention and more meaningful application. Once your child has shown an interest in letters and you have already begun to utilize natural settings for identifying those letters, begin implementing activities that incorporate as many senses as possible. Keep in mind that learning letter names isn’t nearly as important as learning their sounds!

There are a plethora of ways to incorporate multiple domains of development in regards to letter recognition and early-reading skills. Alphabet crafts allow your child to learn the shape of a letter along with an association of the sound it makes all the while utilizing fine motor skills in the process of cutting, gluing, and creating! Playing games that involve gross motor skills (like tossing beanbags on the appropriate letter) are also wonderful ways to include movement. Of course, every child loves songs and rhymes! Take an inventory of your child’s strengths and areas of interest and target activities to fit them!

6. Classify the Genre

Once your child is around 5 and can recognize the difference between real and make-believe, I would suggest starting to help your child understand various genres of books during your reading time together. This might seem complicated, but it’s really not. There are around 5 different genres of children’s books that I would encourage you to point out to your little one. Of course you can use the term “type” rather than “genre” if that is easier to remember.

  • Nonfiction (real stories or facts about animals, places, people, etc)
  • Fantasy (make-believe, can’t happen in real life because of magic, talking animals, etc)
  • Realistic Fiction (a made-up story, but it could technically happen in real life because the characters and situations arebelievable)
  • Alphabet Books 
  • Song Books

 

When children classify a book into a certain genre, they have to first summarize the book in their head and recall details. Then they have to use that information to decide which type of genre that particular books fits into. Finally, your child will be recalling details from other books in the same genre, making connections between the two. This simple activity that might take 5-10 seconds of your time after reading a book but it certainly packs a punch of thought and processing in that young brain!

 

Also, it’s important to note that not all books will fit into one of these genres, especially books that are considered “phonics readers.” I would suggest that you do this exercise only with high-quality children’s literature, not with books that are attempting to get your child to “sound-out” on their own. Most picture books found in children’s libraries will fit into one of these genres.

Remember, our goal is for our children to learn to comprehend what they’re reading…otherwise reading will honestly do them little good. When we encourage our children to think about and process the book we’ve just read together, we are inadvertently modeling what we hope they’ll one day do independently!

 

7. Focus on Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

“Phonemes” are the smallest sounds in the English language (go here for a complete list of phonemes). These sounds are made up of consonants, short vowels, long vowels, and digraphs. “Phonemic Awareness” consists of learning those sounds and how to manipulate them within a word. Digraphs are unique sounds comprised of individual letters like /th/, /sh/, /ch/, etc.

“Phonics” includes learning how to spell those sounds and the various rules that the English language follows. Learning the rules of phonics is an essential tool that helps a child learn to decode and spell. I used the Pathways To Reading program in the classroom as my phonemic awareness and phonics program and loved it! It made learning all of the tricky spellings so much fun!  Pathways now has a homeschool version, which is amazing!

 

9. Decoding

Decoding is often referred to as “sounding it out.”  Once your child knows the sounds each letter makes (which is taught in real, meaningful situations), she is ready to begin putting words together.  Decoding is a process that requires strong phonemic awareness skills and gives way to orthographic mapping, the process by which words are stored as “sight words” in long-term memory.

As children decode words with more frequency, they will become more proficient at automatically identifying that word. Researchers say it can take between 1-4 exposures of decoding before a word is transferred to long-term memory for automatic retrieval.  Sometimes this task is tedious, and can’t be short-changed, so it’s important to find creative ways to make it fun. When I taught first grade, I used to buy little finger puppets that my students could use to point to the letters as they were decoding. This was a huge hit and made this process so much fun!

 

Find these finger puppets and more at Oriental Trading

 

10. Use a reading program with explicit, systematic instruction once he/she is in kindergarten and beyond

Most of the skills up to this point are what I would consider “pre-reader” skills that we, as parents, can work on during our child’s earliest years to make the process of learning to read much easier for our children.  Once your child reaches school-age, be sure that you are using a program rooted in the science of reading, with explicit and systematic instruction in both phonemic awareness and phonics.  If your child is headed to school, ask to look over the curriculum to ensure it is strong in these areas specifically.  Some children will naturally learn the phonetic code more easily than others, as Nancy Young’s Reading Ladder suggests, but ALL children benefit from early code-based instruction.

 

There is no better foundational reading program, in my opinion, than Pathways to Reading.  The original curriculum has been used in classrooms and clinical settings for the last 20 years.  The program has been involved in numerous research studies, showing statistically significant results.  Pathways to Reading Homeschool now offers their groundbreaking curriculum for home educators, starting with Basic Foundational Reading (which is the equivalent of kindergarten-age instruction).  All 5 areas of reading instruction, as identified by the National Reading Panel, are incorporated:  Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Reading Comprehension.  This is such an incredible resource for families and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

 

Learning To Read is a Journey

In summary, here are some practical suggestions you can implement every day based on the learning to read strategies shared with you in this post. Obviously, you can’t implement all of these suggestions with children of all ages, so use your judgement about what is the best way to teach a child to read.

  • Read to your child every day!
  • Ask your child questions before, during, and after reading.
  • Let your child see you reading.
  • Look for letters while out and about and in the environment around you.
  • When teaching letters and letter sounds, incorporate as many senses as possible.
  • Read a variety of books and make a game out of guessing the genre.
  • Have fun rhyming
  • Play these oral phonemic awareness games together (no materials required)
  • Encourage your child to sound out short words (consonant, vowel, consonant).
  • Most of all, have fun together!
This post was first published Feb 2012. Updated 2018.

 

How to teach a child to read. 5 ways to teach your child quickly and correctly.

The whole truth about how to choose a backpack for a first grader.

  1. Articles
  2. How to teach a child to read. 5 ways to teach your child quickly and correctly.

Reading is one of the very first skills that a child will master in his life. In our society, literacy is the key to success, and when reading ability does not develop within one or two classes, parents begin to feel that they have failed. However, most likely, the matter is in the choice of the method of education - there are no right and wrong books, methods, games, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the baby. There are no two children who simultaneously learned to read at the same pace, but for each case, the main thing is patience, diligence, perseverance. nine0003

In our article “What a future first grader should know when going to school”, we talked about the fact that reading by syllable is one of the skills that helps a child better adapt to the first grade. Therefore, it is worth starting training in advance, but taking into account the readiness of the child to learn.

How to get a child interested in reading?

Most children learn to read at the age of 5-7 years. Parents are encouraged to read aloud to their children, as the best way to instill a love of books is by example. Babies may not understand what you are reading, but they will become familiar with what a book is, learn to distinguish drawing from print. Toddlers love to imitate adults, play with printed materials, start flipping pages - this is another option for training fine motor skills. The main thing for parents at first is to form positive associations in the baby associated with the books they read. Read - and they will want to read, smile, opening a fresh volume, - children will also smile, flipping through the pages! nine0003

Is the child ready to learn to read: how to determine?

  • Desire to learn. Motivation is an essential component of learning - children need to get excited, really interested to start reading, then they will do their best to learn.

  • Games “I write” and “I read”. If you saw that the baby took the book and examines the pages, imitates reading, or tries to draw with a pencil not just drawings, but zigzags resembling letters, these are signs that you should pay attention to. nine0003

  • Involvement in history and attentiveness. How attentively does the child listen to the story being read? How involved is he in the story you are reading? Can he retell it? If the baby not only hears, but listens with interest and remembers what you read to him, you can certainly take the first steps towards his education.

  • Understanding how to open a book, flipping through, realizing that sentences are read from left to right is another bell that indicates a child's interest. nine0003

  • Interest. Can your toddler point to large letters and identify them with something familiar, recognize multiple lowercase letters? When the text you read ceases to be just a set of characters for him, take a closer look.

  • The ability to distinguish readable sounds. A good way to determine if the baby knows about the sound structure of words is to check if he can rhyme simple words, determine the first and last sound. nine0003

  • Developed oral language. If your son or daughter does not have problems with pronunciation and errors in syllable coordination, he or she can start learning.

You can teach to read in several stages, depending on the age of a small student:

  • 2-3 years - work is underway on figurative thinking, parents arouse interest in reading fairy tales, look at pictures together. nine0003

  • 4-5 years - the first acquaintance with the alphabet takes place, simple sound-letter learning.

  • 5-6 years - you can teach to read words, sentences, retell a readable text.

Basic training rules

What is the most successful approach to early learning to read? Let your child set their own pace and enjoy what they are doing. Do not force him to memorize numbers, shapes, names of objects, sentences you read. On the contrary, encourage curiosity, let the little one learn to explore on his own, discover new things, without fear of mistakes. The main condition is the desire of the smallest student. Read books to your baby that he really likes and entertains, the readable text should not be boring! Do not force reading when the child does not want it - this can permanently turn him away from books. nine0003

Use games - it is in a playful way that preschoolers most easily learn the information they read, so combine the useful with the pleasant. Keep the child interested, but do not make the classes too long - it is better to spend less time studying, but do it more often. Classes should be diversified with light warm-ups or outdoor games, which help relieve stress, distract and gain strength to continue studying.

Good parents must remain patient and not compare their child's progress to other children's - remember that everyone's learning process is at their own pace. Listen to the baby, if right now he does not want to read, pick another time. For each preschooler, you can choose the best home teaching method - look at the different methods, choosing the one that suits your baby. nine0003

Teaching methods

Montessori method

The Italian teacher and doctor Maria Montessori proposed a method of teaching reading, according to which you must first learn to write, and only then read. Small children perceive lettering as drawings, so it's easier to start by teaching a preschooler how to write the alphabet correctly. Use cursive, not block characters - rounded characters are easier to read for preschoolers. The methodology provides for training without manuals, books, primers. You will need paper, a pencil, toy three-dimensional letters. The process takes place in several stages: nine0003

  • Hand training. Before you learn to write, teach your child to circle a variety of objects, to hatch drawings. Such exercises train the hand and fingers, develop fine motor skills. If the baby gets used to holding a pencil in his hand, the first letters will come out easily, without much effort.

  • "Feeling" letters. Tactile contact is one of the first ways a child explores the world. Let him "touch" to get acquainted with the alphabet. You can buy tables with a convex alphabet or cut out letters yourself from fabric, soft paper. It is better that the preschooler is pleased to touch them, then he will learn the alphabet very quickly, he will be able to compose syllables on his own. nine0003

  • Compilation of words. Having learned the alphabet, children are ready to connect letters into syllables, and syllables into words.

  • First writing lessons. At this stage, some children immediately write in full sentences, some prefer drawing individual letters. Do not rush the preschooler, give him enough time to learn the art of writing. After numerous trainings, your son or daughter will learn how to correctly write the words and sentences they know. nine0003

  • Reading. Composing familiar concepts from cut out letters or trying to write them with a finger in the sand, the child will repeat them, gradually moving from writing to being able to read. With each practice, the words will become easier to read for him.

Zaitsev Cubes

Zaitsev's technique is based on a game form of learning, for this they use cubes developed by a famous teacher. According to this method, in order to teach a child to read, you do not need to use the alphabet, which is more likely to confuse than help. Zaitsev believed: the alphabet is harmful due to the use of pictures. For example, if a baby remembers the letter “A” associated with a picture of a stork, and “M” with a picture of a mouse, he may decide: to write “mother” you need two storks and two mice. The readable text will be clearer if you first learn to write, make warehouses, and only then start reading. There are several rules for this technique: nine0003

  • The basic unit of the language according to this method is not a syllable, the basic unit is a warehouse, that is, a combination of consonant and vowel sounds. For example: PA-PA, MA-MA, SA-MO-LE-T.

  • Warehouses are presented to the child not in a book or cards, but on cubes that are designed to develop analytical thinking. They differ in colors, sizes, have different content, due to which they produce a different sound. A preschooler will learn to distinguish and memorize them by sound, touch, appearance, using all the senses. Warehouses are written on the edges, not syllables. nine0003

  • Learning takes place in a playful way - let the child build towers from cubes, gradually moving on to compiling readable words. You can sing warehouses, speak out loud, start writing (not necessarily with a pencil, just move your finger along the table).

  • There are 52 large and small cubes in the set, 7 are repeated so that you can make words with the same warehouses. The letters are written in different colors, there is a cube with punctuation marks. Products are made of different materials, there are wooden, iron, golden and combined. nine0003

Phonetic method

The phonetic or sound technique is used in schools, so if you start teaching a child using it, it will be easier for him to adapt to learning already sitting at a desk. This method is easy to use at home, useful for practicing correct pronunciation, suitable for 5-6 year old preschoolers, but may not be practical for earlier reading. The technique consists of several stages: first, the baby must be taught to distinguish sounds in readable words, then they must be taught to correctly write sounds in letters, put what is written into syllables, and then into words and sentences. nine0003

Glen Doman cards

According to the methodology developed by Glen Doman, you need to start reading with individual words, not syllables. The technique is suitable for the youngest children, even those who are only a couple of months old. The child is shown cards with words in a certain order, correctly and carefully repeating what is written aloud, gradually moving on to phrases, sentences and books. In total - 5 steps:

  • Step number 1: 15 cards with inscriptions are used that may be interesting and familiar to the child (“mom”, “dad”, names of pets, names of favorite dishes). Cards need to be alternated and shown, explaining what is written. Readable cards are held in the hands of a parent, the viewing time of each is 1-2 seconds. After the first 15 words, you should add the following, on average, you should learn 5 new concepts per day. nine0003

  • Step number 2: you need to analyze the vocabulary of a preschooler and start compiling phrases. The easiest way to perceive phrases with colors, dimensions, familiar characteristics - “red apple”, “big stool”, “clean hands”.

  • Step #3: You should start with 5 simple sentences, demonstrating them three times a day, and after 3-5 days, start replacing them with new readable cards. nine0003

  • Step number 4: it will be correct to teach how to read common sentences, complicating them with new words. For example, “mom is cooking” can be turned into “mom is cooking soup”. Gradually, the child will be ready to move on to the final stage - the book.

  • Step #5: After reading cards with large letters, you can move on to books with smaller fonts. The first book must comply with several rules: vocabulary - 50-100 familiar words, one sentence per page, pictures after the text. It is not necessary to purchase ready-made books, you can make them yourself, the main thing is that the material you read is of interest to your son or daughter. nine0003

Olga Soboleva's technique

The methodology of the Russian teacher Olga Soboleva is based on motivation by creating confidence in the child that reading is pleasant. Learning takes place in the form of a game using associations. For example, the letter “M” should be associated with the native word “mother”. At the same time, the method excludes learning by syllables, you need to start with words, after which sentences are mastered immediately. Games gradually move to books, so that the love of reading is instilled in the preschooler. nine0003

How to teach reading independently and at home

Almost all teaching methods agree that the easiest way is to teach a preschooler to read in a playful way, without coercion, to use the example of parents and readable material that is understandable to him. Remember the simple rules:

  • Choose one technique and follow it.

  • Letter-by-letter pronunciation is called a mistake, give preference to methods based on the study of syllables, warehouses, sentences. nine0003

  • Avoid mandatory lessons at certain hours. Set aside time for classes spontaneously, do not tire your child with long studies, it is enough to take 10-15 minutes for one lesson.

  • Study syllables, words during game exercises, and then make sure that the studied material is always in front of your child and he gets used to reading it. Play "guess the sound" to train your phonetic ear. Call up associations, let the child answer the question of what this or that letter looks like. nine0003

  • After studying the first three vowel sounds, the child should be explained how different sounds merge into one syllable. Apply visualization - put blocks or cards next to each other, write letters on the constructor and connect it.

  • Remember motivation. Learn words using an interesting example that can also be a reward - sing him a song about a teddy bear, turn on a cartoon about a duck, treat him to a delicious apple, and then move on to writing and reading. nine0003

  • Discuss the material being read - this contributes to a more meaningful perception visually and aurally.

Teaching a child to read fluently is a laborious process. However, it will bring its results, because then it will be easier for a small schoolchild to start learning new things, for the first time sitting at a desk already with a certain amount of knowledge and study skills.

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nine0000 methods of teaching reading to the first grade

When to teach a child to read

There are early development studios in which children are taught to read from the first years of life. However, pediatricians do not recommend rushing and advise starting learning to read no earlier than 4 years old, best of all - at 5–6. By this age, most children already distinguish sounds well, can correctly compose sentences and pronounce words. Therefore, most often parents think about how to teach their child to read, already on the eve of school. nine0003 Source: unsplash.com / @jonathanborba
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How to know if your child is ready to learn to read

Before you start teaching your child to read, you need to make sure that the child is ready and wants to learn. To do this, try to answer the following questions:

  • Does the child know the concepts of “right-left”, “big-small”, “inside-outside”?
  • Can he generalize objects according to these features?
  • Can he distinguish between similar and dissimilar forms?
  • Is he able to remember and execute at least three instructions? nine0006
  • Does he construct sentences correctly?
  • Does he pronounce words clearly?
  • Can he retell a story heard or happened to him?
  • Can he formulate his feelings and impressions?
  • Can you predict the ending of a simple story?
  • Does he manage to participate in the dialogue?
  • Can he listen without interrupting?
  • Can he rhyme words?
  • Do the letters attract his attention?
  • Does the child have a desire to independently look at the book? nine0006
  • Does he like being read aloud to him?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, your child is ready and will soon learn to read correctly.

Methods for teaching reading

Most of the methods involve learning while playing, so that the child is not bored and learns better.

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Zaitsev's Cubes

For more than twenty years, these cubes have been introducing children to letters and teaching how to compose words and syllables. They allow you to understand how vowels and consonants, deaf and voiced sounds differ. There are 52 cubes in total, each of which depicts warehouses (combinations of a consonant and a vowel). The cubes vary in color and size, the large ones depict hard warehouses, while the small ones are soft. During classes, parents are encouraged to pronounce or sing warehouses so that the child remembers them better. nine0003 K Zaitsev's ubiki
Source: moya-lyalyas.ru
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Vyacheslav Voskobovich's "towers" and "folders"

windows. You can put cubes in them to make syllables. And from several towers you can make a word.

Voskobovich's "towers"
Source: catalog-chess. ru

Skladushki is a book with pictures, educational rhymes and songs. Parents sing them and in parallel show the warehouses in the pictures. The author of the methodology claims that a child of six years old can be taught to read in a month using "folds". nine0003 ‍ A page from V. Voskobovich's "folds"
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Doman's cards

This method of teaching a child to read is based on memorizing words entirely, from simple to more complex. First, the child masters the first 15 cards, which the parent shows him for 1-2 seconds and pronounces the words on them. Then the child tries to memorize phrases. This technique helps not only to learn more words, but also develops memory well in general.

‍ Doman cards
Source: friendly-life.ru/kartochki-domana-dlya-samyh-malenkih
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Maria Montessori's method of teaching reading

The essence of the Montessori method is that the child is first asked to feel the writing of a letter, and then pronounce it. For this, didactic materials are used - cardboard plates with pasted letters, the outline of which the child traces with his finger, naming the sound. After studying consonants and vowels, you can move on to words and phrases. The Montessori method not only helps to learn to read, but also develops fine motor skills, logic, and the ability to analyze. nine0003 ‍ Montessori cards are easy to make yourself.
Source: hendmeid.guru
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Olga Soboleva's technique

The author of this technique believes that you need to start learning not from the abstract alphabet, but immediately in practice - by analyzing simple texts. The Soboleva program allows you to teach a child to read from the age of five - at this age, children are already able to keep their attention on a line of text. Different approaches are offered depending on how it is easier for a child to perceive the world - by eye, by ear or by touch. In addition to reading skills, the technique develops interest in creativity, imagination, attention and memory. nine0003 Source: freepik.com / @gpointstudio
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How to teach a child to read by syllables

Teaching a child to read by syllables should be done in stages. First, explain to him that sounds are vowels and consonants, deaf and voiced. Say them with the child - he must understand how they differ. Letters and sounds can be learned while walking: draw your child's attention to the letters on signs and announcements, and soon he will learn to recognize them.

When the child has mastered the letters and sounds, start teaching him to read simple words - "mom", "dad". Then move on to more complex ones - “grandmother”, “dog”, “apartment”. Show your child that syllables can be sung. nine0003 ‍ Syllabary for learning to read
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Next, move on to word formation. You can cut cards with syllables and invite the child to make words out of them. When he gets comfortable, move on to reading short texts. It is better to start with two or three phrases, and a little later switch to texts of five to ten sentences.

To enroll in Foxford Online Elementary School, a child must have at least basic reading, numeracy and writing skills. To check the readiness of the child for school, we offer to pass a small test that does not require special preparation. nine0003 Source: freepik.com
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Exercises for learning to read

There are many exercises on the Internet that help children learn to read, you can print them out and start learning right away. Start with exercises that teach you to recognize letters and tell correct spellings from incorrect spellings.

‍ From O. Zhukova's manual “Learning to read. Simple Exercises.
Source: mishka-knizhka.ru

When the child gets used to the letters, move on to the exercises for syllables. For example, like this:

‍ Geometric prompt exercise. For greater clarity, blocks with words can be cut out.
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Such exercises not only teach reading, but also develop logical thinking well:

Gradually move on to exercises where you need not only to read correctly, but also write words:

One of the most difficult and entertaining exercises is fillords: you need to find and cross out the words on the field of letters.

‍ Source: graycell.ru
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Games for learning to read

With the help of cubes or cards with letters and syllables, you can play different learning games with your child. Let's take a few examples.

Garages

Take a word of 3-4 syllables and place cards with them on the floor in random order. Explain to the child how these syllables are read. These will be garages. Give the child different toys and offer to send them to the garage as you wish: for example, the car goes to the TA garage, the bear goes to the RA garage, the ball rolls to the KE garage, and so on. Make sure your child is positioning the toys correctly. At the end of the game, invite the child to make a word from garage syllables. Perhaps not the first time, but he will get a "ROCKET". Gradually introduce new syllables into the game. nine0003

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Store

Lay out images of various goods on the table - this is a store, and you are a seller. Give your child a stack of cards with syllables - they will function as money. The child needs to buy all the items in the store, but each item is only sold for the syllable it starts with. For example, fish can only be bought for the syllable "RY", milk - for the syllable "MO", and so on. Give your child a few extra cards to make the task more difficult. When he gets used to it, change the conditions of the game: for example, sell goods not for the first, but for the last syllables. The game is both simple and complex: it will allow the child to understand that words are not always spelled the way they are pronounced. After all, a cow cannot be bought for the syllable "KA", for example. nine0003

Lotto

Game for several people. Give the children several cards with syllables. Take out the cubes with syllables one by one from the box and announce them. Whoever has a card with such a syllable - he takes it. The first person to complete all the cards wins. During the game, children will accurately remember the syllables that they had on their hands.

Summary

Finally, a few more tips on how to teach a child to read: