Parent child reading programs
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Reading SOS: Expert Answers to Family Questions About Reading
NEW! In this special Reading Rockets video series, experts answer real questions from families about reading and how to support their children at home.
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Family Shared Reading Program - Raising A Reader
Raising A Reader’s Family Shared Reading Program is a fun way to support early literacy and school readiness through reading routines and meaningful home-school connections.
By providing families with multicultural, bilingual children’s books and a family guide that equips parents/caregivers with strategies to maximize shared reading time, RAR’s Family Shared Reading Program supports the development of home-based reading routines. The program also supports educators by equipping them with training and resources to provide high-quality virtual connections with children and families.
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Family Shared Reading Program Book Collections
The Family Shared Reading Program’s book collections are divided into two age groups. Click on the appropriate age group for your child and enjoy a great selection of books to choose from. Each book offers read alouds in English and Spanish, fun downloadable activities, a special section for educators and more!
RESOURCES FOR families & CAREGIVERS
Raising A Reader’s Family Shared Reading program provides shared reading strategies that parents and caregivers can do with children to make the most out of their reading time together.
Each strategy can be practiced for a few minutes a day with books provided in your Family Pack, favorite books from home, or books borrowed from the library. The section below provides videos, in English and Spanish, that demonstrate how families and caregivers can incorporate these strategies into their reading time with children. Remember, there is no wrong way for families to share books together. What is important is that parents and caregivers are spending time with their children, sharing books and stories and having fun!
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Picture Walk & Concepts of Print
- English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3KwfXjfsM4&t=19s
- Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLFNJj69N7E&t=12s
Asking Engaging Questions
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMF8YMV04Jc&t=26s
- Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdrKEMwQik
Asking Open Ended Questions
- English: https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=47Gd5RZcJO0 - Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRo7XPyaZY0&t=6s
Expanding on Your Child’s Answers
- English: https://vimeo.com/394432984/323f77198b
Making Predictions
- English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUsdv_9qbvE&t=45s
- Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxbYXWBqQkw&t=6s
Recalling the Story
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBn7uFAYeM&t=33s
- Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmTmK-5Vidw
Making Connections
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwsx7cg3QY8&t=19s
- Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCDrj2hrA50&t=54s
- English #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avM201HMf7M&t=8s
- Spanish #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_diTHLg3_MI&t=7s
Reading Books Again and Again
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9tb6QXYC08&t=25s
- Spanish https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=mtDeSuLVEjA&t=31s - English #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc2bs1eTEh5
- Spanish #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyo-mL2Y1_s
Building Vocabulary through Storytime
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU3AYrVVS7Q&t=35s
- Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f33oJb6Kuw&t=14s
Making Reading Interactive
- English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avM201HMf7M
- Spanish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_diTHLg3_MI
Expanding the Story by Having Fun
- English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIT2I7w1NHM
- Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe7iDIWpaLk
- English #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKtevvVMpHo
- Spanish #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7VimiDrgyM
Recommended Tech Partners
Raising A Reader knows that it can be hard to navigate the digital world when it comes to high-quality resources for children.
We have curated a list of FREE recommended resources to ensure that your family’s time in the digital world is safe, enjoyable and focused on learning.
A set of tools and resources from the Bezos Family Foundation designed to inspire families to turn everyday moments into “brain building moments.”
Fun educational program that engages kids in core subjects like early literacy, reading, writing, language, and math, while encouraging creativity and building social-emotional skills.
A texting program that provides free reading tips and resources to make reading at home fun and easy!
A free and open collection of the best online learning experiences and activities for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense.
Top 3 best apps for teaching children to read
Often modern parents face the problem of teaching children to read. The old methods don't always work, especially for hyperactive babies who can't sit still for long periods of time. Such children need to be really interested and captivated.
Using special good applications for learning to read, you can quickly learn this skill at home.
Many of today's children have tablets, which are perceived as exciting entertainment. To prevent your child from wasting time watching uninformative videos and playing with toys, install useful educational programs that can quickly learn the alphabet and master reading skills. nine0003
How do you find the best app for teaching kids to read when there are so many? We have analyzed dozens of educational programs for preschoolers and selected the best ones for you!
Our pick:
- Reading - This game makes learning to read an exciting adventure. It features easy to operate, intuitive interface and an incredibly exciting storyline. Suitable for children from 3 to 7 years old.
- "Talking ABC" - Application with high-quality animation for the little ones. nine0014
- "Learning letters is fun for kids!" - This game is best suited for those who are just learning to read.
Training takes place with the help of elementary exercises.
Contents of the article:
- 1. Reading - the author's game according to the method of Zaitsev's cubes
- 2. Speaking alphabet
- 3. Learning letters is fun for children
- When to start teaching a child to read?
- How to choose a good reading app?
- Pins
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The application that took the highest line in our rating is “Reading”. We will pay special attention to him in the article, because there is something to tell about.
"Reading" is an interesting educational sequential game for children from 3 to 7 years old. Differs in simplicity in management and intuitively clear interface. There is a plot here, which is even more captivating for a child who seeks to learn new information.
Thanks to the sound accompaniment, the child quickly remembers letters and sounds. All letters, warehouses and words are pronounced clearly and slowly. nine0003
After starting the application, a short animation appears on the screen - two heroes in a balloon get into a magical land, but a strong wind blew and the balloon skidded to the top. Now friends will have an exciting journey through Reading.
The guys will regularly have to move to new levels, where more difficult tasks await them. In order to maintain your rating, it is recommended that you regularly go to Reading, which encourages children to study systematically. The child is immersed in an exciting adventure, while developing such useful qualities as attentiveness, diligence, kindness and love of knowledge. nine0003
"Readings" is an application that will be a great addition to learning with "Zaitsev's Cubes" - one of the most effective methods today. The educational program is aimed at instilling in children a love of reading from childhood.
In the game, you can create several profiles, which makes it possible to deal with several children at once. The multiplayer mode allows each student to learn at their own pace. Additional profiles can be created for free. There are statistics on the passage of the game, in which parents see the progress of their child, the percentage of correctly completed tasks. nine0003
Benefits of the application:
- Fascinating plot – the application captivates from the first minutes, so classes are held in a relaxed manner. This is the first app we've analyzed that has a story. The child does not just learn, but becomes a participant in the quest, which further fuels his interest.
- Rich functionality - thanks to the application, you can not only learn letters, but also form syllables, read words in full, write letters and words correctly. The game has an extensive vocabulary and many levels, the passage of which will take more than one day. The lessons are very interesting.
Therefore, we can conclude that the application will not get bored for a long time. nine0014 - Stylish design - illustrations are made in watercolor, the application has a unique musical accompaniment, the main characters speak with children's voices.
- Detailed explanations for children and hints for parents. Tasks in the game adapt to the child. If the student successfully copes with the tasks, the algorithm selects more difficult levels. This is a useful functionality that allows each child to study at a pace that is comfortable for him. All children are different. For some, it takes 1-2 months to learn to read, and in some cases it may take at least a year. An important role in learning is played not only by how the child remembers information, but also by his age. The Readings app is suitable for both a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old child. nine0014
Disadvantages:
We did not find any cons in this application. The developers have created a really useful tool for teaching preschoolers, taking into account the age characteristics of children and paying attention to details.
You can learn more about how everything works here:
A short video review of Reading will allow you to evaluate the functionality, design and main features of the application.
An application with high-quality animation will surely appeal to little fidgets. Letters appear on the screen, and when pressed, they fold up like plasticine, transforming into funny animals. You can click on the note symbol and listen to the list of animals that begin with that letter. nine0003
For children who have already mastered the alphabet a little, the second learning option is more suitable. Six letters appear on the screen. The voice in the program says which letter to choose and the child clicks on the option that suits him. If the answer is correct, an animal with that letter appears on the screen, if not, the letter folds into a ball.
Benefits:
- Three modes - learning, games and puzzles. All the knowledge gained can be consolidated in a playful way. nine0014
- Interesting design - plasticine animals will appeal to many children.
- Quality soundtrack.
Disadvantages:
Although the application is intended for children from 2 to 7 years old, in our opinion, it will appeal mainly to toddlers. Children over 5 years old will be carried away for a while.
The app is best suited for young children who are just learning to read. Training is carried out with the help of elementary exercises. The main screen contains the alphabet. When you click on a letter, a picture and a word that begins with that letter appears. There is also a funny rhyme. To consolidate the knowledge gained in the application, coloring pages are provided; games "Memory", "Find the letter in the picture", "Show what begins with a letter", "Make a word".
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Advantages:
- large letters;
- original coloring book that helps to remember the letters well;
- intuitive interface.
Disadvantages:
Of the minuses of this application, we can note a small functionality. From personal experience, we can say that such an application will quickly get boring for a child. Especially if the baby is active. It can be concluded that using "Learning letters fun for children" is only at the initial stage of learning. When the child masters the alphabet, it is worth moving on to more functional programs. For inquisitive children, the application is too simple. nine0003
When should a child start learning to read?
The days when children went to school unprepared and learned to read all together in the classroom are long gone. The school curriculum is now quite complicated, so parents start preparing for school at the age of 4-5, which will reduce the load in the first months of schooling.
It is important to adhere to the "golden mean" in everything. If the neighbor's child is already reading with might and main at 5 years old, and yours does not show interest in learning, you should not sound the alarm. In some cases, it is necessary to wait a little for the child to show interest in learning. nine0003
The main signs that the child is ready to learn to read:
- the child understands the words and phrases addressed to him by others;
- vocabulary allows the child to communicate freely with other children and adults;
- the child pronounces most of the words correctly, without gross errors.
Studying letters and reading is necessary regularly, but little by little. It should be borne in mind that due to age, it is difficult for a child to spend a lot of time in one place, so many hours of classes become a real test. nine0003
How do I choose a good reading app?
New preschool learning apps are released regularly.
Only a few of them really deserve attention and are useful. Modern parents simply do not have time to monitor all the information and choose the right programs. Therefore, we have already done it for you and prepared a rating of the best applications, thanks to which a child can quickly learn to read at home.
When choosing an application, consider:
- Age - there are both universal applications, calculated from 3 years old to the school itself, and designed for a specific age. The first option is more convenient, because the child starts learning in one program and, as he grows up, he does not need to study other applications. If there are several children in the family with a small difference in age, you can study together using one application!
- Degree of preparation - if the child is already familiar with the letters, he will be absolutely not interested in using the application, in which classes are designed for the smallest. While the baby is uncomfortable to engage in a program designed for the age of 5 years.
It is better to choose universal applications that are suitable for both those who are just learning to read, and for children who want to improve their knowledge. nine0014 - Interface - should be as simple and clear as possible so that the child can independently launch the application and start classes.
- Additional features - children perceive information more easily in a playful way, so it's great if the application provides coloring books, various puzzles and games. The presence of built-in educational games helps to maintain interest in completing tasks and stable memorization of the information received.
- Security - no malware. nine0014
Now let's take a look at the top 3 apps for learning to read. When compiling the rating, such points as the teaching methodology, functionality, the presence of advertising and the ability to turn it off were taken into account.
Conclusions
Of all the analyzed applications, "Reading" is the most adapted to children of different ages.
The plot develops dynamically, the child is always waiting for new tasks, so he is moving forward with interest.
When compiling the rating, we used not only our own experience, but also the opinion of other parents, having studied dozens of reviews on specialized sites. We hope this information will be useful to you and will help your child learn to read faster! nine0003
How to teach a child to read in whole words - The method of whole words
Let me remind you that the Doman method is about teaching children from three months to three years. To teach a child to read in whole words according to the Doman method, you need to start learning not from the alphabet, but from whole words, since we do not speak with individual letters and sounds, but with whole words in sentences, and the child is more interesting and understandable. Learning sequence:
- 3 times a day, daily, it is necessary to show the child 5 new words and repeat the previous ones. nine0014
- It is important to study at a time when the child is rested and in a good mood, in a room where there are very few distractions.
- First, the first 15 words are remembered: mom, dad, the name of the child, and 12 more words that fill the reality of the child (grandmother, ball, etc., here the parents choose themselves). Then 20 "I-words", which include parts of the human body (leg, arm, head, hair ...). Next, we compile a home dictionary, which includes words from household use and words of action (table, window, plate, sits, runs ...). Next, write on the cards and voice the sentences to the child (mom is sitting ...). At the last stage, write on cards and sound a simple book to the child, and only after memorizing each word on the cards, proceed to reading this book. nine0014
- The less you test your child, the faster he learns and the more he wants to learn.
Reading - a fun app for teaching children aged 3-7 to read
A colorful journey into the world of a fairy tale will allow your child to immerse themselves in the study of letters and syllables.
Learning to read will no longer be a boring, routine task and will become a fun adventure to save the Magic Land.
How to teach a child to read whole words? Why is it difficult for children to read words? How to build a teaching methodology? All these questions will be answered by the teacher and author of the method of reading whole words based on the Doman method - Yulia Pchelintseva in this video. nine0003
Whole word learning example
Below we have given a concrete example of how to teach a child to read whole word. It is important to choose the right first words to read. They should be simple and understandable for the baby.
- Hold up a word such as "MOM" at arm's length from the child and say "MOM" clearly.
- Do not give the child any further instructions.
Let him look at the card for no more than 1 second. Show four other words in the same manner. nine0014 - Repeat this 3 times a day in the same manner as above.
- Do not ask your child to repeat words as you move forward.
- Take breaks between classes for half an hour.
- Such activities will take you no more than 3 minutes for the whole day.
- On the second day, repeat this series exactly the same way 3 times. Add a second set of five new word cards. Now this new set should also be viewed 3 times during the day. nine0014
- At the end of each session, tell your child that he is doing well, and also physically show that you are very pleased with him.
- Gradually the font of the letters changes from red to black normal block letters in normal size.
- How to understand whether the child memorized the words when learning to read in whole words or not?
- After the first seven sessions, take the child's favorite word and ask with a smile: "What is this?" nine0014
- Count to 10 silently.
- The child named the word - show violent delight and praise the baby. If not, then continue to practice as if nothing had happened, it's just not the time yet.
- Once you are sure your child has learned the words, move on to the next step.
36 First Reading Words
We have selected the most essential first words for your child to read and have listed them in the table below. nine0003
Of course, not all parents are ready to go to the very last step - reading a book. Most stop at step 3 of this method of reading whole words, and study the words of the surrounding reality with the baby. This is quite enough for the development of the brain and acquaintance with reading. Then the children go to a kindergarten or a development center and learn both sound-letter analysis and writing.
Currently G. Doman's technique is used and modified by the publishing houses "Prodigy from the Diapers", the network of developing stores and studios for children "Umnitsa" and other manufacturers, offering cards on various topics of the surrounding reality, where parents do not need to write or invent anything.
