How To Teach Reading To Younger Kids

Academy BlogElementary BlogHeadmaster BlogKindergarten BlogPrincipal Blog

Dec 19

You may not be a teacher, but something as crucial as literacy should not be left as the sole responsibility of any one person. The more ways we know how to teach reading to younger kids, the more we can aid in their educational development. Whether it is your own kid or someone else’s, everyone benefits from investing into the next generation. So, here are some tips when helping those little ones learn how to read:

Have Patience.

The first rule is obvious: have patience. If a child is scared of being wrong due to an overly strict teacher, they won’t try, and if they won’t try, they won’t learn how to progress. Don’t forget, English is no simple language. Even learning the word “patience” requires patience, because why in heaven’s name is the letter ‘t’ making a ‘sh’ sound? And why do we need a ‘c’ in the word, when we could just use the letter ‘s’? These young students must learn rules only to find out those rules are often broken. So remember to bear with them as they learn, because it is no easy task.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Repetition is the key to retention. If a child only practices reading once a week, it may take them even longer than seven times the amount of time a kid who practices everyday may need. This is because the once a week practice will spend a good portion of time simply reviewing what they learned previously, whereas daily practice makes it easier for a child to remember and quickly build off of what they learned.

Assessments

Be aware of where a child is at in their reading journey. This will help you to know the next step they need to be taking, or if they need to pause and spend more time focusing on what they’ve already learned. Can they identify all the letters and their sounds? Can they pronounce C-V and C-V-C combinations? Do they know vowel combination rules? Do they understand the words they read? How many words can they read in a minute? The smaller and more specific each step is, the more you know exactly where your child is at, and exactly what you need to teach them next. So make sure to assess them as this will allow you to better organize their reading journey allowing them to progress faster.

Make it Fun

If a child does not enjoy reading, there will be no desire to learn. They likely won’t understand how important it is for their future, so you may have to persuade them by having them read about a topic they enjoy. This may mean letting them choose the book or you could write a quick story utilizing some of their favorite cartoon characters.

Don’t Stress

While it is important your child learns to read, don’t forget every student has different strengths. Some children learn faster than others, so don’t be anxious if your child is learning a bit slow. Although some kids could benefit from some extra attention or tutoring in this area, once a child learns to read, they should be able to catch up with their peers.

Exercises and Activities

If your child is at the stage where they are learning to read, try out some of these activities to help them develop their sense of words and language.

Have them circle, box, or underline specific site words in a newspaper article
Read to a child and occasionally pause to let them read the words they know how to read.
Have them follow along in a book while everyone takes turns reading aloud
Have them try to write a simple story
“Bring me something that starts with the letter _” Game
Give them a picture or comic they must write a caption for
Spelling quizzes with scrabble letters or spelling words out of playdough
Charades or pictionary where they must write down what others are acting out or drawing
Have them make sticky note labels for as many things in their room as they can
Teach them words on common signs or brand logos they are familiar with
Re-read the same stories multiple times, to help them better remember certain words
Play word game apps on a mobile device or computer.
Watch shows like Alphablocks or Between the Lions
Download reading apps on your mobile device
“What’s the Missing Letter?” Word Game
Write letters in chalk in the driveway, and time how fast the kids can run to each letter to spell the words they are told.