Transcript Reading: How Can Parents Help

SUPPORTING YOUNG READERS
This evening we will explore:
 The importance of reading at home and school
 Reading Strategies: What they are and how they
support readers
 Suggestions for reading “to” and “with” your child
 resources
READING BEGINS AT HOME
Research shows that your interest and involvement in
your child’s learning and education is more important
than anything else in helping your child fulfill their
potential. As parents, you are the people who go with
your child on their learning journey, from the day they
are born to the time they become an adult.
WHY READING AND SHARING
STORIES MATTERS
• bonding time for family and a way to share family
traditions
• develops background knowledge
• encourages vocabulary development and
awareness about the rhythm of language
• promotes understanding of the structure of
writing
• stimulates curiosity, questioning and imagination
RESEARCH SHOWS
Children who have rich preschool literacy
experiences that stimulate interest in text
and improve oral language skills are at less
risk for delays in reading development. (de
Jong & Leseman, 2001)
Such experiences include the availability of
environmental print in the home, as well as,
parents who read with their child and for
themselves.
AND THAT . . .
children who read to their parents, even if
parents are non-readers or who do not read in
English, demonstrate considerable
improvement in their reading skills
reading stories in any language develops
understanding of story structure and
vocabulary
If you are not confident, talking about the
pictures and making up your own story is also
helpful
THE BENEFITS CARRY INTO THE
CLASSROOM
academic success
desire and confidence to read for pleasure
and learning
improved school attendance and behaviour
develop meaningful relationships with others
increased self-esteem
WHY DADS SHOULD BE INVOLVED
Research shows that when dad gets involved, their sons'
and daughters' achievement is enhanced. Dads are just
as important as moms in encouraging children to enjoy
reading - perhaps even more so, since reading is often
thought of by boys as a "girly" thing to do. Seeing them
enjoying reading will help boys realize that they too can
enjoy reading - they might just need help in finding the
right thing to read.
READING IS EVERYWHERE!
Reading is all around us:
• shopping, waiting for a bus, visiting a museum,
sitting in the doctor’s office
• brochures, catalogues, food labels, calendars,
letters, cards, message boards, newspapers
• crafts, playing games and cooking together
• make journals, scrapbooks, cards together
• put books in the toy box
• books as gifts
• limit time on TV and do go to the library
• sing/chant nursery rhymes and songs, listen to
music
WHY READ “WITH” YOUR CHILD?
• builds sight word vocabulary and decoding
skills
• words that are frequently encountered and often do
not obey the rules of phonics
• promotes reading fluency
• reading that “sounds like talking”
READING STRATEGIES
Fall into 2 categories; namely decoding and
comprehension.
Decoding strategies help us read new or
unknown words in the context of reading the
story. These strategies help us learn to read.
Comprehension strategies assist the reader to
understand the story in deep and meaningful
ways. These strategies help us read to learn.
LOOK FOR A PICTURE CLUE
SAY THE BEGINNING SOUND
forest
THINK, “WHAT WOULD MAKE
SENSE?”
REREAD THE SENTENCE
SKIP IT
LOOK FOR LITTLE WORDS INSIDE
attend
SOUND IT OUT
ALWAYS ASK…
“Does it look right?”
“Does it sound right?”
“Does it make sense?”
FAVOURITE BOOKS
START WITH THE COVER . . .
• -look at the cover and story title
• discuss related family experiences and background
knowledge
• go for a “picture walk” by looking at all the pictures and
discussing what is happening
• introduce unusual names or words that your child may not
know in the “picture walk”
• encourage your child to share what they know about the
title or pictures and what they think the story might be
about
• now ask your child to make a prediction about what might
happen in the story – this creates a purpose for reading
• ask your child if there are any reading strategies that they
may like to try today
REMEMBER!
reading should be a fun activity for everyone.
set aside time as often as you can for reading
encourage your child to choose books based on
interests or shared experiences
“You catch more bees with honey than vinegar”
Give your child lots of praise and encouragement!
READING RESOURCES
READING IS ABOUT MEANING AND
DEEP UNDERSTANDING
Strategies skilled readers use include:
activating background knowledge and making
predictions based on clues
asking questions and wondering
making connections
visualizing
making inferences
determining importance, paraphrasing and
summarizing
WHILE READING . . .
• stop every once in a while to ask your child what is
happening
• was the prediction correct or has it changed?
• what clues helped us see that the prediction was going to
be different?
• do the pictures link closely to the story or add new
information
• ask questions, what are you wondering
• explore words, what they mean, how they create pictures
in our minds, ways we can be creative with words
• make connections to ourselves, other stories and the
world as new ideas develop
• do some words paint pictures in your mind
AFTER THE STORY . . . MEANING AND
UNDERSTANDING
• Begin with the text, but encourage discussion that connects
personally to your experiences and situation, other books
you may have read and events that are happening in our
community and the world around. Listen carefully TO what
your child is saying.
• Reading a story more than once often leads to deep
understanding and questioning!
• Be observant for ways to go beyond this text and this
discussion--further research, reading, writing, other creative
activities are some possibilities that may be beneficial.
NOW LET’S GIVE IT A TRY!