9 Steps To Help Your Toddler Read

Learning to read is one of the most important literacy skills. If you are finding ways to teach a child to read, it is important that you select the right ways and books that are best for your child. Reading ability does not develop overnight so there’s no need to worry, just focus on your child’s learning pace.

Read on for nine easy tips to teach your child to read.

9 Easy Tips To Teach A Child To Read

1. Read Aloud To Your Child

Teaching your child to read begins in infancy. It is good to begin reading with your newborn within days of welcoming him or her home. The reading time will not only help you build a special bonding time for the two of you, but it also instils in him or her a love for books. On the other hand, if your child doesn’t learn from an early age to enjoy reading, it will most likely hinder their ability in the future.

2. Begin With Uppercase Letters

Practising how to make letters using unique ways is very easy. This is why teaching uppercase letters to children who haven’t joined school yet can be useful. While the majority of the letters in books are in lowercase, uppercase letters are easier to identify.

For instance, the letters “b” and “d” look almost alike. But the uppercase “B” and “D” are much easier to distinguish. If you start with uppercase letters, it will help your child to grasp the basics of letter identification and help in reading.

3. Set A Good Reading Example

Your child’s interest and fascination with books will quickly dwindle if he or she does not see reading modelled in her home. Even if you are not an avid reader yourself, try making conscious efforts to read for a few minutes around your children.

You can read a novel, a magazine, a cookbook or any other book of your choice. But you should show your child that even adults need to do reading. Young energetic boys may not be naturally interested in reading and doing this can surely help. 

4. Balance Phonics and Sight Words

Sight words should also be an important part of your child’s reading schedule. Phonics are common words which sound different than they are normally spelt and can’t be decoded. It means that in different words their sounds vary.

Sight words need to be memorised to help your child read and write. However, learning sight words can be challenging for many young children.

So, you can keep revising the sight words and phonics to give your child a good start on their reading journey. This will ensure they have the information and skills needed to sound out words.

5. Identify Letters In Natural Settings

Add painted large wooden letters and hang them on the walls above the cribs as a decorative accent in their rooms. This will make them curious and make them learn letters organically. You can even show them other letters on signs, clothing, etc. and help them learn.

6. Select Books They Want to Read

When your child is interested in the material of the book they’re about to read, they will be more motivated. You can take your little one to the library and let him or her select the books they want to start with. Let them choose what interests them.

7. Set a Challenge

Avoid starting with books that are too difficult to read as it can be discouraging for an early reader. Keep your child motivated by selecting a mix of both easy materials which is suitable for their level as well as challenging books that are one step beyond.

If your child is not able to recognise more than five words on any page of a particular book they’re reading, it’s better to save it for later. 

8. Constructive Interaction

Ask your child about what he or she has read. Initially, the focus will be on recognising words but gradually they also need to get a gist of the reading and should also be able to tell you more about what they understood. Discuss the characters and what they liked about the book.

9. Keep It Fun

Neither you nor your child should feel any pressure when it comes to reading. Reading is about having fun and exploring the real and imaginary world through pictures, text and illustrations. After a long day, it’s better to relax and focus on the reading. When it comes to reading, focus on quality over quantity. Even fifteen minutes can improve the early reading score of your child. 

Books open up a whole new world for children and reading makes them imaginative too. So use these tips to get your little one started on a beautiful reading journey.