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Help Your Children Become Confident Readers

Help Your Children Become Confident Readers

Kids and Teens

Parents play an important role in supporting the reading development of their children which begins when the children are very small. If we make sure that reading is valued in the family, we increase our chances of ensuring that our children grow up as forever readers for both learning and pleasure. We need to know the strategies that will support confident reading throughout the child's life.

EXAMPLE IS PARAMOUNT

We should set an example for our children beginning in infancy and progressing with the child's developmental level. Children need to see that their parents value reading and will learn this when they see parents reading books and magazines around the house. Simple cloth and board books which can't be destroyed can be used with infants and young children. First, we read to them, let them help hold the book and point to pictures. Next, we can add books with simple stories. Children will begin to point to pictures, then begin to help fill in some of the words. Parents will be well-served by making reading part of everyday which will help support the idea that reading is a good thing which also gets praise from parents.

HAVE FUN, PRACTICE, AND TURN MISTAKES INTO POSITIVE LEARNING

All children need frequent opportunities to develop their reading skills and parents provide the appropriate environment for children to become confident readers. School alone can't do this for children. When children see the adult's reading materials in the house, they often want their own special place to keep their books.

Trust that children will know what books they have and where to find them on their book shelf. Time should be made each day to read to your little one, and sometimes, older children. Parents will find that the children will often choose a book to read and, for awhile, it may be the same book repetitively. An important event in a child's life is the day they are able to get their own library card. When we expose children early in life to the things a library can offer and then make sure they get a card, it is likely that they might use the library throughout their lives.

One thing children do not like is to feel like reading is simply a distasteful chore that has to be done. Parents need to know that their children will have to do their share of required academic reading. We want to stress the positives by talking to them about what they read, introduce them to bookstores that have books appropriate for their ages. There are also children's magazines that are great and children love to get something in the mail for them to read.

We want to make sure that our children know that we value their thoughts about what they are reading. We also calmly redirect any reading mistakes they might make. Online searches can yield other ideas about helping children become readers who are confident and competent.

Kids and Teens

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