Preschool Mama has some really great suggestions on her web site for how to teach a child to read. Here are some of the highlights:
- Catch Them Young
- Make Reading Part of their Daily Routine
- Make Friends with Books
- Make Reading a Fun Activity
- Use Word Games and Often
And I couldn’t agree with her more! If you are wondering when is a good time to teach your child to read, look out for cues from your child. If he or she is sending cues, like sitting around with books, pretending to read, asking you what words say, or trying to write words, the time may be ripe!
Even before your child is ready to learn to read, you can start very early introducing books into your home and demonstrating that books are important to you. Be aware of how much time your child sees you watching TV versus reading. If your child sees you loving books, she or he will pick up on those cues.
Beyond that, look for every opportunity you can to incorporate books, reading, and words into your life, especially in fun ways. In our family, we play lots of rhyming games, spelling games, and other word games when driving places, waiting in lines, any sitting on the front porch in the evening. The more the better!
Check out www.preschoolmama.com for more tips and tricks!
Tags: early literacy program, Early Reading, Kindergarten, Preschool, toddler
