Top 10 reading tips for parents: How to support your beginner reader

While most children learn to read between the ages of 4 and 8, some go through the process much earlier or later than this. Whether your child just started reading or has been reading for years, it’s important to provide them with support and encouragement as they move forward in their reading journey. Here are some tips on how you can help your beginner reader stay on track and enjoy their reading experience as much as possible.

1. Understand where your child is at in their reading development

Allow your child to read from an age-appropriate book out loud. They're at the correct reading level if they read the words fluently without sounding them out and blend them as they say them. Alternatively, if you're unable to do so, I recommend an easier book.

2. Talk about the pictures when you read

In the pre-reading stage, you can talk about the pictures, have conversations about what's going on in the story, and use the pictures to help your child with comprehension.

3. Be patient!

Learning to read takes time. Don't get discouraged, be patient. Reward your child for their efforts!

4. Make it fun

Make reading fun and purposeful. It doesn't always have to be reading from a book that children understand. Play a game of writing words down as your child labels his or her pictures. Share signs, symbols and words that you see at parks, shops, etc.

5. Read together

Children love hearing a story read to them. A family that reads together stays together. This is great for their language development, and you are also an excellent role model for fluent readers.

6. Practice makes progress

Practice sounds and tricky words. These can often be found at the start of children's early readers, alongside tips for making those hard-to-read words a little more easily read. To learn well, little and often usually is the way to go.

7. Teach them some tricks on how to sound out words

As your child learns to read, you can help by teaching them tricks like blending the initial sound of a CVC word to the family rime part eg. (-at) as in c-at=cat. You can use this to help with other words with

the same ending, like b-at, s-at, and r-at.

8. Pick books they can read themselves, then follow up and discuss it

You should select books that your child will enjoy independently. In addition to reading books they enjoy repeatedly, you can enrich their experiences by asking them questions about them.

9. Encourage reading for pleasure

Sometimes the books your child will choose will amaze you! So if they love to read anthologies about Doctor Who or the Dinosaur Encyclopaedia, go ahead and let them.

10. Reading can be challenging-Don't give up!

Reading can be challenging, especially for beginner readers. Encourage your child with gentle encouragement and patience. Reading takes time and practice, but it can be done!