Reading with your child
The first step is encouraging your child to choose a Just Right book. We use the Five Finger Rule:
Five Finger Rule - choose any full page in the book and read it. Hold up a finger each time you come to a difficult word. If you don't hold up any fingers, you may need a harder book! If you hold up 1-3 fingers, then the book is just right for you. If you hold up 4 or 5 fingers, you aren't quite ready for that book - yet!
When your child comes to a word he/she doesn't know, wait! Often we jump in before the child has had time to attempt to try to read this new word. Count to 5 (slowly!) and ask, "Time or help?" If the child says, "Time" then you can give him/her some time to practise his/her set of decoding strategies. If the child says, "Help," then you can being to prompt them (depending upon the word...):
"What would make sense?"
"Look at the picture... who/what do you see... what are they doing..."
"Now, look at the word - what sound does it start with?"
"Now, reread and try to think of what would make sense and starts with an ___ sound.
(Child tries a word.) "Does that look right? Sound right? Does it make sense?"
The first step is encouraging your child to choose a Just Right book. We use the Five Finger Rule:
Five Finger Rule - choose any full page in the book and read it. Hold up a finger each time you come to a difficult word. If you don't hold up any fingers, you may need a harder book! If you hold up 1-3 fingers, then the book is just right for you. If you hold up 4 or 5 fingers, you aren't quite ready for that book - yet!
When your child comes to a word he/she doesn't know, wait! Often we jump in before the child has had time to attempt to try to read this new word. Count to 5 (slowly!) and ask, "Time or help?" If the child says, "Time" then you can give him/her some time to practise his/her set of decoding strategies. If the child says, "Help," then you can being to prompt them (depending upon the word...):
"What would make sense?"
"Look at the picture... who/what do you see... what are they doing..."
"Now, look at the word - what sound does it start with?"
"Now, reread and try to think of what would make sense and starts with an ___ sound.
(Child tries a word.) "Does that look right? Sound right? Does it make sense?"