Teaching Your Child To Read: How To Do It?
Learning to read is an essential step in children. You can start introducing children to reading from an early age at home, with various methods and tips available for every level and age. Find out how to teach your child to read.
Reading is the basis of all learning. Knowing how to read and recognize words is also an essential step in a child’s development. If, generally, our little ones start learning to read at school (in the third section of kindergarten, either around 4-5 years old or CP, about six years old), you can also contribute to integrating this new skill. At home! Teaching your children to read words does not necessarily require training as a teacher; parents can get too! With a few tips, you can quickly help him in this learning. Please find out how to motivate your child to read and teach them to read.
Reading, Pleasure, and Benefits!
For many, reading a book is a time of pleasure and relaxation. A way to escape from everyday life, stimulate the imagination and discover a new universe thanks to words. Reading is also full of benefits for young and old. Knowing how to read makes it possible to inform oneself and cultivate oneself, learn more vocabulary, and communicate better. It is also excellent for preserving memory!
Reading is essential for the development of the child. It helps him to have confidence in himself and develop his creativity, curiosity, and capacity to judge a situation and show discernment. Learning to read is also essential in learning to write.
Start Early
Learning to read to your cherub is a step-by-step process and can begin at an early age. You can already familiarize yourself with a reading by reading his stories. Of course, a baby will primarily look at the pictures, but he will also hear the words, see the letters. It will also allow him to understand reading direction: from left to right. The sound of your voice will especially reassure and encourage him.
Between ages 2 and 4, choose books where the words are written in large letters, and the letters are easily recognizable. You can also use sounds to learn to recognize words. So do not hesitate to pass nursery rhymes or songs.
Ask him questions about the pictures. For example: “Where is the dog? “. It will allow you to see if he understood the word and how to relate it to the image.
The Montessori reading method is also accessible from 3 years old. It allows toddlers to gradually learn to read by associating sounds with letters to form a word. The Montessori Method can be an excellent place to start.
Letters and Sounds
From 4-5 years old, children will begin to understand the connection between sounds and letters. Now is an excellent time to learn the alphabet. The method recommended to teachers by the Ministry of National Education for learning to read the syllabic way. It consists of identifying letters present in a word to associate them in syllables and finally form a word. The child must first learn the alphabet (through fun family activities or books).
Once he has familiarized himself with the alphabet and the sounds, he can decipher a sound produced by two associated letters to form a syllable. Then say the syllables together to make a word. For example, he is associating the d with the o and you to start the syllable you and repeat it to form the phrase Doudou.
The global method, as opposed to the syllabic: starts from learning a word and then deconstructing it into syllables and therefore getting to know the letters and the sounds they emit when they are associated. Learning the alphabet is then done gradually. This method was created taking into account the psychological development of the child. According to experts, this allows him to be an actor in his learning: he better understands what is meaningful and remains free to express himself. However, this method has often been criticized and is used very little by teachers in the classroom. It does not allow the child to read the new words, which he will not have memorized.
In schools, teachers often use a mix of the two methods.
At this age, the child also begins to differentiate between the real and the imaginary. You can ask him questions about the story you just read and try to involve him. It will allow him to develop his critical thinking and reading comprehension.
Participate!
Parents have a significant role in their children’s learning to read. Try to motivate him and make him want to read. We already know that children like to imitate their parents. Seeing you read regularly could thus make your offspring want to immerse themselves in a book.
Try to interest your cherub in all types of writing: advertising signs, instructions on a food box or even newspapers, etc.
Why not set up a reading nook in your home? As well as establishing a reading routine, we read a story together in the “book corner” or bed every evening.
Once he knows how to read, do not hesitate to introduce him to different books: fantastic, historical, heroic, etc. It will help him refine his tastes, and he will enjoy reading more once he finds what he likes. Offer him cultural activities by taking him to the library, for example, or to a bookstore with a tea room. Write him little personal words: he will feel that he has a special relationship with you, in addition to practicing reading. You can also do it in a letter-letter version when he has learned to write. For a minor child, suggest that they practice writing their first and last name. Makeup games or an activity to make it playful and fun.
If he is reluctant to read, motivate him by showing him how essential reading is, especially vocabulary. Be patient, you may not remember it, but it is a learning process that takes time. Be enthusiastic about his efforts, even if he still makes mistakes. Limit screens at home to encourage her to read. But do not spend hours reading, at the risk of boring him.
