How can I help my kindergartener learn how to read?
A: There are some simple things that you can do at home to support her learning at school. First and foremost, read aloud to them every night, without exception. Reading aloud is the perfect tool to promote the pleasure and enjoyment of reading and to offers a good model (you) of what reading is all about.
Second, play language games to help them become aware of the sounds of language. In order to learn to read, children must be able to hear sounds in words and then begin to match those sounds to letters. By singing songs and clapping to the rhythm, by listening for words that rhyme in poems and stories, and by talking about words (those that begin or end with the same sound, those that sound alike) you will be helping your child think consciously about language.
Third, encourage your child to write — even if they are just making scribbles. Writing actually helps develop reading skills. By forming letters, children learn to recognize certain words like their names. They also learn that written language is a communication tool. You can play "restaurant" and ask your child to be the waiter who writes down your food order. Soon you will begin to see letters and even words mixed in with the scribbles.
Your child's teacher may have other suggestions that will directly support what is happening at school. Good communication between home and school will also foster your child's reading success.
Second, play language games to help them become aware of the sounds of language. In order to learn to read, children must be able to hear sounds in words and then begin to match those sounds to letters. By singing songs and clapping to the rhythm, by listening for words that rhyme in poems and stories, and by talking about words (those that begin or end with the same sound, those that sound alike) you will be helping your child think consciously about language.
Third, encourage your child to write — even if they are just making scribbles. Writing actually helps develop reading skills. By forming letters, children learn to recognize certain words like their names. They also learn that written language is a communication tool. You can play "restaurant" and ask your child to be the waiter who writes down your food order. Soon you will begin to see letters and even words mixed in with the scribbles.
Your child's teacher may have other suggestions that will directly support what is happening at school. Good communication between home and school will also foster your child's reading success.
What is phonemic awareness and how can I help my student with this skill?
This relatively new term describes one aspect of language development that all children must acquire for the process of learning to read to be smooth. While the term may sound long and difficult, it really refers to something quite simple: the ability to hear sounds in language and do different things with the sounds, like break them apart and blend them back together.
Phonemic awareness has absolutely nothing to do with reading or even with associating letters and sounds. It is an ability that works purely on an auditory level. For example, if I say three words to you, such as "daddy," "hat," and "dog," and you can tell me which ones have the same beginning sound, then you have successfully isolated and heard the "d" sound. You do not necessarily have to know that the name of this sound is represented by the letter d to be successful in this task.
Similarly, if you can tell me which words rhyme in a set of several, then you have successfully identified parts of words that sound the same. Finally, if I ask you to change the beginning sound of your name to the "m" sound (for example, "Susan" becomes "Musan"), then not only can you hear and isolate sounds, but you can also manipulate them — change them around.
These are all skills associated with phonemic awareness. They are critical because they are the precursors of learning to decode words and also how to spell. If a child cannot hear or manipulate sounds in the first place, then she will have enormous difficulty later identifying them and even less success connecting them to specific letters in phonics lessons.
How to help: It's actually quite simple and fun to encourage the development of phonemic awareness in your child.
Phonemic awareness has absolutely nothing to do with reading or even with associating letters and sounds. It is an ability that works purely on an auditory level. For example, if I say three words to you, such as "daddy," "hat," and "dog," and you can tell me which ones have the same beginning sound, then you have successfully isolated and heard the "d" sound. You do not necessarily have to know that the name of this sound is represented by the letter d to be successful in this task.
Similarly, if you can tell me which words rhyme in a set of several, then you have successfully identified parts of words that sound the same. Finally, if I ask you to change the beginning sound of your name to the "m" sound (for example, "Susan" becomes "Musan"), then not only can you hear and isolate sounds, but you can also manipulate them — change them around.
These are all skills associated with phonemic awareness. They are critical because they are the precursors of learning to decode words and also how to spell. If a child cannot hear or manipulate sounds in the first place, then she will have enormous difficulty later identifying them and even less success connecting them to specific letters in phonics lessons.
How to help: It's actually quite simple and fun to encourage the development of phonemic awareness in your child.
- Singing songs together is probably the best way to build these skills. Songs are filled with rhymes and sound patterns; when heard and sung over and over again, these sounds become part of your child's repertoire. Furthermore, because songs are rhythmic, certain sounds are accentuated, drawn out and highlighted.
- Playing language games is another way to build phonemic awareness skills. For example: One person names a word and then you both see who can make the most rhymes from it. Nonsense words are perfectly acceptable in this game (people, meeple, steeple, creeple, cheeple). Or make up sentences together with the stipulation that every major word has to have the same beginning sound ("Six silly snakes sat slowly on a sandwich").
- Read aloud to your child — and include poetry as well as stories. Poets must have a wonderful sense of phonemic awareness because their words sound so beautiful when read aloud. They prove that sounds and rhythm contribute to the beauty of a poem as much as the words and images themselves.
How do I select books for my children to read?
Think of selecting books at these ages according to how they might be used:
Read-Alouds
A read-aloud book is one that you read to your child at special times — like bedtime or in a comfy chair on a rainy afternoon. These books should always be well above your child's independent reading level because you are the one in control of the reading. The purpose for reading aloud is the same as the first time you read a book to your child as an infant: for bonding together, for enjoyment, for developing listening skills, for increasing vocabulary, and finally, for helping your child develop a rich understanding of the power of written words in stories, poetry, nonfiction, and other kinds of reading material. Often, we read aloud less to our children as they grow older, not realizing that the benefits continue to be enormous. And because the book is literally in your hands in this kind of experience, you should choose the book you would like your child to hear.
Read-Withs
A "read with" book is one that you and your child read together. Now, however, the primary control of the book is in your child's hands, as for the most part, your child will be the one reading aloud. These books should be generally at or slightly above your child's independent reading level. As she reads aloud to you, offer help as needed with difficult words or phrases. You can also make comments (if they seem to be part of the natural flow) about what is interesting or striking about the material being read. You could wonder aloud what might happen next. In these ways, you are sharing a book experience together, with your child taking the lead while you participate in ways that still model how good readers learn from text. Book selections should be a joint decision — as you are partners in this experience. You could start by choosing books that are like those your child brings home from school, or consult with her teacher to determine where her reading level is. Another good strategy is to let your child read books to you that she has already read on her own. This is a wonderful way for her to achieve fluency — a critical reading skill, as well as build self-confidence.
Read-Alones
A read alone book is just that — a book that your child selects and then reads on her own, perhaps at night after spending earlier time with a read-aloud. The key to book selection here depends upon the broad foundation you set in the above experiences. You can take your child to the library and point out books by the authors you both have already read together or explore topics of interest you have discovered together.
As your child gets older, he will naturally want to assume greater control over the selection of reading materials he encounters. Encourage this — it's a good indicator of his desire and motivation to read proficiently. Proficient readers are most able to read for enjoyment and learning.
From Scholastic.com
Read-Alouds
A read-aloud book is one that you read to your child at special times — like bedtime or in a comfy chair on a rainy afternoon. These books should always be well above your child's independent reading level because you are the one in control of the reading. The purpose for reading aloud is the same as the first time you read a book to your child as an infant: for bonding together, for enjoyment, for developing listening skills, for increasing vocabulary, and finally, for helping your child develop a rich understanding of the power of written words in stories, poetry, nonfiction, and other kinds of reading material. Often, we read aloud less to our children as they grow older, not realizing that the benefits continue to be enormous. And because the book is literally in your hands in this kind of experience, you should choose the book you would like your child to hear.
Read-Withs
A "read with" book is one that you and your child read together. Now, however, the primary control of the book is in your child's hands, as for the most part, your child will be the one reading aloud. These books should be generally at or slightly above your child's independent reading level. As she reads aloud to you, offer help as needed with difficult words or phrases. You can also make comments (if they seem to be part of the natural flow) about what is interesting or striking about the material being read. You could wonder aloud what might happen next. In these ways, you are sharing a book experience together, with your child taking the lead while you participate in ways that still model how good readers learn from text. Book selections should be a joint decision — as you are partners in this experience. You could start by choosing books that are like those your child brings home from school, or consult with her teacher to determine where her reading level is. Another good strategy is to let your child read books to you that she has already read on her own. This is a wonderful way for her to achieve fluency — a critical reading skill, as well as build self-confidence.
Read-Alones
A read alone book is just that — a book that your child selects and then reads on her own, perhaps at night after spending earlier time with a read-aloud. The key to book selection here depends upon the broad foundation you set in the above experiences. You can take your child to the library and point out books by the authors you both have already read together or explore topics of interest you have discovered together.
As your child gets older, he will naturally want to assume greater control over the selection of reading materials he encounters. Encourage this — it's a good indicator of his desire and motivation to read proficiently. Proficient readers are most able to read for enjoyment and learning.
From Scholastic.com