Flag as Not Acceptable?
We review flagged content and enforce our Terms of Use, in which content must never be:
- Profane or sexually explicit
- Disrespectful or abusive
- Infringing of copyright
Parentpedia
Learning to Read
What Experts Say
All parents want their children to be good readers. In our society, reading is deemed necessary for almost every aspect of success. Although schools set standards for reading proficiency from kindergarten on, kids learn to read at different rates and with different levels of proficiency. However, there are some general stages that most children go through to learn to read.
During early childhood, kids are first exposed to language through listening and speaking. This starts as babies look at parents who are speaking, and it continues as kids learn to use sounds and gestures to communicate their wants and needs. Typically, children between 12 and 18 months use words to label objects and ask for things. By 36 months, most children are speaking in sentences and able to...
Ask or Answer
What Do You Say?
Add a Question or Write an Answer
Reading happens very naturally for some children, while others may struggle. Most parents are extremely concerned with this facet of learning, as it can seem like everything hinges on a child's ability to read. There are, however, many ways that children learn and every child learns to read at a different pace.
The best way to encourage a child to read is to read to them. Read, read, read. And model reading -- let your children see you reading the newspaper, books, magazines and more.
As kids learn their alphabet and the sounds of the letters, they also begin to put some letters together and begin learning sight words. Don't be surprised when you are driving down the street and your child yells out, "Hey, there's McDonalds." Although they probably can't read the word "McDonalds" in any other context, they can read the sign on the golden arches because they have memorized the context of the word, i.e., the golden arches. In the same vein are sight words, these are some of the simpler, more common words in our language that we read more repetitively. Many of these words are also words that aren't phonetically correct such as "the" or "one." You can encourage your child to learn these words as you read to them. As they get older and start making sense of the sounds of each letter, begin asking them what letter they think words start with. A good way to do this is by using their name. For instance, if their name is Billy, ask what other words start with a B. It will be a fun game for them and they will be learning as well.
If you're child is not reading "on schedule," try not to obsess about it too much. Too much attention on the issue can ultimately discourage a child from reading if they are not ready.
Add Your Story
Tell Your Story
hard worker
My child is known in school to be a very hard worker. She is doing well in all subjects except for reading. She is falling behind on her reading. I try reading to her, I shut the t.v off. I have her read to me, she seems to be doing alot... read moreLearning to read
When my oldest son began his trek into reading it was like pulling teeth. We would bribe him with his game boy, for every two minutes reading he would get one minute of video games. This seemed to work, but it was still very difficult to... read more
 |
 |
ParentPedia contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of ParentPedia, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.
The contents of ParentPedia are intended for educational purposes only. Such contents are not intended to, and do not, constitute medical or healthcare advice or diagnosis, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Reliance on information presented on ParentPedia is at your own risk.
Thank You!
Thank you for helping us maintain a friendly, high quality community at Family.com. This comment will be reviewed by a community moderator.
April 10, 2008
Behind in Reading
My son is in the 2nd grade and we have been struggling with his reading since the 1st grade. This last semester is the first time the Teachers have decided to sit down and really discuss my concerns. He is finishing up the 2nd grade and... read moreNot Acceptable?