Learning to read is difficult for some children. According to KidsHealth website, some children have trouble making connections between letters and their sounds, which can make learning to read quite challenging. Other children struggle to stay engaged enough to discover that reading is enjoyable. If your child is struggling to learn to read, you can incorporate a variety of entertaining activities into his practice time to motivate him to keep trying until he becomes a better reader.
Step 1
Read with your child. Take a turn reading a story to your child. Track each word with your finger as you read to show your child how to connect each word to the story. Stop and ask your child questions to keep him engaged in the story, recommends Healthy Children website. Have your child take a turn reading to you. Offer guidance and help so your child begins to master new words.
Step 2
Include creative ways to encourage your child to read everyday. Put a note in his lunchbox or in his pocket for him to find later, suggests KidsHealth. Challenge your child to find words on street signs or billboards as you drive. Stick magnetic letters to the refrigerator so your child can practice spelling and reading words.
Step 3
Play word games. Ask your child to find two or three objects that begin with a specific letter. Practice the sounds each letter makes as you play. An added challenge could be to have your child spell the object that he sees. Play spying games where you tell your child that you spy something that starts with a certain letter and he has to guess until he gets the right answer. Try choosing a category, such as food, and encouraging your child to think of as many items that begin with a certain letter, suggests KidsHealth.
Step 4
Read the words wrong. Choose some stories that include plots your child already knows. Try reading the story out loud but change some of the words to see if your child notices, recommends Scholastic. When he notices that you made a mistake, challenge him to read it the correct way. Encourage him to point to the word you got wrong and sound it out on his own.
Step 5
Create adventures based on books. After reading a story, have fun acting it by doing an activity similar to what happened in the book, recommends Scholastic. Put on a play that retells the story or act out alternate endings to the story. Draw pictures from the book on large pieces of paper. Make the adventure fun because the purpose is to engage your child in books so he becomes more motivated to read them.
Tips and Warnings
- Try anything that makes reading fun. If your child learns to enjoy books, he is more likely to practice his reading on a more regular basis. If your child is reluctant to pick up a book, try offering him a comic book or joke book to motivate him to read, recommends KidsHealth.
- Do not belittle your child if he struggles to read. Learning to read can be difficult and offering support and encouragement will motivate him to keep trying while criticism may damage his self-esteem and keep him from learning.
Things You'll Need
- Books
- Paper
- Pen
