Teaching a child to read can be a daunting task, but many parents find that it is one of the most rewarding challenges that a parent can undertake. The National Institute for Literacy notes that children develop critical literacy-related skills in early childhood (0 to 5 years of age) and that parents play a key role in the development of reading skills in children. With dedication, most parents are able to teach their children to read fluently.
Step 1
Read to your child frequently (several times per day) from birth. Books help to teach children new vocabulary words and encourage them to associate written words with sounds and concepts. By fostering your child's love of books, you lay the framework for a continued, lifelong interest in reading.
Step 2
Play games using letters and sounds. Use foam letters, printed blocks, coloring book pages and handmade cut-outs to demonstrate new letters to your child. Introduce each letter's most common sound before introducing more complex phonics rules (for example, the letter "O" says "ah"). Integrate these lessons into daily games and activities.
Step 3
Begin asking your child to sound out simple, three-letter words that follow uniform phonics rules. Good first words for reading should include a vowel between two consonants. Show your child how to write and sound out words such as "red," "bat," "cup," "fox," "ran" and "sit." Ask her to read these words as she encounters them on signs, labels and book titles.
Step 4
Introduce complex phonics rules after your child has mastered basic skills. For example, teach her that the letters T, C and S make different sounds if they are followed directly by an H. Give examples of words--such as "kite," "cute" and "cape"--in which vowels "say their names" because they are followed by a consonant and an E. Help her to sound out words that integrate these rules, but understand that it may take months or years for her to master these complex skills.
Tips and Warnings
- Occasional educational television may be beneficial, but do not count on TV programs or movies to teach your child to read--they are more likely to have the opposite effect. If your child seems to be consistently delayed in her cognitive, linguistic or literary skills, contact your health care provider. Unusual difficulty grasping phonics concepts may signal a learning disability such as dyslexia, dysgraphia or an autism-spectrum disorder.
Things You'll Need
- Children's books
