The benefits of reading in a child’s development are well documented. But contrary to what most believe, learning to read is a complex process that requires a child to be properly taught various skills and strategies, such as phonics and phonemic awareness. The good news though is that the steps to take in order to build these skills are actually fairly simple and straightforward. Apart from preschool enrichment classes, are you also looking at other ways to have your child become an avid reader? We’ll share some tips to help with kick-starting your child’s love of reading at an early age.
Make a simple word card game
Cut out simple cards and write a word on each card. Locate a staircase nearby and place one or two cards face down on each step. Say a word aloud and have your child find the matching word card. Then have your child read the word. He gets to keep the card if he has chosen the correct word. If it’s the wrong card, he leaves it on the step. The game continues until all the word cards have been found.
Incorporate phonics
Many studies have shown that children with a strong background in phonics tend to become stronger readers as they grow up. A phonetic approach to reading teaches a child how to go letter by letter, blending each sound together. Once a child has developed a level of automatisation, they will be able to sound out words almost instantly, only needing to apply decoding with longer words.
Try doing so using songs and nursery rhymes; the rhyme and rhythm help kids to differentiate the sounds and syllables in words, which is a good and fun way to build phonemic awareness and confident readers. Alternatively, you may also consider signing your child up with a learning centre that provides phonics classes with a well-rounded reading program.
Read aloud to your child regularly
Many people aren’t aware of just how many skills can be picked up through the simple act of reading to a child. Reading aloud to your child regularly not only creates a special bonding time for the both of you, but it also builds key comprehension skills, grows their vocabulary, allows them to hear what a fluent reader sounds like, and more importantly, instils in them a love for books. This feeling of enjoyment while reading is one of the single greatest predictors of reading success in school-going children.
Be patient
Remember that every child has his or her own pace of learning, so it’s helpful to keep in mind that the single most important thing you can do is to make it an enjoyable experience. A combination of reading regularly, mixing things up with the activities you choose, and letting your child pick out their own books occasionally will help them to develop an early love of reading and give them the best chance at reading success.
We hope this article has been helpful for you in getting your child started on becoming an avid reader. I Love Learning has a range of classes for children in Singapore, starting as young as preschool enrichment classes. Reach out to us for more information!