This guide will give tips on what to do when reading aloud. However, these tips are also a helpful guide for discussing a book with your child has read independently.
Parents play just as important a role in their child’s literacy development. They, too, need to read aloud to their children so that the process of becoming literate can move forward. The time a parent takes to read to their child is never wasted. That time stays with the child, goes with him to school, and stays with him for the rest of his life.
What Can You Do When Reading With Your Child?
Try to remember to do the following when you read aloud to or with your child:
· point out the title
· point out the author
· point out the illustrator
· read the dedication, if any
· look at the cover illustration and predict what will happen in the story
· look at the story pictures before you read and predict what will happen in the story
· use expression!
· let your child take the lead sometimes by letting them comment or ask questions as you read
Activities to Extend Your Child’s Reading
Create a New Story
Talk about the characters in the story. Describe them, using character traits such as silly, kind, foolish, curious, or patient.
Make up a new story about the character by imagining what they might do next. For example, after reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears, tell what Goldilocks might do when she visits a zoo and sees the bears there. What will happen when she goes home and tells her parents, or goes to school and tells her classmates what happened to her? What will the bears do to repair their damages and protect themselves from future intruders?
Change One Element
The main elements of a story are the characters, setting, problem and solution. Try changing one of these to create a new story. For example, after reading Little Red Riding Hood, change the wolf to a pig or an eagle. How would the story be different? Change the story so Grandma lives in an apartment building instead of the woods
Rereading
Many times a child will decide that a particular story is their absolute favorite, and ask you to “read it again.” Our advice is to do exactly what they asked, even if it means you both know the words by heart. This can be tedious for the parent, but the benefits to the child can be immeasurable. Often, they will begin to notice particular words, or letters, and come to know them well. What an easy way to increase a child’s vocabulary!
Put Yourself in the Story
Connect the story to personal knowledge. Your child is able to make connections to the stories that you read to them because of their life experiences. You can help them connect the storyline to real life events or people with the use of questions like these:
- Did something like this ever happen to you?
- Do any of the characters remind you of anyone you know?
If your child can’t respond, you can make connections yourself with statements like these:
- That character reminds me of________ because__________.
- This _________ is like ours because….
Ask Questions
Good readers ask questions while they read. Model your own questions for your child, and they will soon do the same. Some ways to share your questions might be:
· I wonder why……
· What if……..
· What do you think will happen next?
Why do you think….