Raising A Reader
As a reading teacher I am passionate about reading. I struggled learning to read but I have found a love of reading, and continue to read daily for enjoyment before I go to bed. During this time I let go of the stresses of the day and find an escape in my book.
As a grandmother, I have seen how early reading makes a difference in someone as young as 15 months old. With both sets of grandparents and his parents reading with him, our grandson loves to sit with a book and “read it” by himself or have you read it to him.
Parents play a significant role in helping their child learn to read, but many parents have told me they do not know how to teach their child to read. Part of helping a child learn to read is lots of practice and time to play with language. Reading is not a natural process so children need to practice with oral language and print in a variety of ways.
Reading Rockets is a great place to start. The site provides a wealth of information on supporting reading, from developing early literacy to how to recognize learning challenges. There are videos, games, and many other types of resources.
Even if you struggled to read, you can raise a great reader. I encourage you to take the time to read with your child regularly.
Check out www.readingrockets.org for great ideas to get you started.
