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Helping The School-Age Child Become A Better Reader
Page Two of Two
 Helping Your Child Develop the Habit of Active Reading:
Have you ever been watching television and when the commercial came on, you couldn't remember what show you were just watching? That means you were watching passively not actively. The same thing happens when we read. To be sure your child is reading actively help him/her think before, during and after s/he reads:
- Before your child reads, talk about what s/he already knows about the subject of the book (EX: If the book is about trains, have your child tell you everything s/he knows about trains. They run on tracks, they have cars...). This helps remind him/her about words that s/he might have to read in the book. This sets him/her up for success. Always look at the cover of the book and discuss what the book might be about. (Your child will read to see if s/he was right)
- During the reading session ask your child what s/he thinks will happen next. (When a reader predicts what s/he thinks will happen next, s/he usually reads with more interest to see if his/her prediction was correct, thus reading more actively.)
- Remind your child to THINK while s/he reads. s/he should continually be asking, "Does this make sense?" If what s/he reads doesn't make sense, s/he needs to reread that part, to be sure s/he did not read words incorrectly. At times your child might read a word incorrectly, substituting a word that does not make sense for the correct word in the sentence. If s/he reads on and does not realize his/her mistake, and go back and fix it, s/he is not thinking about what s/he is reading. You should stop him/her and ask, "Did that make sense?" Help him/her supply the correct word, then have him/her reread the sentence correctly.
- Every page or so, ask your child to tell you what happened in that part. If done regularly, s/he will think more about what s/he is reading since s/he knows you will be asking.
- While reading a story, the reader should be visualizing the people, places, and actions as they occur in the story, as if s/he were there or watching it on television.
- If your child is reading a story, you can help him/her understand it and remember it by reminding him/her that most stories have a structure. (At school, they call this a story map or story elements.) Stories have characters, setting, a problem or something the character wants, things that happen to try and solve the problem (events), and a resolution. During reading, point out: clues about where and when the story took place (setting); events that lead to solving the problem; did the problem get solved or not (resolution).
- Almost all stories have interesting parts. Take time to discuss these parts and things the characters in the story do. Try and relate things your child has done in the past that are similar to the story events. Ask, "What does that part make you think of?"
- Make your child think by asking "Why" questions. "Why do you think...?" "Why did...?"
- After your child reads, ask him/her to retell the story mentioning who was in it (characters), where it happened (setting), what the problem was or what the character wanted, what s/he did to solve the problem (events) and how did it end.
Helping Your Child Develop Correct Phrasing:
Pausing at the correct times while reading, is critical to understanding what is read. I listen to children read daily and am amazed at how many children who are struggling in reading comprehension read right through periods or pause at the wrong places. Your child should read in chunks just like we talk. A reader should always pause at periods and commas. You should listen as your child reads, and be sure s/he is reading with correct phrasing, pausing only where s/he would pause when speaking. His/Her voice should also drop in pitch while reading the last word in a statement sentence and raise at the end of a question. If s/he does not change the pitch of his/her voice or pauses at the wrong places, explain his/her error and have him/her reread the entire sentence correctly. With such immediate attention from you, your child will very quickly develop a sense of where to pause.
Also, as your child reads, listen and see if s/he is reading smoothly with expression. If not, have him/her choose a portion, not more than 1/3 page long. Have him/her read it over and over until it sounds very smooth and interesting. I tell kids, "Read it until it sounds like a grown-up is reading it, smooth as silk."
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