Reading is an absolutely vital skill that we all need to function effectively in today's
society. Whilst it is pleasing that most children develop into good readers, there are also
far too many who struggle to become competent in this crucial skill.
Statistics show that children who do not master the basics of reading by the end of
the second grade often go through years of difficulty throughout their schooling and rarely
catch up with their peers. Experiences of failure in the early years of education can
unfortunately lead to a cycle of failure right through adolescence and into adulthood.
The alarming fact is that many adults never reach their potential because they did
not master the basics of reading in their early years of schooling. In the past there were
many career options for those with poor literacy skills, but in the 21st century many of
those jobs are simply not around any more.
Don't let this happen to your child!
The good news is that given appropriate instruction, all children of normal
intelligence can become highly literate. An effective reading program to teach kids to
read will include the following:
* learning by sight at least 100 commonly used words. This is vital because
common words make up the majority of any text. When students know these words by
sight they are then able to concentrate on working out the more difficult words.
* a comprehensive program of phonics instruction. This program should cover all
of the sounds and letter combinations in the English language. This is vital because it
provides students with the code to English so they can analyze unknown words.
* a range of reading materials, especially books for students to read of various types
(e.g. factual, fiction, instructional, reports etc.) and with graded levels of difficulty. This
is vital because it exposes students to a major purpose for reading, and the right books
will make it a highly enjoyable activity. Naturally students need regular practice reading
books of an appropriate level of difficulty.
* activities relating to the books being read. This is vital as it consolidates a
student's level of understanding. It could include writing or drawing about an aspect of
the book, predicting what might happen next, or responding to questions about the
content.
*opportunities for students to discuss the content of books and to talk about their
own opinions on the particular topics. This is vital as it helps in developing both oral
language skills and comprehension of the ideas that a writer is seeking to convey.
Check with your child's teacher on the program at your school, and decide whether
or not you need to arrange some supplementary activities. Or if you are home-schooling
your child, check that your program covers each of these 5 vital elements. Do this and you
will be helping your kids to read and have them on the path to a successful future.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wayne and Jenny Gillie are parents and school teachers, and have established
www.buildkidsconfidence.com as a resource for parents and teachers who want to
improve the self confidence of their children or students.
