First Grade How can I help my child to become a better reader?

First, make sure your child understands the basics! Have your child point to the words as he or she reads.

As your child points to the words, make sure he/she is moving from left to right, is pointing to each word as it is said, and is not saying words that are not there.

When can my child stop pointing? When he/she can read sight words consistently. When he/she notices when what is said does not match what is on the page. When you notice that he/she is reading books without patterns easily. When pointing to the words slows him/her down instead of helping him/her read!

What prompts can I use to help my child read?

Use Picture Clues! Pictures help your child figure out words that he/she cannot yet sound out. They help your child make meaning of the story. Children build their vocabulary as they look at the pictures and discuss what they see!

Look for sight words, word wall words or high frequency words that you know. said what was this look come went

Look at the punctuation marks! Punctuation marks help tell the story. Remind your child to look at them while reading. Help! Can I help you? I can help you.

Get your mouth ready to make the first sound.

Blend the sounds to figure out an unknown words. c a t

Look for a little word in a big word or a part that you know. c am p b all th at

Think of a word that makes sense. The fish swims in the ______. lake pondwater

Read the sentence again to make sure it… Looks right Sounds right Makes sense The cat is small.

Or you can … Look for patterns in text. Substitute another word that makes sense. Make predictions (What do you think would work here.)

But most important of all…

Read to your child, Read with your child, or Listen to your child read every night!