How Can Parents Help Their Child With Reading at Home?
By Julie Diamond, OCT
***This blog will take about 2-3 minutes to read***
The pandemic forced school closures disrupting learning for students across the country. As online reading tutors and teachers, we continue to see learning gaps in literacy with many students as much as up to 2-3 grade levels behind.
However, there are many things that parents can do at home to help. In this blog, we'll talk about simple yet effective ways that parents can help their child close their learning gaps in reading and writing.
Create a Cozy Reading Spot: First things first, make a comfy space at home where your child can read. Pick out a spot with good light, comfy seats, and lots of fun books. Let your child help choose the books, so they get excited about reading. Make sure to have a set time each day for reading, like before bedtime or in the afternoon. Having a routine makes reading a regular and fun part of the day.
Use Fun Online Reading Programs: Technology can be a cool way to help your child with reading. There are lots of apps and websites with fun games that also teach reading. Choose apps that focus on reading and understanding words. Setting a time limit for screen use helps balance tech time with other activities.
Some apps that our online tutors recommend for literacy support would be:
Epic! (40,000+ books and audiobooks with badges and progress tracking);
Libby (free with a library card);
Reading Eggs (which has games and songs);
Reading Racer (which listens to your child read and helps with challenging words and as they improve they get points);
AdaptedMind (designed to build vocabulary and comprehension).
Talk About Stories Together: Reading isn't just about saying words out loud. It's also about talking and sharing ideas. When you read with your child, ask questions about the story, the characters, and what might happen next. Encourage them to ask questions too. For younger kids, they can point to pictures, and for older kids, you can chat about more complex ideas in the stories.
Make Writing Fun: Reading isn't the only way to get better at words—writing is important too! Encourage your child to write things, and provide them with different tools like colored pencils and different kinds of paper to make writing fun. Try The Five Minute Journal which also helps them learn about gratitude and positive thoughts.
Connect Reading to Real Life: Connect reading and writing to things you do every day. For example, when cooking, have your child read and follow the recipe with you. This helps with reading and understanding procedural steps. Trips to the store or library can be learning adventures too. Have your child read shopping lists or explore books together. This shows them that reading is part of lots of different activities.
Read Different Kinds of Books: Make sure your child reads all sorts of books from different authors and places. This helps them learn new words and see the world from different viewpoints. Talk about the stories together and ask questions. This helps your child understand and appreciate different cultures and ideas. Check out my Instagram Live with one of our tutors, Angeline Brew, who gives tips on how to choose diverse books.
Work with Teachers: Talk to your child's teachers regularly. Attend meetings, join parent groups, and be involved in school events. This helps you understand how your child is doing in school and how you can help them at home. Ask teachers for book recommendations that go along with what your child is learning in class. Working together with teachers makes a strong team for your child's learning.
Celebrate Small Wins: Learning to read and write takes time, so celebrate the small victories! When your child reaches a goal, like finishing a book or writing a story, give them a little reward. It could be a special treat, a fun outing, or even a new book to add to their collection. Celebrating the small wins makes learning exciting and enjoyable. I suggest using a Reading Reward Tracker which motivates them to read for x amount of minutes every day like this one or, for older children and/or more fluent readers, you can use it to motivate them to read a certain # of books.
Helping your child with reading and writing at home is about more than just doing well in school. It's about giving them the tools to succeed in a big world. By creating a cozy reading spot, using fun learning apps, talking about stories, making writing fun, connecting reading to real life, reading different kinds of books, working with teachers, and celebrating small wins, parents can make a big difference in their child's learning journey.