Have fun with the alphabet! Your student will learn more easily if their ABCs become a fun part of their daily routine. Once the student knows the alphabet in order, challenge him or her by writing several letters out of order and ask them to recall the letters. You can also name one of the letters and ask the student to point it out. When teaching a child, start by teaching his or her the letters of their own name. This makes learning the letters personal and important. Because it is something important to the child — his own name - the child “owns” his learning, and will be excited by it.
This knowledge of the basic sounds of spoken language and their ability to be manipulated to form different words is known as phonemic awareness. [4] X Research source Go over each letter and teach the sounds that the letter makes. Give examples of words that start with each letter and ask the student to give examples as well. You can also try stating a word and asking the student which letter it starts with. You can then familiarize students with common letter pairs which make specific sounds, such as “ch”, “sh”, “ph”, “qu”, “gh”, and “ck”. Test their memory with pop quizzes at random times during the day.
This knowledge of the basic sounds of spoken language and their ability to be manipulated to form different words is known as phonemic awareness. [4] X Research source Go over each letter and teach the sounds that the letter makes. Give examples of words that start with each letter and ask the student to give examples as well. You can also try stating a word and asking the student which letter it starts with. You can then familiarize students with common letter pairs which make specific sounds, such as “ch”, “sh”, “ph”, “qu”, “gh”, and “ck”. Test their memory with pop quizzes at random times during the day.
Start by asking the student to read a simple, one-syllable word such as “sit. " Have the student name each letter, then attempt to read the word. If the student makes a mistake, ask again what sound the letter makes. The student will reflect and either remember or have to be reminded. When the word is read successfully, generously congratulate the student. Repeat this process with other simple, one-syllable words. Once a list of about five words is created, go back to the first word and see if the student can read it more quickly. Continue to introduce more words, gradually introducing longer and more complex words.
The most common sight words have been compiled onto lists, such as the famous Dolch Sight Word Series and the Fry List. [6] X Research source Focus on 1 or 2 sight words each day. When your student learns a word, move on to the next on your list. To teach sight words, try associating each word with an illustration. Presenting students with illustrations of sight words along with their print versions helps them to make important connections between the object and the word. Flashcards or posters with a colorful picture and the word written under it are excellent sight word teaching tools. Repetition is key to sight word acquisition. Beginner readers should be given the opportunity to read and write a new sight word multiple times. The repetitive reading of texts featuring certain sight words is one good strategy for helping students commit these words to memory. [7] X Research source
Read with your student daily. For example, you could have story time after lunch or before bed, depending on your circumstances. Read to them and have them read back. When you’re reading, help them follow along. Encourage them to read as much as possible and to vary the type of text they read. When reading, ask your students to underline any words they don’t know, then you can explain or help them look them up the meaning in the dictionary later. Teach them the definitions of words or other attributes of words, such as the meanings of common roots, prefixes and suffixes. Use association methods to help students draw connections between what they do know and words that they do not know. Pairing a new word with a known synonym is an example. [4] X Research source
Some non-fluent readers will hesitate when reading, unable to sound out words or figure out punctuation. Others will read without expression or changing their tone, rushing through the words without thinking about their meaning. The best way to promote fluency in beginner readers is through repeated reading. In repeated reading, the student reads a passage many times while the teacher provides feedback about speed and accuracy levels, helps with problem words, and demonstrates fluent reading. [4] X Research source Help your student improve fluency by finding a text they enjoy. They’ll better enjoy re-reading a favorite text. It is also important to ensure that the student is familiar with different types of pronunciation. Make sure that your student knows how punctuation marks such as a comma, a period, a question mark and an exclamation point will affect the flow and intonation of their reading. [4] X Research source
In order to test your student’s progress, you will need to assess their reading comprehension. Typically this can be done by asking your student to read and answer questions about what they have read. Formats include multiple-choice, short answer, and fill-in-the-blank questions. You can also assess your student’s knowledge of comprehension strategies by asking them questions while reading, getting them to give you a summary of what they have just read and by observing them as they read.
You can begin reading to your child from infancy onward. Use picture books, textured cloth books and books of lullabies for babies and toddlers. Once they get a bit older, you can introduce alphabet books and rhyming books. Engage your child by asking him questions about both the content of the book and its pictures. Asking your child questions about the book you are reading together makes the whole experience more interactive and encourages the child to actually comprehend what he is seeing and reading. With babies, you should try pointing at certain pictures and asking questions such as “Do you see the tractor?” while pointing at the tractor. This will help his vocabulary, while allowing him to interact with the reading process. As he progresses, point at animals like cats or sheep and ask him to make those animals’ noises - like “meow” or “baa”. This shows that your baby is understanding what they see, while also providing great entertainment!
Even if you’re very busy, try to let your child see you reading for at least a couple of minutes everyday. You don’t have to read a classic novel to set a good example. Read a newspaper, a cookbook, a thriller…it’s up to you!
Try asking questions that they can answer from looking at the pictures. For example, if there’s a color word, ask them to guess what the word is from the picture. At first, ask your child to describe the pictures. Once they are able to describe the pictures well, ask them to draw conclusions about what might be happening in the story. You might ask, “What do you think is happening here?” or “What do you think the puppy is feeling?” Praise correct responses, and ask more questions to encourage them if they’re frustrated.
Using various types of materials and activities helps make learning to read an enjoyable activity, not a chore. When you’re reading to your child, vary your tone of voice, as well as your volume. If you can, give each character a different voice. This makes reading more fun and exciting for your child! Do you have a childhood favorite that you want to share with your kids? If there’s a book that you’ve read over and over again, your love for it can be contagious.
Put on a show. You can make reading stories fun and help improve reading comprehension through role playing. Tell your kids that after reading the book together, you’ll decide which characters each of you will play. You can write a short script together, create props and dress up in costumes or masks. Try making letters out of Play-Doh, writing in the sand at the beach, drawing on the carpet or using pipe cleaners to create words.
Unlike children, adult learners cannot spend several hours in a classroom every day. If they are juggling work and family life, they will have a couple of hours a week at most to work on their reading. This can significantly prolong the learning process. Illiterate adults may also have a lifetime’s worth of negative experiences and emotions that they associate with their inability to read, which can be difficult to overcome.
Continue observing your learner’s level throughout the learning process. If he or she consistently struggles with a particular skill or concept, take it as a cue to help work on that skill.
Reassure them that their familiarity with spoken English and their pre-existing vocabulary will play a major role in learning how to read. Many adults have spent years hiding their inability to read from teachers, family and co-workers. Let them know that they no longer need to be ashamed or embarrassed and that you respect their courage in coming to you to learn to read.
Also remember that if you use materials that are too difficult or outside of their comfort zone, adult readers can easily become discouraged. Using materials that are challenging, yet manageable will help to build the adult reader’s ability and confidence. [15] X Expert Source Soren Rosier, PhDPhD in Education Candidate, Stanford University Expert Interview. 1 May 2019.
Try using road signs, newspaper articles or restaurant menus when practicing reading. Use technology by sending your student each new word they have to learn via text message. This makes learning fun and relevant to everyday life.
