Tips on Teaching Reading

The first place on all music charts for the toddler set goes to the "ABC" song. It's a winner, but does the song have anything to do with teaching children to read? Not really. . .

Some children will teach themselves to read; but most children need to be taught. The best way to help them is by teaching children the sounds of the letters rather than the names of letters. In the initial stages of learning to read, it can be confusing to say the name of the letter "a," rather than the sound of of "a" as in apple. Confusing to say em rather than the sound mmm. We want children to associate the letters with sounds.

Teach vowels separately, not at the same time. You will want to teach the short vowels first: a=apple, i=igloo, o=octopus, u=umbrella, e=elephant. (The "e" is the most complex vowel so it's best to teach it last.) For the first lesson, pick a vowel and a few consonants. Write the letter on an index card. In the corner of the card, draw a picture of an item that begins with the sound you will be focusing on. For example, draw an "a" and an apple in the corner. Perhaps, teach a vowel and 3 consonants at a time. As you teach the sounds of the letters, find household objects that begin with the sounds of the letters you are teaching. You can lay the objects out, say one of the sounds you are teaching and let your child pick the object(s) that begin with the sound. You don't need to buy anything. A spoon for the letter "s"; a pencil for "p" etc. It can be a fun game. Also, if there is ever a treat that goes with a sound/letter being taught, it's fun to include that as you are saying and learning the sounds. Apples are fun to eat as you explore the short "a" sound. As you eat the apple, you can talk about other objects that begin with the same sound. Serving cookies when you teach c and serving "tea" in cups for a little t-party is always a hit. You do not have to teach the letters in the order they appear in the alphabet.

You may begin by making words with the cards right away. Have the child say the first sound, the second sound, the third sound. Then have them put the sounds together. Have them say the sounds of the letters faster. Yes, they are reading! Hip-hooray and high fives!

During your second session, be sure and go over all you did in the first session. As you add vowels and consonants, you can make "martian words." If the child can read the "martian words," you can be sure that they are really understanding the sounds and the letters that go with them. For example, tid. Usually, the kids like to think they are learning some Martian!

A game that the kids like to play which reinforces letter sounds is the "I'm going on a trip game." Let's say the sound you are learning is "f." You would begin and say: I'm going on a trip and I'm taking a fan. The child would say: I'm going on a trip and I'm taking and fan and fruit. Your turn: I'm going on a trip and I'm taking a fan, fruit and a flag. His/her turn: I'm going on a trip and I'm taking a fan, fruit, a flag and a fly. The objects can get as silly as possible.

As the child learns more sounds, you can use a marker board. For example, write an "a" over one half of the board, and an "i" over the other half. Say words that include a short "a." The child has to decide which half of the board that words belongs on. Do the same with the "i." In this way, the child will learn to distinguish the different sounds of the vowels. (fat from sit, for example)

When I was young, my mother told me to learn to love to read and I'd never be lonely. She was so right! And this method will give your child a good start on that road to reading.