This post is brought to you by Readability Tutor.
We’re all stuck at home right now because of COVID, and if you’ve got young kids, this means that you’ve got to wear two hats – parent and teacher. Most schools are currently closed because of the coronavirus, and if your children aren’t learning online, they’re going to need a bit of help from you.
This means that there’s never been a better time than the present to focus on the areas where your child could improve so that when they get back into school, they’re stronger than ever. Let’s take a look at some fun learning tools to help your child learn to read.
1. Picture Reading
A great tool to use to help your child learn to read is through picture reading. Don’t worry – you don’t need a lot of things to do this; in fact, all you need is a family photo album. Sit down with your child and the photo album, and use this as your first fun tool to help your child learn to read.
As you go through the different pages with your child, ask them to describe who and what they see in each picture, using complete sentences. Do this one image at a time, so that they’re not overwhelmed. This can not only help with their fluency of speech, but it can also help with their vocabulary, too, and build their confidence.
2. Play the Matching Game
While your child is at home trying to get used to their daily learning routine, it’s worth your while to create a few word and picture flashcards for a reading game that can really help them hone their skills called the matching game.
For your child to win the game, they need to match the image with the associated word. This is a great way for them to expand their vocabulary and attach meaning to pictures.
3. Try a Reading Program
If you’re a little time-poor at the moment and need to find some resources that can help you save time when you teach your child how to read, why not try a reading program? There are plenty of reading programs for struggling readers out there.
The great thing is, most of them offer practical, step by step instructions that can guide your child through the process of learning to read. You never know – this might be able to take their reading up a couple of levels while they’re stuck at home.
4. Read to Them at Bedtime
While this might be a bit of a cliché, setting aside time every night to read to your child before bed is actually one of the best ways to help them with their reading skills – and it’s fun, too.
Reading to your child at bedtime not only helps them be exposed to brand new words that they haven’t heard of before, but it also helps them store these words away, and retain the new information. Reading stories at bedtime lays a foundation for reading independently.
So, your child is at home right now because of lockdown, and they’ve still got to learn. This doesn’t mean that learning can’t be fun, though. Make the most of these tips, and watch your child blossom in their new learning environment.
