Establishing the foundation on which a child’s education is built happens inside the home. Parents should not let their child to just dive in head-first into formal education without at least educating them with basic knowledge and skills. Such skill which a child should be first equipped with is the ability to read.
Most parents mistake reading as a skill that is learned through the sense of sight. But in reality, reading is first picked up by the child through the sense of hearing the sounds that the words create when pronounced. In order to successfully instill this basic skill on children, here are some ways on how to teach a child to read.
These simple ways on how to teach a child to read begins with the parents reading aloud to the child. Using easy-to-read children’s books, parents can read together with their children in order that children may be introduced to the sounds some words create.
Following the familiarization of how various simple words sound, the next step on how to teach a child to read is to break down the words into letters and even syllables. These can be done through the alphabet, and by teaching the children one-syllable sounds when you combine a consonant and a vowel such as da, de, di, do, du.
An important thing to remember in knowing how to teach a child to read is to never forget that they are still children. It is important for parents to just keep it simple and basic since there is no urgent need for children to learn complicated words since they have no use for it for the time being. And instead of bombarding the child with a lot of words to learn, stick to a small number of simple words which the child can easily use in school and home, and continuously repeat in order for them to absorb and memorize.
In knowing how to teach a child to read, it is imperative that parents never forget that who they’re teaching are just children. And children can be very unpredictable with regards to their moods and interests and so it is up to the parents to maintain the attention of the child in reading exercises by setting up a reward system. This can be in form of a new toy, or a chart with stars, etc. Reading for children should never feel like something forced upon them, parents should keep the activity as fun and enjoyable as possible.
Another important thing about children is that some children act negatively due to a superior control over them. After teaching the basics, parents can start on letting the children read slowly on their own. Provide them with easy-to-read children’s books and encourage them to do it by themselves.
There are other simple ways on how to teach a child to read, and these ways are not restricted to reading books and flash cards only. Make reading a hobby or an exercise even when the family goes to the mall or in the park. Simply point out to them various easy-to-read signs and let them conquer it on their own.
Among all these ways on how to teach a child to read, the most important aspect still lies with the parents’ ability to be patient and persevering in instilling such basic skills which will then be the foundation of the child’s future education. So make it a light, easy and enjoyable experience for the child.