Learning and Teaching
A question teachers often get asked in K-2, is how can we support our children at home with their reading.
When teachers send home reading activities it is for consolidation and to practice what they have been learning at school. Some of the reading activities that are sent home are decodable words or texts.
Here are some helpful tips when reading with your child at home.
How can I support my child’s reading when they are reading a decodable text?
It is important that a child does not randomly guess or use the pictures to work out unknown words. Focus should be on the letters and sounds, and the process of blending those together to read the word. To support this strategy, you can download the Decoding Poster ‘What to do if I get stuck?’ from our website in the free resources section.
Some key features when supporting the reading process
- Use a tracking finger to hold the position of reading and have your child slide it along as they read.
- If an error is made, ask your child to try decoding the word again. Then re-reading the complete sentence will assist with fluency and understanding.
- If your child forgets the sounds when decoding, say the sounds out loud for them, so they can blend them together.
- At the end of the book ask questions to check for understanding and to discuss the story.
- Celebrate each book and the effort your child has just given!
What if my child is reading every word slowly and sounding out every word?
Some children take a little bit longer to develop automaticity in reading and that’s ok. The process of sounding out words may seem tiresome, but this is part of the process. Learning to read takes time and hard work! Repeated practise is the key!
To learn more about helping your child at home or where to access decodable readers visit:
https://www.speldnsw.org.au/parents-hub/decodable-readers-at-home/
Kind regards
Rebecca Bentley
Acting Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching