Read all about it

The research is clear: children who are read to, and who read for pleasure, are significantly more successful in school than children who do not. Give your children a head start on success -- teach them that reading is FUN! Here are some tips:

Tips for reading to young, school-age children

Your child has started school, but he still needs you to read to him at home. Your child will do better in school, and you'll enjoy the time spent together. Here are helpful tips for reading to and with young children in school, kindergarten through third grade:

Keep reading to your child even when he can read. Read books that are too difficult or long for him to read alone.
Try reading books with chapters and talk about what is happening in the story. Encourage your child to make predictions about what will happen next, and connect characters or events to those in other books and stories.
Talk with your child about reading preferences that are beginning to develop. Ask whether she likes adventure stories, mysteries, science fiction, animal stories, or stories about other children. Encourage her to explain the reasons for preferences.
Talk with your child about favorite authors and help him find additional books by those authors.
Take turns reading a story with your child. Don't interrupt to correct mistakes that do not change the meaning.
Talk about the meaning of new words and ideas introduced in books. Help your child think of examples of new concepts.
Talk with your child about stories using the notions of the beginning, middle, and end of the story to organize thinking and discussion.
Ask your child to tell why a character might have taken a specific action. Ask for information from the story to support her answer.
Enjoy yourself and have fun. The most important thing you can do to help your child become a successful reader is communicate that reading is valuable and enjoyable.

Tips for reading to children in grades four through six

It is critical that your child keeps reading and being read to at this age. Young readers need to become practiced at reading, and the only way to get good at it -- is to practice! Helpful tips for reading to and with children in grades four through six:

Take turns reading a book with your child.
Ask your child to compare a book to another familiar book. How are the characters alike or different? Do the stories take place in similar settings? How are the illustrations the same or different?
Ask what part of the story or book your child liked best and why.
Ask if your child liked the ending of the story. Why or why not?
Ask your child what type of mood the story or chapter in a book creates. Ask how the author creates the mood. For example, does she use certain words, events, or settings that create a particular feeling?
If your child has read more than one book by the same author, ask how the books are similar or different.

Promote reading for all children

The successful parent employs a variety of strategies to encourage a child to read, and to keep reading.

Here are proven techniques you can use to teach your child that reading is valuable and enjoyable, and that promote reading for all children:

Set a good example as a reader - let kids see you reading every day.
Get a subscription in his or her name to an age-appropriate magazine for your child. When relatives and others ask for gift ideas, suggest magazine subscriptions, books, or a book store gift certificate.
Make reading fun - a time that you and your children look forward to spending together.
Check out The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease (New York: Penguin Books, 1995). It's loaded with fun tips and reading recommendations.
Keep lots of books, magazines, and newspapers around the house. Visit the library often and shop for books at garage and yard sales, swap meets, and used bookstores.
Don't fret if "Captain Underpants" has captivated your child rather than Robinson Crusoe. The important thing: he's reading! Encourage it and he's likely to move on to more sophisticated titles as he gets older.

West Chester Area School District Web Site