Teaching Reading Skills and Strategies: Strategies For Teaching Reading And Writing

Teaching Reading Skills and Strategies: Strategies For Teaching Reading And Writing

When you are home schooling or preschool home schooling your child your first priority is to teach your child to read.

However, when teaching your child to read, it becomes very easy to lose sight of your goals. So, start by asking yourself this very important question; "Why do I want my child to read?"

A rather silly question you may say. Perhaps, but if you consider it, the answer is actually yes and no.

Yes, because we all want our children to read. It is the most basic requirement of education and without it your child will have minimal prospects in their lives. In the 21st century, a person who cannot read will be poorly regarded.

No, because without a very clear and specific goal you might become distracted by the multitudes of how and forget the reason why.

A process that should be easy, relaxed and clinical, becomes long winded, boring and exasperating.

If you simply set a goal for your child to read, then your child will read. But that may be all that will happen.

On the other hand, if you set a goal for your child to love reading and become a reader, then this is what you will get.

So, just by asking one question, you have made a HUGE difference in your child's approach to reading and you have set them on the road to greater success.

When it comes to the debate between sight reading and phonics quite a bit of information gets ignored to facilitate each side's argument.

What can you do to teach your child to read? Is it possible to make your child become a fast and fluent reader?

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The Phonics camp will tell you that phonics is all that you need, but they forget that some of the most common words like, they, their, would, people, etc, and foreign words (French, Latin, German, etc), that are used in the English language often enough cannot be sounded out.

The Sight Reading people ignore the fact that a child will encounter new words that they will have to decipher and read by themselves.

And sadly this entire debate will cost your child dearly, in time, in enthusiasm for reading, in the love of books.

Simply put, your job as a home schooling parent who is teaching your child to read, is to ensure that your child learns to read quickly, easily and by themselves.

To accomplish this in a manner that is fun for both you and your child and which instils a great love for reading in your child means that you, the home schooling parent, should not get caught up in the propaganda spewed by the education systems. You are after all home schooling your child for a very good reason!

By approaching reading using both sight reading and phonics you are developing a child who will no only learn to read fast, will love to read, but also a child who will be reading solo better and faster than children who engage in either sight reading or phonics alone.

With a simple tweak to your teaching methods; by teaching your child the most common words in English first, and then by helping them get through their first book as soon as possible, they will begin to get the hang of reading and their confidence will grow.

Soon, before you even know it your child will have moved on to book number two, three and four and they will begin to ask you how to say this word and that word. And soon, they will begin to sound out the words for themselves.

This has two results. Firstly, they are ready for phonics and secondly, they now love reading and will do whatever it takes to find out all the other interesting and wonderful things hiding in the pages of their books.

And what you have now is a child who loves reading and wants to learn to read better. Mission accomplished!

Pay Close Attention Here-

Now listen carefully! Take 2 minutes to read the next page and you'll discover how you can teach your child to read in just 12 weeks. Children who learn to read and develop fluent reading abilities early on has a huge advantage over their peers who did not have the opportunity to learn to read early. I think this is something that all parent should put to consideration seriously. If you believe that teaching your child to read and helping your child develop proficient reading skills is the key to future success, and if you wish to help your children develop to their fullest potential... then I strongly urge you to read everything on the next page - Click Here

Today the pressure to succeed at school begins even earlier than ever. Children in kindergarten and first grade are held to a standard of success that their parents never had to worry about. While in the past those first few years of schooling were pressure free and simply intended to introduce children to formal education, today children are tested on their knowledge and ability within the first weeks of kindergarten and that testing continues throughout the rest of their public school education. This places an enormous pressure on young children and yet many parents are not doing everything they can to give their child the edge and help them succeed at school. Giving your child the edge does not mean hiring a tutor, buying an expensive educational program, or spending hours every day drilling your child. There are several simple steps every parent can take to give their child the edge at school.

First, make sure your child has enough sleep the night before. Many parents do not send their children to bed until they themselves go to bed. Growing children need between 10-12 hours of sleep a night. While there are a few children who seem to require less, the majority of children need at least this much. If your child appears tired, is difficult to wake in the morning, or has circles under her eyes then you should move her bedtime up until you find the magic number that gives her the rest she needs. If she is tired and lacking energy then it is much more difficult for her to learn and pay attention at school.

Second, make sure your child has a good breakfast and is provided with a good lunch and snack. Growing children need to eat frequently. They should never be sent to school on any empty stomach and they should not be expected to succeed at school for an entire day without regular meals and snacks. If you are concerned about your child's weight simply cutting back on the amount of meals and food is not a good choice. Instead, try to provide healthy snacks. That should be your goal even if weight is not a concern. Sugary snacks and empty calories are not much more helpful than no food at all when it comes to helping a child keep focused and energized throughout the day.

Reading makes your child SMARTER, here's how to develope early reading skills

Fourth, make sure your child is appropriately dressed for the day and their school environment. When the weather is hot make sure they are dressed in cool clothing, when the weather is cold make sure they are dressed in warm clothing. When the weather or school environment is changeable then provide layers so the child can adjust accordingly. Also make sure the clothing is something the child can manage themselves. Many bathroom accidents occur among young children who have trouble with their clothing and the worry about this can provide a further distraction.

Fifth, project the right attitude toward school and your child's education. If you send the message that school is not important, that the teacher is not worthy of respect, and that your child's learning is not essential then your child will receive that message loud and clear. As early as kindergarten and first grade some children decide to give up on school. Make sure that does not happen to your child by projecting a positive attitude toward school and education.

Sixth, get involved. Know your child's teachers and school administration. Be familiar with their classroom, routine, special events, and assignments. The more you know about your child's school life then the more proactive you can be to head off potential problems and help them succeed in school.

If you make sure your child has adequate sleep, sufficient food, and appropriate clothing while you project the right attitude and get involved in their education then you have done everything you can to give your child an edge on success.

67% of all Grade 4 students cannot read at a proficient level! According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, of those 67%, 33% read at just the BASIC level, and 34% CANNOT even achieve reading abilities of the lowest basic level! To discover a fantastic system for helping children learn to read that has been used by countless parents just like you, visit Best Technique to Teach a Child to Read

Teaching very young children to read is not a simple process, but it doesn't have to be difficult either. With a simple step-by-step reading program, you too, can teach your child to read at an early age and help your child achieve superb reading skills. To discover a super simple and powerful reading program that will show you how to easily teach your child to read - Click Here

Everything You Need to Know about Phonics is available to parents. Parents often think teaching is a mystical process for which they are unprepared. However, teaching is something every parent does every day. Teaching phonics is very similar to teaching a child how to play a game. First, you need to know the rules. If you can read, you already know the rules of phonics, though you may not be able to consciously voice them.

Phonemes A phoneme is a sound we make when we speak. Each separate sound we make is one phoneme. For example, the word "cat" is made of three separate sounds, or phonemes: [k][æ][t]. Phonics is the system of matching phonemes to letters. There is no need for you to learn, or to teach your child, the phonetic alphabet. Your child simply needs to learn to associate each sound with the letter or letters that we use to represent that sound. The key to teaching phonics, and therefore reading, is repetition. The child must link the sound they hear to the matching letter over and over in order to retain it.

Children who cannot read proficiently by grade 3 are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers - Here's How to Teach Your Child to Read Fluently

How We Learn Picture your child's brain as a forest. Seeing and hearing the letter 'a' creates a path to where the 'a' is located in the brain. Saying and writing creates another path out, allowing the child to express the concept of the letter 'a.' At first these paths are not very developed. Repetition smooths out the path, making it easier to find and express the concept. Initially, each letter will have its own place in the brain. When a child starts to put the sounds together with phonics, paths will be developed between the sounds. This is why phonics is so important. An unlimited variety of words can be read and understood by using phonics.

Teaching Phonics So, when do you start teaching phonics? As soon as your child can recognize the letters of the alphabet, you can begin teaching phonics. Find a source that will supply you with plenty of repetition, as well as suggestions for learning activities beyond pencil and paper. Your job as a teacher is to make the sound while pointing out the corresponding letter. If you make it a fun, positive experience, your child will become an eager reader and a life-long learner.

Many in-service teachers are not knowledgeable in the basic concepts of the English language. They do not know how to address the basic building blocks of language and reading. - This is NOT a statement that we are making, rather, this is a finding from a study done at the Texas A&M University. Their study was aptly titled "Why elementary teachers might be inadequately prepared to teach reading." To discover the scientifically proven methods, that will enable you to teach your child to read, and help your child become a fast and fluent reader, visit Approaches to Teaching Reading

Learning to read is a long process, but it doesn't have to be a difficult process. Broken down into intuitive and logical steps, a child as young as two years old can learn to read, and older children can accomplish even more. For a simple, step-by-step program that can help your child learn to read - Click Here

Schedules can make a positive difference in a child's behavior in class or at home. When a schedule is in place, children know what is coming next and what is expected of them. Knowing what is coming next lessens anxiety because there is no uncertainty about what they are going to be doing.

As adults, we set up our day and we make our own choices, so we know what is coming next. Imagine doing one thing and having no idea what is going to happen when you are done, or picture someone coming over to you before you are finished with something you enjoy, stopping you from what you are doing, and demanding that you do something else. These situations would stress or frustrate most people. This is often what happens to children when schedules are not in place.

Young children or children with autism or other disabilities such as ADHD, could get anxious or frustrated, when they are directed to do something they were not expecting, or when they are abruptly told to stop a preferred activity. This could lead to challenging behaviors. They also may have troubling remembering or visualizing, if you simply tell them how the day will unfold. A schedule makes it easier to understand, follow, and remember the expectations of the day.

Also, when a schedule is in place, children get used to their routine. Although schedules should be slightly varied from day to day to allow for flexibility, they should be similar enough to allow the child to become comfortable and familiar with his routine. When a child is comfortable in his routine, he also feel less anxious and needs less reminders from you about what is expected.

When you first initiate the schedule, you may need to give the child several reminders to check it (stay calm as not to turn the child off from the schedule), but as it becomes a normal part of his day, he may start to check it on his own. The ultimate goal is for the child to become so familiar with his schedule, that he starts to implement it independently without even looking. For example, let's say your child's schedule upon returning from school is:

Snack
Homework for a half an hour
10 minute break for a fun activity
Homework for another half an hour
Watch TV for a half an hour
Set the Table
Eat Dinner
Play on computer (half hour)
Tidy up bedroom
Put on pajamas
Read a story
Go to bed

If you consistently implement this schedule, your child can start to implement some of these tasks without you even asking. It will be so nice to have your child complete his homework, set the table, and tidy up his room without constant reminders from you. Also, if he is expected to follow the schedule, you are setting up a realistic way to make your child accountable for his own behaviors. Children often have a lot of expectations. They have trouble being accountable because they have difficulty managing their tasks in an organized way. A schedule allows them to do this. Setting a schedule is also a way of enforcing rules. The rule is that one thing in the schedule must be completed before moving on to the next. If your child tries to get on the computer before completing homework, simply refer to the schedule and say "remember your schedule, you need to complete your homework before you get on the computer." Blaming the rule on the schedule is a great way to avoid confrontation. It sounds a lot different to a child to hear you refer to a schedule than to hear you say, "you didn't complete your homework so you can't get on the computer."

What are the chances that my child will be a poor reader? Find out here!

Children who are not used to the approach of enforcing a daily schedule may complain or argue initially, but when they see you are going to implement it consistently and not budge on your position, they will learn to follow the rules. Some children even find it fun to complete a schedule.

Allow the child to participate in the creation of a home schedule. At school, schedules are often created by the teacher, but allow the children in your class to participate if possible. Once the schedule is created, review it thoroughly with the child to the best of their ability to ensure understanding. For children with speech and language delays or difficulties, such as those on the autism spectrum, visual schedules with pictures of each activity may work best (resources for picture schedules are found at the bottom of this article.) Children with difficulty understanding language or speech may respond better to modeling and prompting of how to use the schedule a few times before it is implemented, rather than a verbal explanation.

To reinforce the schedule, acknowledge the child's efforts when they follow the schedule (e.g., "great job with your schedule tonight", "nice work following your schedule. "you were so responsible completing your schedule, etc.) Children with language difficulties may benefit from a visual or tangible reward rather than or paired with verbal acknowledgment.

For any child completing a schedule, you can tie motivational rewards to completion of the schedule. For example, you can tell the child that he can pick a special activity of his choice if he follows his schedule for a certain number of days. For a child with language difficulties, who may not understand that you are offering a reward after successful completion of the schedule for a certain number of days, just automatically reward him for following the schedule after reaching a predetermined goal. For example, if your child loves to play with shaving cream or jump on a trampoline, allow him to do this as a reward for appropriately utilizing the schedule. Point to the schedule with a smile or thumbs up when you reward him, to help him make the connection.

Make the goal realistic for the child. For a child with several problematic behaviors, one day of completing a schedule may be a huge accomplishment and worthy of a reward. For a child with less problematic behaviors, he may be able to go five days with successful schedule completion before getting a reward. As the child becomes more comfortable with his schedule, and is more successful at following the rules of the schedule or completing the schedule, you may be able to modify how often he earns his reward, with the ultimate goal of fading the reward out. See my article "How to Praise Your Kids" to have a better understanding of the use of rewards and why they are not considered bribes for appropriate behavior.

Reading makes your child SMARTER, here's how to develope early reading skills

Here are some behaviors to look for that may indicate a schedule will help:

-Significant Disorganization
-Trouble remembering or figuring out what he should be doing
-Frequently inattentive or off-task behavior (for off-task students you can point to or remind them of their schedule to redirect them back to task)
-Trouble knowing what to do without structure
-Oppositional or defiant behavior

Place the schedule somewhere the child can always see it. Laminating the schedule can help so it does not get ripped or crumpled.

I understand that for parents and teachers with several kids or with many additional responsibilities, a schedule may be hard to keep. Do the best you can, enforcing the rules as best as possible. If it doesn't work for you or your child, that is okay. Not every behavioral strategy I write about will work for every child. These strategies are recommendations based what I have seen work for several children in my career and based on research [e.g., Michael B. Ruef (1998) indicated that increasing predictability and scheduling and appreciating positive behavior promotes positive behavioral changes and Banda and Grimmett (2008), documented the positive effects schedules have on social and transition behaviors in individuals with autism.].

Options for Creating Pictures for Visual Schedules and Rewards
1- Search Google Images for the pictures you want to use, print them out, and have them laminated. You can get laminating done at any Staples store or purchase your own laminator and laminating patches, such a the Scotch Thermal Laminator Combo Pack on Amazon.com.

If you work in a school, they may already have a laminator for you to use. If you are a parent, you can also try asking your child's school if they can help you laminate some pictures for an at home schedule.

2. Purchase ready made laminated pictures such as 160 Laminated Pictures for Autism Communication also on Amazon.com.

3. Create pictures and schedules on an IPAD App such as Choiceworks, print them out, and laminate them.

4. Use computer software to create and print out your own pictures such as Visual Essentials Photo and Template Collection, which has 3,000 photos, templates and layouts and photo schedules that are pre-made for everyday routines related to chores, hygiene, and more.

How to Create Motivational Charts and Schedule Boards
You can create your own motivational charts using Microsoft Word (insert table), search Google Images for free motivational chart templates, or purchase ready made motivational charts on Amazon.com.

It is recommended that the charts are laminated to avoid ripping or crumpling.
You can Velcro your pictures to your charts or copy and paste pictures such as the ones on Google Images, into a Microsoft Word chart.

You can also take a plain piece of paper or construction paper, laminate it, and Velcro pictures to the paper.

Another option is to purchase a schedule strip or a schedule pocket chart which can be found on Amazon.com. You can also see what a schedule strip or a schedule pocket chart looks like by searching Google Images.

You can also make your own schedule strip by laminating construction paper and purchasing Velcro strip tape or double sided tape.

For children who need to alternate between preferred and non-preferred activities or need to know what is happening first and then next and may be confused by a visual schedule with more than two pictures, you can also create a first/then board using the same instructions provided above. A first/then board shows a picture of the expected task first and then the preferred activity next, usually side by side. See a picture of a first/then board on Google Images.

Keep in mind that children often benefit from removing or crossing off what they have already completed in their schedule. If you have removable pictures or words (Velcroed, taped, etc.), allow the child to take the piece off the schedule board and put it in an envelope, bin, etc that is fastened near the schedule. Some pocket charts, have a pocket at the bottom to put completed items.

Poor reading ability and literacy skills lead to reduced opportunities in life, and worse yet, "being illiterate is a guaranteed ticket to a dead end life with no skills and no future." For a step-by-step, easy to follow, and easy to understand lessons along with stories, rhymes, and colorful illustrations to make you and your child's learning to read process a fun, engaging, and rewarding experience - Click Here

When reading to your child, read slowly, and point to the words that you are reading to help the child make a connection between the word your are saying and the word you are reading. Always remember that reading should be a fun and enjoyable activity for your children, and it should never feel like a "chore" for them. Click here to help your child learn to read