A Reading Checklist -- Helping
Your Child Become a Reader
There are many ways that you can encourage your child
to become a reader. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to
make sure that you are keeping on track:
For Babies (6 weeks to 1 year)
- Do I provide a comfortable place for our story time? Is my child
happy to be in this place?
- Am I showing my child the pictures in the book? Am I changing
the tone of my voice as I read to show emotion and excitement?
- Am I paying attention to how my child responds? What does she
especially like? Is she tired and ready to stop?
For Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
All of the questions above, plus:
- Does my child enjoy the book we are reading?
- Do I encourage my child to "pretend read," joining in where he
has memorized a word or phrase?
- When I ask questions, am I giving my child enough time to think
and answer?
- Do I tie ideas in the book to things that are familiar to my
child? Do I notice if he does this on his own?
- Do I let my child know how much I like his ideas and encourage
him to tell me more?
- Do I point out letters, such as the first letter of his name?
For Preschoolers (3 and 4 years)
All of the questions above, plus:
- Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify sounds and
letters and to make letter-sound matches?
For Kindergartners (5 years):
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Remember: Children learn step by step in a process that
takes time and patience. They vary a great deal in what
holds their interest and in the rate at which they make
progress. |
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All of the questions above, plus:
- Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify some printed
words?
- Do I let my child retell favorite stories to show that she knows
how the story develops and what's in it?
For Beginning First-Graders (6 years):
All of the questions above, plus:
- Do I give my child the chance to read a story to me using the
print, picture clues, his memory—or any combination of these ways
that help him make sense of the story?
Source: US Department of Education,
www.ed.gov
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