How to Teach a Child to Read

Imbibing reading skills in your child demands certain skills. Many parents express their inability to teach reading skills to their kids. But if you can read yourself then you can also teach your child. The first question that a parent needs to ask himself is whether child is ready to read? 

Usually, by the time a child attains the age of two, he/she is ready to read. But then, there are other factors also. Not every child is same so some may learn fast whereas some others take their own sweet time. It has been seen that some children have started developing an inclination towards reading as late as four or five years. As a parent you should observe your child keenly and check whether he flips through the pages or does he show any interest when you teach him letters. If your answer is yes then you can proceed to teach him reading.

First rule is to read aloud to him. Sit with him in a comfortable environment and read a story book to him. Keep your fingers on the word while you read. This will help child in associating the sound of the words with the printed words. If you read regularly, your child will also be interested in reading. You can also try to mix reading and writing. Try to mix reading, writing and seeing all together. This makes for a very effective strategy. Focus on teaching your child by emphasizing on the letter sounds more rather than on the letter names. Teach him one letter per day. Children take some time to learn so go slow.

Teaching kids to read should always be fun. Children should not feel any pressure. That’s why reading a story book is so very effective. Kids love stories plus these books have pictures which further piques their interests. You can also sing the letters and words to children. Do all these activities on a regular basis and soon your child will eventually learn how to read fluently.