Reading is pretty important to me.  I taught high school and college English for 11 years.  I spent probably too many years of my life in grad school…for English.  I have a whole lot of books and an embarrassingly large fine at the library.  I really love a good book.

So when I had my first child, it was only natural to bring my love of reading to parenting as well.

A lot of parents are anxious about teaching their kids to read.  It doesn’t have to be a cause for anxiety, and in fact, it can be really fun.

Pre-reading

Reading instruction starts long before a child can decode a printed word.   Early reading instruction is about language, and about sharing language with your child.  Dorothy Strickland, a Distinguished Research Fellow for the National Institute for Early Education Research, says, “Children who are immersed in activities that combine active experiences, rich conversations and print-related activities are apt to develop the foundational skills required to become successful readers and writers.”

In other words, “reading” instruction is happening all the time, even if you are not aware you are doing it.  Every time you engage in pretend play with your little one, you are exposing him or her to the rhythms and vocabulary of language.  Every time you go for a walk and identify the things you see, you are prepping your child for reading.  Every time you play a rhyming game, or think of objects that start with the “t” sound, you are teaching reading.  And, of course, every time you read a book together and let your child turn the pages and point out the pictures, you are teaching reading.

Some Tips for Early Reading (or Pre-Reading)

• Teach letter identification:
  At some point, kids have to learn their letters.  Most learn them in the preschool or pre-K years, but it’s not hard to bring letter literacy into daily life.   I have a few alphabet place mats, an alphabet play mat, and alphabet cards I use for décor.  My son actually learned his letters by pulling the tiles out of the play mat and bringing them to me and asking what they were.  Both my kids also have the letters of their names or their initials in their rooms.
• Have books everywhere!
  Having books readily available is really important.  You don’t need to buy them…libraries are great resources.  I like to make it easy for kids to look at books, and I have a basket of them in almost every room.
• Read together…often.
  Reading should be a positive experience.  My toddler daughter is extremely active, and really the only thing she sits still for is reading (and sometimes food).  I let her choose the books and we read together every day, often several times.
• Play to their interests.
  As I mentioned above, my daughter is very active, so I need books that hold her attention.  I have books on hand that depict her favorite things: babies, dogs, trains.  She also likes textures and “lift-the-flap” type  books, and we have those as well.  I want her to enjoy reading, so we read what she wants to.
• Narrate.
  Talk to your little ones.  Give them chances to hear different words in different contexts.   Encourage them to talk about what they see and what they are doing.
• Letter Sounds.
  This is a later skill, but it can start at an early age.  Point out sounds.  Think of words that start with the same sounds.  Play rhyming games and read books that rhyme.

The Emerging Reader

Reading is a gradual process, but at some point, your child will be ready to tackle words on the page.  There are a few different philosophies for teaching reading:

• Phonics: The emphasis is on letter sounds and blended sounds.  Readers use phonic to decode words.
• Word Recognition: Children learn to recognize whole words rather than individual sounds.  This method focuses on memorization.
• Language Experience: Reading and writing instruction is centered around using the child’s own words.  The child might dictate a story that the parent writes down, for instance.

There are proponents of each of these methods, but ultimately, a blended approach is the most effective.  I also think it’s the most natural.  The more strategies we use, the better.  Children learn holistically—everything is a learning experience for them.

My son was an early reader, and he enjoyed seeking out language everywhere.  The first printed word he could recognize was “Stop” because we had a stop sign outside our window.  Eventually, he was able to recognize “stop” in other contexts as well.  He liked to read letters on packages in stores, on window signs, and billboards.  We’d make a game out of it, searching for certain letters.  Sometimes we would write stories together so he could see me make the words.  We’d make up rhymes.  He loved doing all of these things, and to be honest, I didn’t really even think of it as teaching reading.  It was just something fun we shared.

Now, in his Kindergarten class, I am amazed by the huge variety of activities the kids do as they practice their reading.  They listen, they write, they read.  They read to each other and to the teacher.  They go on letter scavenger hunts.  They play word games like Hangman.  They learned to read each others’ names and thought of words that started with the same letters.  Every day brings countless new opportunities for learning literacy.

Teaching reading is a long and ongoing process.  Even once children are reading, their education in literacy continues.  It’s a crucial skill…but also one that can be wonderfully rewarding.  Reading is, after all, a pleasure as well as a route to knowledge.  Don’t worry if you are teaching reading “right.”  There isn’t a single right way.  Play games with words and enjoy books together.  Listen to stories on CD.  Go to the library.  Above all, have fun.

Resources:

“Before They Read: Teaching Language and Literacy Development through Conversations, Interactive Read-alouds, and Listening Games.” This is an excellent book-length publication.

“Helping Your Child Become a Reader.” This pamphlet includes ideas for activities.

ABC books for kids.

Good books for beginning readers.

Online phonics instruction at Starfall.