Tips for Reading Aloud 

with Your Child

• Select a book that is slightly above your child's reading ability
  (example: read a 3rd or 4th grade level book to a 2nd grader)

• Read picture books to very young children, then move to chapter books.  Elementary children should be read picture books and chapter books.

• Select a comfortable environment and an appropriate time - establishing a regular time would be great!

• Begin by looking over the cover and having your child predict what will happen in the story just by reading the title and looking at the cover

• Try to read with expression and occasionally stop to talk about what has been read.  Don't make it a drill session!  You want it to be a friendly conversation!

• Match the length of reading time to the attention span of your child!  Sessions can range from 5 to 20 minutes.

• Always make this an enjoyable time for you and your child!

  Why is reading aloud to my child valuable?

• It helps develop oral language

• It increases vocabulary

• It increases attention span

• It helps develop a sense of story

• It demonstrates fluent reading

• It develops the knowledge of how books are structured

• It sets the situation for discussing complex ideas and/or sensitive issues

• It engages your child in reading for enjoyment

• It helps develop a warm, caring relationship between you and your child

  Remember . . . a parent is a child's 

first teacher!