How To Teach Your Child To Read The Easy Way

Recently, I started teaching one of my kids to read. We’ve gone through nursery rhymes, phonics and reading every day, and seeing this world open up for him is exciting. 

Don’t get me wrong… It can be challenging to teach your child to read. What if they’re bad at reading? What if I can’t teach my child how? Even if you’ve been promoting literacy since your child was little, the world of actually learning how to read can feel daunting.

Luckily, a tried and true system can help you teach your child effectively. Based on the principles your child already knows, your little will be reading in no time. 

So, what are the five skills a child needs to read? Let's take a closer look:

1. Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is understanding that words are made up of individual sounds. It’s the first step to learning how to read. You practice phonemic awareness when you play games that involve rhyming, such as "I Spy" or when you read a rhyming book.

2. Phonics

Phonics is realizing that letters have a corresponding sound. This is a crucial skill for your child to learn, as it helps them to sound out words when they are reading. The first step to teaching phonics can be teaching them simple songs that contain letter sounds, such as "The ABC Song." Using sign language can also help with this step, as it's a visual representation of each letter sound.

3. Vocabulary

Vocabulary is understanding the meaning of words. It’s difficult to read if you don’t know what the words mean. If your child understands most of the words when you read an age-appropriate book, they likely already have this skill. 

4. Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is understanding the meaning of the written word. You can encourage reading comprehension in your child by asking them questions about the stories you read together and having them retell it in their own words.

5. Fluency

When your child can link all these skills together and read clearly while understanding what they’re reading, they have fluency. You can encourage fluency in your child by having them practice reading aloud, both to you and to themselves.

Bonus: Cueing

If your child has phonemic awareness as well as basic phonics and vocabulary, you can start the reading journey. Cueing can also be a helpful way to teach your child how to read. Encourage your child to look at the pictures in the book and the words they already know. Can they guess what the next word is?

Cueing can be a way to get your child interested in reading and understanding the text, but remember phonics is the best skill to fall back on.

There are a variety of skills that children need to develop in order to become proficient readers. However, don't let this list overwhelm you! There are many simple activities that you can do to help your child develop these areas. 

And, if you're looking for a comprehensive reading program that will help your child learn at their own pace, I recommend the Usborne levelled readers. With this program, your child will have access to a wide range of books, specifically for their skill level, so they can gradually build their confidence and develop a love of reading that will last a lifetime!