Read aloud regularly from books your child would like to read but as
yet cannot. With an older son/daughter who may consider such a situation
childish, prepare tape recordings of such readings and allow him or her
to enjoy reading privately while following the text.
Invite your child to read along with you
in a low-risk way that supports his/her attempts. * Assisted Reading - Your child chooses a book. You read through it first, discussing and enjoying the story together. Then invite your child to whisper or mumble read along as you read it a second time. While your child is "getting the hang of it," keep your voice loud and steady. When it is clear that your child is feeling confident, lower your voice or even stop for a word or phrase that is very predictable.
* Echo Reading - You read a bit (a phrase, sentence, a line or two of a poem) and suggest that your child read it back to you like an echo.
When your child volunteers, listen to
him or her read to you. Some suggestion for this risky situation:* Bite your tongue! Children might meet unknown words or substitute a word that doesn't make sense or sound like language. They often can correct themselves if you exercise patience and show the confidence that they can work out some problems for themselves.
* If your child becomes frustrated, provide ready help. For instance, simply provide a difficult word or give hints related to meaning. Offer no criticism or attempts to teach or give advice.
* If the child becomes tangled in a sentence or loses the drift of what is being read, encourage a rereading of the tangled portion.
* Try to never correct or call attention to error in the middle of a sentence. Wait until the end and then gently question: "Did that make sense to you? You read ___ (repeating exactly what was read). Are you happy with that?"
* Gently throw correction back to the child whenever possible. Read the sentence correctly yourself and ask, "How does that sound?"
* Encourage self-correction.
Read a Variety of Books 
* Read an interesting book while the child follows the text. Leave out one in every 10th to 15th word for the child to read. This can be a very enjoyable sharing activity in which the child remains fresh and interested while learning. To vary this, read a sentence and then wait for the child to read a sentence. This allows for spaced relaxation during the period when reading is still exhausting for the child.
Be Positive! * Don't display anxiety or frustration about reading and writing. Be a cheerleader and a listener. Talk about the books with your child as you would with a friend.
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