September is National Literacy Month! Recently, the Science of Reading has been a trending topic among educators and administrators in school districts across the country. In short, the Science of Reading is a research-based approach to reading instruction emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and comprehension.
Here are 5 tips on how parents can incorporate the Science of Reading at home:
- Sing!: It’s a great way to help children learn new words. Repetition of lyrics and melodies strengthens their memory and supports phonemic awareness, all contributing to developing their reading and speaking abilities.
- Read with your child: Talk about the stories as you read them, ask your child questions about the story, and point to objects, animals, etc. This helps your child with comprehension skills.
- Enjoy sound sorting games: With your child, sort objects or pictures by their beginning or ending sounds. For example, sort items into groups based on whether they start with the same sound, helping your child develop phonemic awareness.
- Make labels around the house: Label items at home with simple, clear words (e.g., chair, door, window). For younger children, include pictures to help them connect the words with the objects.
- Have fun with rhymes and rhyming games: This produces a lot of giggles and is fun to do when traveling, in the car or going on a walk. By recognizing rhyming patterns, children learn to identify and create patterns in spoken language, a skill that transfers to reading and spelling.
And remember, the journey of helping your child learn to read should be filled with joy and creativity. When we make having fun a priority, we not only make learning more enjoyable but also foster a lifelong love for reading. So, let’s keep the smiles wide, the laughter frequent, and the stories captivating, ensuring that the path to reading is as engaging and exciting as the stories themselves.
