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It's important that you push your child to continue learning without making things too difficult for her. Once they're ready to start reading short sentences, you should choose easy books that are engaging and fun for kids. Start with "easy reader" books and reread them as often as your child likes. Begin by reading them to your child, then point to each word as you read it, and progress to asking your child to sound out the words on the page. Find out what your child is interested in, then try looking for books that match that subject area. For example, if your child likes animals, you might look for story books about animals who work together and have educational adventures. If your child doesn't have very many developed interests yet, you can look for general interest books for kids. Try rhyming books and simple stories about other kids, as these might be easier for your child to relate to. Don't try to have your child read a book meant for kids in junior high school if they're still in elementary school. Pushing your child to read books that are too advanced will only frustrate and discourage them. Dr. Seuss books make an excellent introduction to reading for both boys and girls. The stories are easy to follow and the word play makes it fun to rhyme and play with sound. Younger girls (ages 3 to 5 years old) might enjoy books like My Name is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream? (by Jennifer Fosberry), Being Bella: Discovering How to be Proud of Your Best (by Cheryl Zuzo), The Princess Knight (by Cornelia Funke), and I Like Myself (by Karen Beaumont). As your child gets older (around elementary school age), she might enjoy books like Sally Jean, Bicycle Queen (by Cari Best), Winners Never Quit (by Mia Hamm), and Not All Princesses Dress in Pink (by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple). Boys ages 4 to 8 might enjoy books like Good Night, Good Knight (by Shelley Moore Thomas), Daniel's Mystery Egg (by Alma Flor Ada), and Arthur Writes a Story (by Marc Brown). Reading out loud is important. Your child may have a hard time grasping the sounds a word makes, or understanding how words relate when strung together. By having your child read out loud, you can help them along the way as much as they needs. Reading out loud can help you correct your child if they make a mistake or struggle with a word. By having your child read out loud, you can also make their reading practice a bonding experience. Ask them to read to you as though you don't know the story, and ask questions along the way. You might ask questions like, "So where is she going?" or "How did that happen? Why do you think he did that?" This is a simple technique that can help your child as she scans the page from one word to the next. Running your finger under the words will help them string words together, and over time they'll be able to do it on their own. Moving your finger under the words while your child sounds them out can help your child visually see that the words connect to carry the story along. If your child loses their place while sounding out a word, your finger on the page can also help them remember where they left off. As your child advances, you can encourage them to use their own finger along the page instead of having you do it. As your child reads out loud, they might get confused by a word in the sentence. Help them work through the word, but don't just pick up after that word. By having them go back and re-read the whole sentence with the new and troublesome word, you'll help reinforce the lesson they just learned and contextualize it within that sentence. Any time your child pauses in mid-sentence and is confused by a word, help them work through the word and then have them re-read the entire sentence. Ask questions after she completes the sentence to "quiz" them on whether they understood the meanings of the words they just read. If your child isn't understanding the meanings of words in a sentence, slow down and work back through that sentence until they understand each part. Then have them re-read the whole sentence again and explain in their own words what happened. The most valuable early literacy skill is the use of inventive spelling. While your child is learning to read, have them practice writing using invented spelling. For instance, read your child a story then ask them to write about their favorite part. Alternatively, they can journal about their favorite part of each day. Allow your child to sound out words they don't know how to spell and make up (or invent) the spelling for them.
Choose easy, age-appropriate books. Have your child read out loud. Run your finger under the words. Review a sentence if your child gets confused. Let your child experiment with writing.