Please read with your child for at least 20 minutes everyday.  During this time it is just as important for you to read to your child as it is for your child to read to you. When you read to your child you are modeling fluency and expression as well as increasing his/her vocabulary.

Some suggested things to do while reading with your child:

• Talk about the cover (title, author, illustrator)
• Make predictions throughout the story
• Have a conversation about what was just read
• Discuss new vocabulary
• Talk about the characters (actions, feelings, etc.)
• Have your child make connections to his/her own experiences, other books he/she has read, and/or the world around him/her
• Have your child tell you what happened in the beginning, middle and end of the story

In addition to reading books, include events in your daily life to help develop your child's reading skills, i.e. read street signs, labels, magazines, menus, etc.

The following chart shows the strategies that your child should be using when reading independently...

Look at the picture	Start the word	Look at the beginning Check the ending	Look for a part you know
Skip it, go back, & re-read	Does it look right?	Does it sound right?	Think about the story. Does it make sense?

Created By:  Donna Bleck
Last Edited:  07/21/2010