How do I teach my kid to read?

[RootSkier]

My oldest just finished kindergarten and can't really read. He is damn good at math, so I don't think he has any major learning disabilities, but losing 3.5 months at school was a huge downer for the reading ability.

The neighbor kid, who he plays with, was reading my beer can the other day and it made me realize my kid is behind.

I learned during this shitshow that I have very little teaching ability...but I don't want him to fall behind, plus I think he will absolutely love to read books once he figures it out. Tips?

[Brownski]

Read to him. Help him sound out the Dr. Seuss books. Repetition.

[RootSkier]

Yeah I should've added that we read to him constantly and have since the day he was born.

[DJSapp]

Yeah I should've added that we read to him constantly and have since the day he was born.

1. He's not behind. The entire goal of 1st grade is to teach kids to read. Anything else they get in grade 1 is a bonus.
1.1 Second kids tend to pick up reading faster than first born because they gotta keep up with that sibling. See #1
2. Everyone's kid is in the same boat. All of their education paused, so you're not slipping relative to other kids. Manage their emotions because those scars will last, dealing with this pause in other stuff won't matter in 10 years.
3. Stay the course reading to the kid. Get fun books that make them laugh and read those to him. Captain Underpants and Dog Man are great for getting kids hooked on reading and don't act serious which is a turn off for some kids. Don't discount comics, teach them to read for enjoyment. Give me a bit to raid the kid's library and I'll have more suggestions. Hopefully your local library is open and well stocked, because kids burn through books at this age and at $8/ea it's expensive to keep kids in picture books.

[Flyoverland Captive]

My dad read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to us as kids; a chapter or two a night. Got us all hooked on reading. Gotta keep it fun.

[yeahman]

Keep reading to the kid--not obsessively, be relaxed about it, and never more than he wants, in fact cut him short and leave him wanting more sometimes--and that's all you can really do. He'll pick it up--he probably already is and just hasn't shown it yet. And resist comparing him to his friends. Jesus, that shit will drive you bat fucking crazy, especially at that age where the window of "normal" development is like three years. Be glad he's good at math because that's where many kids struggle mightily.

[ötzi]

Sometimes have the kid sit next to you as you read (rather than facing you or lying down or whatever), be like, "let's read together" and trace along the words with your finger as you go and point out letters and words from time to time, not obsessively but now and then at opportune moments. The kid will start to see patterns in the letters and sounds they represent when they can connect the sounds of letters and words with the way they look.

Don't bore the kid by doing it too often or for too long, and make it fun, a little like a contest or game. Be happy when they get something right but neutral or at least not unhappy if they get it wrong. It'll come.

[frorider]

Boom.

[ötzi]

^^I was like, nahhh can't be. But I read the comments and yup that's Morgan Freeman. Apparently in his acting debut.

[riser4]

Reading didn't click for me until the beginning of 2nd grade. Then I couldn't stop reading and was consitently years above grade level. My parents I think were a little uptight about it, but then they backed off over the summer and it all worked out. The kept reading to me and that was the best. Kids love to be read to. At least I did and my kids did. My daughter was 16 when I stopped reading to her.

[KQ]

My dad read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to us as kids; a chapter or two a night. Got us all hooked on reading. Gotta keep it fun.

My Mom did that too. Some of my fondest memories as a kid.

[DJSapp]

My dad read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to us as kids; a chapter or two a night. Got us all hooked on reading. Gotta keep it fun.

We've been doing this with the Harry Potter series. 1 book per grade since the later books get a lot more intense. Those made up magic words suck to read out loud.

[bobz]

Reading and writing, things that one would already be able to hear and say, are among the more straightforward skills taught in grade school. Don't worry about it. Communicating to receive and convey more complicated ideas is the more important skill. The whole ABCs drill in pre-school is overrated (though maybe some of the kids who get that the earliest will turn out to be particularly good at putting random words in alphabetical order). So... read to them, converse, have them around you while you're talking to others, etc. The reading will happen, don't worry. The only question is whether they'll be gobbling up 500-page Harry Potter books when they're 8 or 11.

[BCMtnHound]

Another voice here to just keep reading to him, both just the two of you, and together with his siblings. Don't worry about complexity at his age, just get him interested in the magic. Dr Seuss, comics, whatever themes you consider age appropriate to the audience. Also, don't discount picture-only books that you have him come up with a story to match the images. I think at that age it's the immersion in the story, or his imagination, that fuels the interest in learning independence at picking up a book and working through it.

Our 7yr old now reads so much we have to kick her out of the house for fresh air at times. And solitary confinement for an afternoon in her room with access to her library is no punishment at all.

[skiballs]

Reading some articles from an old Playboy mag might inspire the young lad, plus you can teach him to spot fake boobs at an early age.

[KQ]

One of my favorite books as a child - winner of the Caldecott Honor. Frederick by Leo Lionni



Not sure why I loved it so much but something about it struck a positive note. I was shocked to read reviews on Amazon critizing it in very harsh ways. I can only chalk it up to adults thinking too much and not seeing with a child's eyes. Seriously, you should read some of the one star reviews. All I can say is "whatever." I loved it and never thought negative about it. I still have a copy that I like to look at from time-to-time.

[PNWbrit]

Hide his meals.

Leave clues to them on postcards hidden around the house.

[Buster Highmen]

Read 'The 13 and a half lives of Captain Bluebear' to him sitting next to you.
https://www.amazon.com/Lives-Captain...71331890&psc=1

Being a parent is hard, especially when things don't go the way you'd expect.

Just love them, accept them, help them be the way they are.

One of ours was a reader, the other not. I was super upset about the one that wasn't, terrified.

But things have a way of working out.

Props, poppa.

[RShea]

Just in Kindergarten and have to evaluate things like- does he know his alphabet, can he start to put words on the page together and recognize the easier ones, or what? Can't as stated compare him to any of his friends. I know couple that have 2 kids. Now much older , but the older first born was reading at something like 3 He also got a 1600 on the SAT last year and is going to a University now. His Mom is a Reading Specialist Teacher- so working with mostly 2nd grade and up kids that are struggling with reading and have not grasped it as well as others in the classes. His younger brother struggled some. Dyslexia or other things that sometimes need to be tested for could be a big hurdle.

Some kids just do not have the attention span also to sit down and read and put words together. So continue to work with the kid, read to him and try and see if he is starting to catch on to word formation, etc. Switch up maybe with easier books and books that are probably higher age as mentioned for the enjoyment and not any pressure that he needs to be working on reading it himself.

[hutash]

Some good advise here, especially about fake boobs, but tis another topic.

First and foremost don't compare your kid to other kids. Sure his friend is reading at an early age, but other kids steal cars, or molest girls at an early age,

Second, have him see you and the Mrs. read. Lead by example.

Third, read to him.

Regarding 2 and 3you might already be late on. We are a family of readers. My kids have never seen a time when my wife and I don't read as a primary activity, and we read to them as infants, just so they heard the spoken word. I remember reading the Los Angeles times to my daughter as we sat on the bed Sunday mornings. Sure, she didn't understand a word of it, but I got to read the paper and she got to hear and see reading.

Fourth, pick out fun books to read. I grew up on Seuss,, as did my kids. The guy is brilliant. There are tons of great books to read to and with your kid(s). Find things you enjoy, and your kid will see it and likely enjoy it as well. I read "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" to my girls as well becuase I like them (in fact, I am currently rereading "The Hobbit" for the umpteenth time right now.)

Make reading fun, but also accept the fact some kids aren't readers. They may excel at math or arts, or what ever. The hardest part of parenting g is help kids find out who they are. I was always a reader, and it led me i to science, vet school, etc. My brother has probably not read a whole book in his life, is and accomplished artist and had a very successful career as an industrial designer. He is creative as hell,and I am a wonk.

We are what we are.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I'm a teacher-turned-literacy-researcher. I spend most of my time with middle and high school students, but I can probably help a bit.

Kids don't all learn to read the same way. Some need lots of explicit phonics instruction. Some don't. Vowels are slower/harder than consonants. There are no real rules for vowels in English, only trends. It makes kids feels better when they hear this.

All the same, it can help to have your kid practice reading word lists that helps him recognize patterns: "mat cat fat sat bat" and then "rate mate fate gate late" and so on. My mother (a kindergarten teacher who became a principal) used to say, "The "e" at the end makes the "a" sound like its name." You can just write out the lists by hand. Then you add words like: chat that crate grate. Then move on to "e" words. He can read the same few lists over and over until he gets it mostly right. Then make new ones. Revisit the old ones every so often. You might make reading practice a requirement before any screen time. It goes quickly. If he needs help, makes a mistake, or forgets it still "counts."

Sight words are tricker. Some kids don't mind drills (like flash cards). Others will tolerate iPad games that teach basic sight words. I prefer team reading, where you read books that he is already familiar with together. It can be good to repeat a handful of books over and over. I like Mo Willems's Piggy and Elephant books for this. You can start with him "reading" the parts he has memorized. Next time you read the book ask him to do more, practicing what he has learned from the word lists. When you get to common sight words (anything that doesn't follow the "rules") choose a couple to point it out. Tell him everybody starts out not knowing how to say these words, but everyone memorizes them eventually. It just kind of happens.

So when does it happen? Usually when kids get obsessed with some books they can almost read (has he read Dog Man comics? Those are big with the 5 year old crowd). It's all about exposure and interest. And patience for him and you. If you read a book together, and then he spends some more time "reading" it it to himself, you know good things are happening.

It also helps if he does some writing too. Right now would be a good time to write letters to family and friends. If he wants you to help him spell everything thats ok. If he wants to "sound things out" and create his own spelling that's good too. All these activities reinforce each other.

If you want to dig a little deeper, this is a very good book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...t_bibl_vppi_i0

[hutash]

There you go getting all sciencey and using knowledge, training and experience. This is TGR where dentistry trumps all that important stuff




A good friend of mine does the same thing in the Portland area...good onya!

[hutash]

A friend and teacher once told me "I told care what kids read, as long as they are reading." I think this was in response to the then trendy "Goosebumps" books (which takes us back to Playboy.) So many people disparidge comic books, but if that is what a kid is interested in it beats shooting dice in the alley.)

[wendigo]

You’ll have better luck teaching him to drink beer with you!

[Ottime]

Dav Piilkey. Dog Man to start and then Captain Underpants for the next step.

That was what fired my kid up. There is a bunch if the first steps things. Reading to him, etc. but once he can read, find something he wants to read and work through. Dog Man is a graphic novel and was of huge interest for my son. Cop and Dog get caught in an explosion. Cops Head was not going to live and dog’s body was not going to live so doctors put dogs head on the cops body and created Dog Man. Peter the Cat is the villain and lots of low brow humor. My kid was hooked and developed his skills and love of reading from there. Graphic novels are also less intimidating and more fun than a lot of primers.