The National Council of Teachers (NCTE) 2019 report underlines that independent reading is one of the most influential practices affecting learners’ reading success, weighing more than guided reading, drills of skills, and work with assigned texts.

Benefits of Independent Reading for Students

• Reading fluency and vocabulary. Once students read more, they encounter new words naturally. The same NCTE statement says the development of vocabulary has a direct link to the activities students do during self-selected reading.
• Reading comprehension. Similarly, as young students practice more, they better synthesize information and infer meaning in the long run. According to the School Library Research Journal report by Bernice E. Cullinan, the amount a 5-year-old read directly affects reading comprehension when they are 7 years old.
• Empathy. Reading, not only fiction but stories with diverse help develop empathy. The 2025 National Literacy Trust post declares that reading helps readers see views of others (32.8%) and understand more about other people (32.4%).
• Stress reduction. Learners may feel relaxed while reading, even for a short time. The 2025 research results by Project Tomorrow, an education nonprofit, underline that large print books can decrease stress even more.
• Reading habits. Daily reading sets reading preferences and habits for the future. According to a 2026 Purdue University post by Breanya Hogue, Yilin Shen, and Jorge Perez De Jesus, even a few focused minutes a day can help to develop a habit

What the Research Says About Independent Reading

Research pieces admit that independent reading strategies can be beneficial and provide reasons for using them at home and school.

• The main support comes from the already mentioned NCTE statement from 2019, underlining the effect of independent reading on the students’ development and reading achievement.
• At the same time, the 2000 foundational report by the National Reading Panel is more neutral, admitting the popularity of the independent reading concept and its effect on fluency, but finding no support for it. The report is still used today due to its extensive description of reading components, which is still used today.
• However, a 2024 Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report hints that though interest in reading and reading habits for fun decline, around 50% still believe reading for enjoyment is crucial. It supports that such a reading practice definitely answers students’ needs.

When Do Students Start Reading Independently?

Most students begin reading simple books independently in Grade 1 (ages 6-7), since they know the foundational phonics and decoding. So, by grade 3, or age 9, they transform into independent readers who can focus on texts that are longer and more complicated.

Nevertheless, everything depends on the reader and their skills. A student who is great at reading in Grade 3 and reads freely, in Grade 5, may need structured support to continue to do so.

How to Incorporate Independent Reading into the Classroom

To incorporate independent reading in the classroom, you should ensure that it happens regularly, and at the same time, students can pick what to read, and a teacher leads or models.

Focusing on these conditions will allow you to build a structure that helps protect free choice reading as a habit, even if the schedule is packed.

Schedule a Daily Independent Reading Block

A dedicated, separate block offers a predictable and consistent time to practice every day. It’s possible when students have a fixed slot for practice. Dedicated independent reading time will allow to develop a habit, have structure, and build reading stamina.

Here are the best ways to incorporate blocks into students’ day:

• For K-2 students, after a meeting or in transition between activities.
• For students in grades 3-5, 15 minutes of sustained silent reading at a specific time (accommodate the environment for it if possible).
• For middle and high school students, make sure you always have 10-15 minutes for independent reading in ELA (or other) class; reduce time, but don’t cut this block out.

Help Students Choose the Right Books

The rationale behind picking certain books is that when books correspond to students’ levels, it’s easier to advance comprehension and learning. Focus on books that a kid will be comfortable with.

Yet, don’t limit students to a certain reading level, especially if they are interested in specific books. If an independent reader is passionate about a topic, they may push through a challenging text without losing reading motivation.

Model Reading Behavior

It’s one of the simplest independent reading strategies for a teacher or educator to try. When teachers are reading, and students see them, they receive a signal: “That’s not just an assignment.” Young learners often look at what the figures they see as authority do rather than listen to them.

Build a Classroom Library Students Want to Use

Students should be able to choose a reading that meets their needs and interests. For this, a teacher should focus on creating a decent library with relevant materials. It may be small, but well curated, and it will outperform a large and ignored one. There, you can:

• Collect fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and high-interest books that suit different needs.
• Regularly update libraries with popular books, relevant topics, and new editions.
• Encourage students to use library cards and access the school library or digital platforms.

How Parents Can Support Independent Reading at Home

To support the self-directed reading programs at home, parents should ensure kids practice reading independently. In this case, they may try to mirror the independent learning strategies, develop routines, and arrange space for it.

Choose Books That Match Interest and Level

Just like with an independent reading strategy in the classroom, at home, a parent should take into account both interest and level. Nevertheless, at home, a child should have more freedom.

Thus, the best recommendation for a parent is to let your kid lead, pick a topic first, then a level. To support their interest, take notes, and find relevant similar options.

Create a Reading Space at Home

Just like in school, an independent reading at home needs a dedicated reading space. A parent should provide an environment where children have no distractions and can maintain reading focus. On the other hand, it should be cozy and add to the reading as an enjoyable experience. When a child finds space with comfort and books, the habit of voluntary reading can stick longer.

Set a Regular Reading Time Together

Joint reading is one of the popular activities to improve kids’ reading skills at home. And in the case of independent reading, it may work as well. Just think of making a place and time for reading together. You can make it solely about reading, or leave room for discussion as well.

Nonetheless, it can happen that independent learning may not be enough. And that’s when families may want to resort to structured support.

For such families, the Brighterly reading program can offer personalized plans, rich and interactive classes, and targeted intervention from tutors. There, a priority is to develop useful habits.

Independent Reading Activities for Students

Reading journals, book talks, and library visits are the independent reading activities that can develop the reading habit and avoid adding pressure.

Reading Logs and Journals

As an educator, encourage learners to have an active reading log or make notes in a journal. Ask kids to regularly include in their things the title, date, and two sentences of reaction.

Records, either in a notebook or a digital app, would help students build accountability and remember the value. Later, you can use these logs to start a conversation.

Book Talks and Group Discussions

Next, try to ignite a conversation in a class. How? Invite one or two students to give a small pitch about their reading. There, the 5WH1 framework may do the trick. Yet, make sure you ensure that participation is voluntary.

A good pitch and a good book may easily ignite a conversation and add to the reading group discussion in a class.

Library Visits and Digital Access

Also, schedule a visit to the library, whether physical or digital, at the start of a semester and instruct kids on how to look for and request books. For digital platforms, share with them how to create free accounts and which platform to use: Sora, Libby, or Hoppia. Once it’s done, focus on teaching to find relevant books.

Conclusion

In a classroom, an independent reading is all about consistency and freedom. It provides consistent practice to help to build fluency, vocabulary, and reading stamina. And that’s why independent reading is so important.

Importantly, if a student needs a structured approach to support independent practice at home, the Brighterly reading comprehension program can help via 1:1 sessions and customized lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Audiobooks Count as Independent Reading?
Yes, audiobooks count as independent reading, especially for students who develop fluency or experience reading challenges like dyslexia. Exposure to audiobooks that are well narrated adds to vocabulary and comprehension.

What Is the Difference Between Independent Reading and Guided Reading?
The difference lies in the involvement levels of a teacher, student autonomy, role of instructions. Independent reading is when students read silently and autonomously the text they choose to develop a reading habit. Guided reading is teacher-led, where students get text with direct instruction and prompts to target specific skills.

How Do I Know If a Book Is Too Hard or Too Easy for a Student?
Apply the 5-finger rule and ask a student to read one page. If there are zero or one unfamiliar words, it may be too easy; 4 or 5 may be too hard. You can also use a “just right” principle.

Is Independent Reading Effective for Struggling Readers?
Yes, independent reading can be effective for struggling readers if teachers use it with appropriate strategies like scaffolding. Students are to benefit the most from the self-selected reading texts that are paired with structured support and guidance from a teacher or tutor.

How Do I Track Independent Reading Without Quizzes or Tests?
To track independent reading without quizzes and tests, you can resort to reading logs, brief reading conferences, and voluntary book discussions or group talks. In independent reading, the goal of tracking is a conversation.

What Is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) and How Does It Differ from Independent Reading?
Sustained silent reading (SSR) is not different from independent reading; it’s a classroom format for independent reading. It contemplates a scheduled educational practice when everyone in the classroom reads silently without interruption.

The post What Is Independent Reading? Benefits, Strategies, and Why It Matters for Kids appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Try these activities at home to help your child learn to listen, process, and communicate effectively.

Developing early language skills is a critical component of your child’s success in school. ‎In class, children must listen and process new information, communicate with peers and teachers, and express themselves clearly and effectively. Research tells us that children with strong language and communication skills are less likely to have challenges with reading and more likely to excel in school. Help your young child develop stronger language skills with the ideas detailed below.

Ages 2-4
Read
First and foremost, read, read, read! The more you read to your child, the more exposure he has to language and the more this skill will improve. Try spending 20 minutes before bed reading to him or carve out a daily daytime reading window. Start with basic board books (especially those with rhyming patterns like “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” or “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”), then graduate to longer books with more complex plots. You can try asking your child what he thinks the story will be about based on the cover, what he suspects may happen next, and why a character may feel happy or sad. The more you can engage your child in the reading material, the more progress you will see in his language and comprehension skills.

Scrapbook
For further language development, try making a scrapbook with your child containing different categories. Cut out images from magazines, newspapers, or the internet, and group them into categories such as “foods you can eat for dinner,” “things you can drive,” “pets,” “toys you can play‎ with during the summer,” and so on. Help your child paste the images into the correct category, then have her describe them. For instance, she might assess the pictures she pasted in the “foods you can eat for dinner” category and say, “For dinner, I can eat spaghetti with meatballs, chicken with broccoli, or maccaroni and cheese. My favorite dinner is maccaroni and cheese!” For an added language bonus, have her paste together some silly pictures, like a cat sliding down a slide, a bunny playing basketball, or a deer eating cereal, then have her describe “what’s wrong” with the pictures.

Identifying Body Parts Game
To help build your young child’s vocabulary, play the Name-That-Body-Part game, where you start by selecting a body part (like ears) and describe what you can do with them, like “With my ears, I can listen to you and your friends giggling.” Then have your child pick another body part and do the same. For his nose, for instance, he might say, “With my nose, I can smell the yummy brownies cooking!” or “I can smell fresh flowers with my nose.” Move from one player to the next, with each player naming a different body part and then describing what he can do with it. The sillier, the better!

‎Following Directions
Following directions is an important aspect of school success. Help your child learn to follow multi-step directions by practicing following directions activities at home. Start with one step directions, like “clean your room” or “wash your hands.” Then move onto two step directions, like “pick up your shoes and put them in the closet,” or “bring me your brush and put your socks on.” Once your child has mastered two step directions, move onto ones with three steps, like “brush your teeth, put on your shoes, and grab your backpack.” Then move onto those with four steps, and so on. You can later have your child give you instructions for building a castle, fort, or LEGO creation, detailing each step of the process.

Play The “Clues” Game
Build your child’s language and vocabulary skills by playing the “clues” game. To play, give your child a clue (or series of clues) describing and object and have her try to identify it’s name. For instance, you might say, “it is long, sharp, and we cut food with it” (for knife) or ” it is often red, has wheels, and can be pulled” (for wagon). Then have your child come up with her own clues to test you or her friends or siblings. Listening to descriptions and identifying the corresponding objects can help foster language development.

Daily Activities
Try using daily activities to build your child’s language skills. When you are at the grocery store, ask him to describe the different fruits he sees. Does he see apples? If so, what color are they? Are they large or small?‎ How do they smell? As you walk through the supermarket aisles, look for items with different shapes, sizes, weights, and textures. If he doesn’t know what the item is, describe it to him, then ask him to repeat the description in his own words and answer questions about it. The more discussion you can elicit, the better!

‎As your child moves through school, the language and communication demands will increase rapidly. Try these activities at home to help your child learn to listen, process, and communicate effectively.

The post Ways To Boost Your Child’s Language Development appeared first on EBL Coaching.

A guide for parents of picky readers.

Your child loves to play outside, watch television, surf the web, and do just about anything besides reading for pleasure. In our tech-based, quick-access-to-information world, it’s easy to find alternatives to relaxing and reading a book from cover to cover. Yet reading offers so many benefits: vocabulary and language development, imagination enrichment, ‎improved focus, relaxation, and so much more. Help your child learn to love reading with the ideas detailed below.

Read with your child!

Spend time reading with your child, even as she gets older and tends to read alone. When she is young, read to her, always stopping along the way to discuss the characters, setting, images, and plot. Ask her to retell events in the story, make predictions, and answer inferential questions. When she learns to read, try alternating pages or chapters with you reading one and her reading the next, allowing you to model good fluency while continuing to monitor her comprehension. When your child is a bit older, encourage her to post a review of the book online or even create her own book review journal. The more engaging and interactive the reading task is, the more she will enjoy it.

Identify your child’s interest

Avoid “forcing” your child to read about a topic he finds completely uninteresting. Instead, try to identify some topics he’s interested in, like the Titanic, baseball, or dinosaurs, and then hone in on that topic. If he’s fascinated by the Titanic, for instance, ‎find images online of the interior and exterior of the ship, pull up interesting articles about passengers who were on it, and maybe even seek out a museum exhibit on the Titanic–all before introducing a full book on the subject. Then, once you’ve peaked his interest with interesting content, colorful images, an interactive activities, find a simple book on the topic and encourage him to try reading it. You may be surprised at how much he actually enjoys reading the book once you’ve sparked his interest and presented fascinating background knowledge.

Create a family ritual

Try designating one night per week as “family reading night.” During this time, all family members converge in one spot to read together. Each person can select any type reading material–a newspaper article, comic book, magazine, novel, or the like. You might “sweeten the pot” by serving a tasty treat and giving your child something special (aside from family time) to look forward to. To avoid monotony, perhaps change the scenery each week–one night you can gather in your living room, another night you can cluster around a fireplace, and yet another time you can take a trip to the beach. Just be sure to make it a fun, relaxing ritual that your child will look forward to.

Create a reading zone

Try changing your child’s mind set that reading is boring by creating a fun reading area in her room or play space. You might include a colorful rug, funky lamp, bean bag chair, and art on the surrounding wall. Make it a place she will look forward to hanging out in–an environment that is enjoyable and relaxing.

Move beyond paper books

In our age of technology, there are now so many options available for reading aside from old fashioned paper books. Try downloading e-books onto your tablet, which may be more motivating for your tech-savvy child. Audio books are also a great option; while kids may not practice the phonetic aspect of stories using these “books”, listening to them helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge on different subjects. Listening to these books can also help them find joy in getting “lost in a story,” something they may not otherwise experience if they don’t read.

‎Reading is an activity that many children have sadly come to dislike. Yet not only can reading be a real source of pleasure, is such an important skill for success in school and beyond. Try these activities to help your child learn to enjoy reading and discover the many benefits it has to offer.

The post What To Do If Your Child Hates To Read appeared first on EBL Coaching.

A robust vocabulary is key for academic success

Vocabulary development is a key component of school readiness and academic success. Kids use words to communicate their feelings and express themselves both orally, and eventually, on paper. In school, they are required to listen, process information, and read increasingly complex texts. A stronger vocabulary can help them thrive with these potential challenges. While some kids develop strong vocabularies simply through exposure to language, others benefit from more direct vocabulary-building exercises. Help your child develop a stronger vocabulary with the ideas detailed below.

Read Every Night!

Reading regularly to your child is one of the best ways to develop a stellar vocabulary. Books are language-rich and often filled with new words for your child to hear and absorb. Choose books that are age-appropriate and engaging for your child. As you encounter a word your child may not know, ask her if she knows its meaning. If so, have her articulate the definition in her own words. If not, define the word for her using basic terms and give relevant examples. For example, you might come across the lines: “The girl was very gracious to her mother. She helped her set the table and clean up after the guests left.” Ask your child if she knows what the word “gracious” means. If so, have her define it; if not, explain to her that it means kind and caring, and talk about times when your child may have acted graciously. Relating the new words to her life can help her process and remember them.

Play the “New Word” Game

Play a fun, vocab-building game by choosing (or having your child choose) a word of the day. Teach him the definition of this word in a clear and simple manner. Then provide an example of how the word can be used and ask him to do the same. For instance, your word of the day might be “gigantic,” which means something very, very big. You might tell him that an elephant is a gigantic animal, and have him come up with his own example of something gigantic, like a bear or mountain. Once the definition of the word is clear, turn it into a game by seeing how many times he can use that word correctly throughout the day. You can even track his new word usage using points on a chart, and offer a fun reward for reaching a certain number of points. To take it to another level, make it a family game by having a different family member come up with the word of the day–or perhaps word of the week. Track each person’s word usage, and the family member who correctly uses the word most frequently in that period of time wins.

Teach Prefixes and Suffixes

Teaching prefixes and suffixes can help children learn and understand ‎hundreds of new words. Choose a prefix–pre, dis, non, for example–and have your child come up with as many words as she can think of containing that prefix (or suffix). Then discuss the definitions of each word and what those definitions have in common. For instance, you might focus on the prefix “pre.” Have her come up with as many words containing the prefix that she can think of, and jot them down on a whiteboard or sheet of paper. She may come up with words like predict, preview, and prevent. Then discuss the definitions with her: Predict means to say something will happen before it actually does, preview means to look at something before someone else, and prevent means to stop something from occurring before it does. What do all of these definitions have in common? They all have to do with something happening “before.” Alas, the definition of “pre” means “before.” It can be eye-opening to consider how many new words your child can learn with just a few prefixes and suffixes.

Play Vocab Games

Have fun building your child’s vocabulary by playing more traditional word games. ‎Such games might include Boggle, where letters are scrambled and players have three minutes to come up with as many words as possible, or Scrabble, where players create words using letter tiles. Apples to Apples is another great vocabulary-building game, where players match specific verb and noun phrases to adjectives, building stronger grammar skills as an added bonus. Encourage your child to play these types of games with his friends, or play them together as a family. The key is to keep them engaging and fun.

Take a Walk!

Take a walk around the block with your child and play a vocabulary-building game. Ask her to think of all of the objects she sees that start with a specific letter. You can even alternate turns. For example, choose the letter “d.” She says the word “dog.” Then you say “door,” she says “duck,” you say “dent,” and so on. You can also play a similar game with words that rhyme. For instance, as you walk, ask her to come up with objects she sees that rhyme with hat, and alternate. She might say cat, then you say bat, she says flat, and so on. In playing these games, you will strengthen her vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and overall language skills.

A strong vocabulary is a key element of academic success. Try these techniques to help your child build a stronger, more robust vocabulary while having fun and enjoying the process.

The post Tips for Building Your Child’s Vocabulary at Home appeared first on EBL Coaching.

A local education expert shares ideas for helping your child embrace the joy of reading

Some children find great pleasure in reading. They love curling up on a couch, losing themselves in the enthralling plot of a novel. ‎Yet for others, reading is a dreaded chore. As students progress through school, however, reading becomes increasingly important and affects nearly all academic areas. Help your child find joy in reading with the ideas detailed below.

Keep Reading Material Everywhere!

At some homes, books are confined to a single bookshelf inside a child’s room. Yet rather than limiting books to one area, integrate reading materials through‎out your home. Leave comic books and newspapers out on the table during breakfast, place magazines next to your child on the couch, or leave an iPad loaded with the latest news near your child during snack time. You can even keep books and other reading material in your car or bring them with you when traveling on a bus or subway. The more opportunities you create for reading, the more likely your child will read.

Let Kids Choose their Own Reading Material

Some parents feel they should select “educational” or “learning” books for their child to help stimulate intellectual curiosity. Yet most children prefer reading books on topics they find interesting. Try to identify topics that excite your child–art, bugs, baseball, dinosaurs, or the like–and encourage him to select reading material specific to that topic, to help lure him into reading. The options can include books, comics, magazine articles, newspaper clips, or internet searches–anything that provides opportunities for reading. You can also select one day per week or month to be “library‎ day,” where you arrange a family trip to the library and everyone picks out books they find interesting.

Create a Family Reading Hour

Most kids (and adults) love rituals – songs you sing at bath time, chocolate chip cookies on Sunday nights, or a glass of milk before bed. Make reading a family ritual by setting up a “reading hour” once per week, where everyone in the family, including the adults, reads. The reading material can be a book, magazine, newspaper, comic–essentially any type of reading. Be sure to exclude phones, computers, video games, and all electronics (unless they are specifically used for reading).

Make Reading Active

Before you begin reading with your child, look at the cover of the book and discuss the title and any images. Have your child predict what she thinks the book may be about. If it’s a chapter book, after every 2-3 pages, have her summarize what she (or you) reads, and again at the end of each ‎chapter. Using a pencil, she can draw a box around any new characters and underline any new vocabulary words. For further reinforcement, she can later look up the definition of each word and write the word on the front of a flash card along with the definition and corresponding picture on the back. Throughout the reading, have her make predictions about what may come next in the plot and draw conclusions about why a character may have felt or acted in a certain way. Keeping her engaged in the book with active reading techniques will help her stay focused and find more pleasure in reading.

Record Books– And Make it Fun!

Encourage your child to keep track of the books he reads using a record sheet. He can record the name of the book, the date he finished it, and his overall thoughts. You can even help him come up with a rating system – perhaps 1 to 10 – on how likely he is to recommend the book to a friend, and have him describe why. To involve the family, integrate some creativity with a gumball machine poster. Each family member can be assigned a different colored gumball. Whenever someone finishes a book, she attaches one of her colored gumballs on the poster, with the date and name of the book written on it. Perhaps a prize can be given at the end of the month to the person who reads the most number of books and thus has the most gumballs on the chart.

With games, toys, electronics, and so many other opportunities for pleasure and relaxation, it can be easy to avoid reading. Yet reading offers so many unique benefits, and is a critical skill for nearly all aspects of school and life. Try these ideas at home and help your child embrace the true joy of reading.

The post 5 Ways You Can Encourage Your Child To Read appeared first on EBL Coaching.

For some students, learning to read comes naturally. Through exposure to language and books, they figure out how to combine sounds to form words and recognize key sight words. Other students need a systematic approach for learning sound-letter relationships and blending.  Whether your child ultimately learns to read naturally or with a structured approach, performing exercises with him to develop strong reading readiness skills can set the stage for reading success. Try the activities below, and remember to keep them playful, fun, and engaging.

Story Telling

Reading books and stories aloud to your child can help foster a joy for reading while building  comprehension, vocabulary, listening, and fluency skills. As you read to your child, be sure to ask questions before, during, and after you read. Look at the cover together and ask him to make predictions about what he thinks the book will be about. While reading, ask questions about the plot, characters, and events that might happen next. You can also help your child connect the story to items or events in his life. For example, if there is a puppy in the book, ask if he thinks the puppy in the story looks or acts like his own. If a character in the story feels scared, ask if he’s ever felt that way and, if so, have him elaborate on those feelings. Encouraging him to articulate these connections between the plot and his own life will build comprehension, memory, and oral language skills.

Phonemic Awareness: Rhyming, Sounds, Words, and Syllables

Phonemic Awareness is the ability to hear, recognize, and manipulate sounds in words, and is a strong predictor of future reading success. Activities that involve rhyming, recognizing initial and final sounds, identifying words and syllables, and manipulating sounds all help build strong phonemic awareness skills. Try some of the exercises below to help strengthen these key reading readiness skills.

Rhyming

Help your child build stronger rhyming skills with a “Do These Words Rhyme?” game. To play, ask your child whether certain words rhyme, and track points for correct answers. For example, ask, “Does ‘man’ rhyme with ‘can’?” “Does ‘horse’ rhyme with ‘nose’?” “Does ‘feet’ rhyme with ‘foot’?” and so on.  If he answers correctly, he receives a point. He can then ask you (or another player) similar rhyming questions. The first player to earn 10 points wins.

You can also create a game of Memory using words that rhyme. To do so, draw pictures of various objects on flashcards– a dog, sun, bone, log, phone, etc. (one per card). Place the cards upside down on a table. The first player flips over two cards. If the words rhyme, the player made a match. If not, that player turns the cards back down. ‎Then the next player flips over two cards, and so on. The player who makes the most rhyming matches wins.

Initial and Final Sounds

Learning to recognize sounds in words is a key component of reading readiness. Engage your child in an initial and final sounds game to reinforce this skill. To play, ask your child to tell you the first sound he hears in a given word. For example, ask him to tell you the first sound he hears in pizza (/p/), rug (/r/), or chair (/ch/). If he answers correctly, he receives a point. Next, have him dictate his own words to you (or another player) and you tell him the initial sound. The first player to receive 10 points wins. You can play a similar game with final sounds. For example, ask him to tell you the final sound he hears in the word clap (/p/), door (/r/), push (/sh/), and so on.

Words and Syllables

Play a clapping game with your child to teach him to identify words in sentences and syllables in words– another important reading readiness skill. To do so, read various sentences to your child and ask him to repeat the sentence back to you while clapping one time for each word. For example, for the sentence “Clean your room” he would clap three times, once for each word. For “Eat your green apple” he would clap four times, for “Don’t forget to bring home your book” he would clap seven times, and so on. Similarly, to practice syllable identification, you can read various words to your child and have him clap one time for each syllable in the word. For example, he would clap two times for donut, four times for alligator, and three times for calendar. You can also play these games using counting chips as manipulatives instead of clapping. For each word in a sentence or for each syllable in a word, your child would place down one counting chip.

Songs

Singing songs to your child can help build vocabulary, listening, comprehension, rhyming, and sound discrimination skills, amongst other reading readiness skills. Sing songs to your child that include patterns and rhymes, such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Yankee Doodle. Rather than just singing the melody, ask your child questions about the words and stimulate discussions about the lyrics. For example, you can ask your child what a “water spout” is in Itsy Bitsy Spider or what a “dell” is in Farmer in the Dell, and explain the definitions if he doesn’t know them. Integrating discussions and activities into singing songs can help further develop language and pre-reading skills.

Be sure to keep these exercises fun, playful, and engaging. In doing so, your child will enjoy the process and develop a true zest for learning. Practicing these games and activities will ultimately make him a strong, confident, and successful reader.

The post How to Boost Your Child’s Reading Readiness Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

For some children, learning to read is an easy process. They figure out how to sound out words and read with expression simply with exposure and practice. Yet for others, decoding words can be a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, and reading with fluency is even more difficult. These children might read word-by-word in a very choppy, slow, and monotonous manner. Their self-esteem and joy of reading may begin to tumble. Try using the 5 tips below to help your child become a more fluent and confident reader:

1. Model fluent reading. It’s important for your child to hear the rhythm of proper fluency. Read out loud to your child regularly and be sure to include expression and animation. You can even try books on tape for additional fluency modeling, or create a family event by having an older child read out loud to a younger child. Make it a fun activity, with different voices, narration, and cheerful expression.

2. Choral reading. Further enhance reading aloud with multi-step choral reading. To perform this process, select a passage or page from a book. Have your child read the selection out loud as a cold read. Then you read the same passage aloud to your child to model fluent reading. Next, have your child read the passage together with you, maintaining the same pace. Finally, have her read it again aloud on her own for a final read. Give her positive reinforcement and encouragement by recognizing the difference in her fluency between the first read and the final read.

3. Sight words. While certain words are decodable (meaning they can be sounded out), others, called sight words, cannot be sounded out and must be memorized. Some example of sight words include: these, where, and how. It is important for students to have a fund of sight words memorized in order to make reading a more fluent process. Try printing a list of grade-appropriate sight words (also called dulch words). Make flash cards with the words and hang them on a wall, have your child draw the letters from each word in sand, or play games, like Sight Word Bingo or Sight Word Tic-Tac-Toe for extra reinforcement.

4. Word-per-minute timings. Create a list of words on a page (sight words work well!) and time your child for one minute to see how many words he can read. Create a word-per-minute timing log and maintain a record of the number of words your child was able to read from that list in one minute. Try 2-3 timings of a given list, and give your child a sticker or small reward for beating his time. You can also try word-per-minute timings with phrases and stories.

5. Repeated reading. Encourage your child to find a grade-appropriate book that she enjoys reading. Have her to read that same book over and over again, since repeated reading improves fluency. She will also become a more confident reader and will learn to add expression and proper intonation when reading.
Reading fluently is a challenge for many children. Yet with practice and repetition – and use of the strategies above – your child will learn to read with more expression, joy and, ultimately, better fluency.

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Building the foundation of reading when children are young arms them with the skill set to become avid, enthusiastic readers as they grow older. Try these tips for helping your child develop early reading skills:

Teach sound/symbol relationships

At a young age (prior to starting Kindergarten), teach your child that each letter has a corresponding sound. To help him make this connection, try connecting each sound to a key picture. For example, p makes the sound /p/ like pizza and s makes the sound /s/ like sun. You can integrate a fun arts and crafts project for extra reinforcement by having your child create a large flash card with the name of the letter on the front of the card (you should write the letter for pre-writers) and the key picture on the back. Your child can draw a picture of a colorful pizza on the back of the p card and a picture of a glistening sun on the back of the s card. Hang up the cards around your house or lay them out on the table during meal times to practice connecting each letter to its corresponding sound and key picture.

Play phonemic awareness games

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, recognize, and manipulate sounds in words. Before they can learn to read, children must understand that words are made of individual sounds and that these sounds can be manipulated to form new words. ‎One phonemic awareness exercise you can try with your child is a segmenting/blending game. For example, tell your child, “I will say two sounds and I want you to tell me what word is formed when you blend the sounds together.” You might say the sounds /a/ and /t/ and your child should tell you that the word “at” is formed. After forming several two letter words, increase the challenge to three letter words. For example, you might give your child the sounds /c/-/a/-/t/, /p/-/i/-/g/, or /f/-/u/-/n/ and ask him what word is formed with each of these sound combinations. ‎You can also play a rhyming game where you select a word (like “fan”) and go around the room, asking everyone to come up with words that rhyme with it. Read aloud!

Starting when your child is a baby, read to her on a daily basis. For toddlers, you can read sensory-based books, like Pat the Bunny, where she can see, smell, and feel objects in the story while you read. For children who are a bit older, engage them in the text by asking questions as you read, like “Why do you think that happened?, “What might happen next?” or “How do you think that made the character feel?” Teaching children at a young age to be active readers is a valuable skill that will help them as they progress through school.‎

Practice writing

Start by having him practice writing letter strokes and eventually move into actual letters. Try using an easel or white board and help your child write top-to-bottom straight and diagonal lines, then crossed lines and circles. Model each one first, practice the strokes together, and then encourage him to write them on his own.When he is ready, teach him specific lingo for forming each letter. For example, when he writes the letter p, he should say “down, up, and around” as he forms the letter. When he writes the letter s, he should say “around and around.” Try having him write these letters in the sky with his finger, in a cookie tray filled with colored sand or salt, or even with shaving cream (if you don’t mind the mess).

Keep it fun

When reading to your child or teaching him to read to you, keep it fun! Try sitting inside a pillow-and-sheet constructed “tent” when ‎reading scary stories, eat a new food when reading about its taste and texture, or have your child illustrate a story that you make up.Be sure to give your child positive reinforcement and encouragement for even the smallest reading milestone. Enjoy the quality time you share with her when reading and make sure she enjoys the process. Arming her with a strong reading foundation will help bring her success for years to come.

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Montessori Crosswords

This app helps students develop their decoding, spelling, and writing skills by teaching them to build words with different phonics patterns. Students start by building basic CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, then move into words with blends, digraphs, silent e, vowel teams, and other combinations. Students are initially given a picture (like “bag” or “kid”) and are asked to drag letters from the alphabet at the bottom of the screen to spell the word displayed. Later, students spell words following specific phonics patterns in the form of crosswords. Students can also choose themes for the activities, like animals, food, clothes, etc.

Short Vowel Word Study

This is a great app for reinforcing basic word decoding at a Kindergarten/1st grade level. The app contains three main sections: word families, short vowels, and longer words. The first game is “Sort It,” where the child must sort a word into its proper vowel category; i, u, or a. In the “Find It” game‎, the child must find the “oddball” word that doesn’t belong in the same vowel family, and drag it to the bottom of the screen. The “Spell It” game reinforces spelling by displaying an image (like hat) and the child must drag letters to spell the word. The “Write It” game teaches students to trace and then independently write words. Other related fun and engaging reading games are also integrated into this app.

SuperWhy!

This app is a great one for building reading, spelling, writing, and phonemic awareness skills. It includes four games, each led by a different character: Alpha Pig, Princess Pesto, Wonder Red, and Super Why. In the Alpha Pig game, students find letters on a path to form different words. ‎In the Princess Pesto game, students practice writing letters to form words that are modeled first by Princess Pesto’s magic wand. In Wonder Red’s game, students identify rhyming words, and in Super Why’s game, students build their reading comprehension skills by identifying words that complete sentences in a given story.

Interactive Storybooks

For a wide selection of interactive, digital story books,MeeGenius is a great app that provides access to more than 700 children’s e-books for children up to age 8, which are accessible on iOS, Android, Windows 8, Amazon, Nook, and online.

Through the Princess and the Pea interactive story app, students either practice reading the Princess and the Pea or listen as the story is read aloud to them, reinforcing auditory comprehension, auditory processing, and listening skills. They can also play interactive games related to the story that are contained within the app, such as matching pictures, completing puzzles, and filling in missing items to complete a picture, all of which reinforce early learning skills.

Nursery Rhymes with Story Time

For younger children (ages 5 and younger), this app is great for building phonemic awareness and early reading skills. The app presents classic rhymes, such as Humpty Dumpty, Three Blind Mice, Jack and Jill, and others, in an interactive, playful format. While listening to the rhymes, children can “play” with the images. For example, when listening to Jack and Jill, children can drag a bucket of water up a well and watch flying fish and bubbles burst out of the water. The interactive illustrations make listening to rhymes and building core phonemic awareness skills great fun for children.

Encourage your child to use these apps and watch the colorful illustrations, energetic animations, and bursting colors turn reading into sheer excitement and joy.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades preK-12 in NYC and NJ. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, writing, and summarizing strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series. These workbooks are currently used at schools nationwide.

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