Reading to your child
Reading aloud to your child is a great way to bond, to model fluency, and to expose your child to more complex vocabulary and text structures.
When you’re reading aloud, I recommend first having a conversation about the book. It can be as simple as looking at the cover and making a prediction. Then, as you read, read with expression, continue to make (and revisit) predictions. It’s also appropriate to ask questions and to make comments during reading. Afterward, talk about the book or have your child write a response or draw a picture.
If a word comes up that your child doesn’t know – and it seems important – you can always stop and define the word right then. There’s no need to pull out a dictionary — a quick kid-friendly definition and a connection would be helpful. For example, if the word “ceased” showed up, you could say “Ceased means stopped. If it stopped raining, I might say it ceased raining.”
To learn more about reading aloud:
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