Reading Tips for Parents

This is a guest blog written by Hope McCarthy, one of our wonderful tutors at the McHenry Playhouse.


Read aloud tips
When you read aloud you can model many of the reading “behaviors” that your child will need. Techniques to help are finger point, picture walk, vocabulary brainstorm, verbal tonation for text and text sabotage.

Finger point- For beginning readers, this is a great way to show the students that the text corresponds with your spoken word. Read smoothly, but slowly, emphasizing each word with a tap.

Picture walk- I tell the students there is a great way to read the story called a picture walk. You walk through the pictures naming what you see and what is happening. You can also “vocabulary brainstorm” choosing the vocabulary you want to emphasize from the text. Talk about the words and lead discussions that go with the story.

Verbal Tonation- This is what keeps the story exciting. Be sure to create excitement by lowering your voice, speaking softly, slowly or quick and loud, with wonder or fear to go with the story.

Text Sabotage-This is a sneaky way to get the child interested in the printed word. Read the text til you come to a word that may be supplied by looking at the picture or from listening to the text. Pretend you don’t know the word and use reading strategies to see if you both can be word detectives to figure out the word. Try looking in the text, insert words you think it could be. Put in a silly word and ask if it makes sense or sounds right. Try sounding it out.
Remember to keep the story fun and exciting, cuddle and read for fun. It’s one of the best gifts you can give your child.