Make reading fun

Parents and teachers get kids all worked up and stressed about reading and the child just shuts down or builds a mental block towards the pure joy of reading a whole book. We as adults tend to test, nag and be very negative when when what the child needs to succeed is love, encouragement, laughter and a "hanging in there with you" approach. If your child is reading aloud to you and cannot figure out a word....tell him/her the word. Don't sit there and get angry when they cannot sound out the word...just tell them the word and get on with the story. Children need to have stories that flow and make sense to them not sit stalled in the middle trying to pronounce a word. Trust me, just tell them the word and go on. Read aloud to them too. If the book is too difficult take the books and read to them. Make a game of it and have him/her read one page (or one paragraph, or one sentence) to you and you read the next one. Do NOT stress your child over reading. It is very social and read. It should be a time of coming together for sharing and sicussion....NOT a war zone. Be calm. Approach it with here we are together sharing a book and let the love pour out. Smile, be happy, the fluency and meaning will come. Read on.