I talk about literacy a lot and I never want it to feel unapproachable, because parenting is complex and has a lot of moving pieces. So what is my number one tip for moms and dads who are looking to improve their kids reading comprehension?
BEST TIP FOR LITERACY: Make the Most of your Bedtime Stories!
What are the ways parents can make the most of storytime?
It is that simple for parents, but there are a few tricks to keep in mind:
Read the books out loud to your young readers. Help them to hear the words you're reading. I like to point to the words in the book as I say them to improve word recognition.
Read their favorite books as often as they'd like. Repetition when reading with your child helps them connect words to sounds.
As your child gets older, encourage them to say the words with you. Again, it's all about helping your young reader to recognize words and sounds together.
As your child starts to recognize topics & understand deeper lessons in the book, ask open ended questions about what they thought? What did they feel? What words were hard?
Bedtime stories are at bedtime; you all guessed it. So, it can be hard to think this much this late when you've been busy with everything life throws at you, all day already. But youth literacy is an incredibly important skill and the more you practice these few tools for improving story time, eventually it will be second nature and you'll be glad you made the shift. What other bedtime stories do you want advice or tips on? Leave a comment for us! Follow us on Instagram or Facebook: @dreambuiltbooks