How to make reading fun for your dyslexic child.

December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Learning to read can be a daunting task for anyone, especially for a child who may struggle with dislexia. As parents, you want to ease their way, and make things fun for them so they can enjoy and learn at the same time. Almost 20% of today’s population are dyslexic. Signs of your child being dyslexic are: Difficulting spelling, Confusion between telling apart left and right,Writing letters and numbers backwards,difficulting with math sequences,family history of a reading problem. Dyslexic children may feel angry or sad over how difficult reading comes to them compared to children who are non-dyslexic.Reading to dyslexic children at first may seem like a chore. They may throw fits or show little intrest in reading or learning to read. Take a deep breath, and don’t fret. ways to make reading more fun for your dyslexic child are:

1)Accentuate the possitive. Praise is important for everyone, and even more so for a child with dyslexia. You need to let them know that every small step twoards progress is worth the hard work and that you are proud of them.
2) Be understanding. Dyslexia is difficult for everyone who suffers from it, and you cannot expect them to jump in with both feet right from the start. Be pateient, and start slow, maybe 5 minuets at a time, with practicing, and reward them after each attempt.
3)Communicate with them. Talk to your child about what they think is hardest about reading, and encourage them to tell you exactly what their feeling and how their feeling that day. They will feel more open with you, and more willing to work.
4) Make a goal together. Set a goal with your child, how many books do they think they can read? Make a poster together, and at the end of each day, have them mark down how many sentences they read at first, and progress to how many books. Reward them after they reach their goal.

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Making Magic Transforming Read-Aloud Moments Into Memories

December 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If they were lucky, many people can fondly remember being read to as children. Besides cultivating a love of reading and improving literacy skills, reading books aloud to children can also create cherished memories. If you lack confidence in your read-aloud skills, here are a few pointers to perfect your performance.

1.Pick a book that is a reasonable length. Don’t pick something that is too long for your audience; the kids attention will begin to drift before you reached the end. Don’t pick a story that is too short or simple either, however; they won’t have the time or inclination to become as engaged in the story.
2.Do the voices. Don’t feel silly; it will only make your reading less impressive. Really throw yourself into your dramatic reading. Try different voices out beforehand, and read with confidence. Even if the voices make your child laugh, it’s still a win for you.
3.Ask questions before you start, while you’re reading, and after you finish. Everyone loves being asked for input even if they are five years old. Asking questions engages the children in the story and its characters, whether you are asking for their observations of the illustrations, for their opinions on the character’s decisions, or for their predictions of how the story will turn out. Make sure you don’t ask too many questions, as it can break up the flow of the story. Keep it to about four or five total.
4.Provide opportunities to move and make sounds. Little kids need to move. Most can’t help it, so incorporate opportunities into your reading for movement and sound-making. Books with animals are excellent for these reasons.
5.Complete the story-time with an activity. Start saving supplies from around the house. With a little imagination, paper towel tubes, popsicle sticks, and even empty water bottles can be transformed into projects that connect to the book you have just enjoyed.

Good luck making your new memories!

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The Gift of Reading

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Content

It’s easy for parents today to feel a sense of helplessness about who their children are exposed to and what lessons they are being taught by the people they are around during their day.

One of the easiest ways for parents to make a huge impact on their children’s lives is to read to them from an early age. Sharing a story with your child creates life lasting bonds that go far beyond the actual reading of a story.

Children will remember the whole experience, not just the story; the physical closeness, the sound of your voice, the laughing together—it’s like a gift from you to them, and from them to you. Those ties will carry over as your children start growing up and away.

Where you read doesn’t really matter as long as it’s comfortable; snuggled together on the couch, in bed at bedtime, even in a blanket tent on the floor. If the book you are reading has lots of pictures, make sure you position yourself and the book so the kids can enjoy the images as you read the story.

Reading to your kids will impact them in more ways than you can imagine. At first they’ll just listen, but as they get older, they’ll want to learn how to read too. Reading stimulates more than just the imagination—reading teaches our language as well as punctuation and grammar. Reading encourages open-mindedness and tolerance to other ways of doing and thinking—and reading encourages creativity and imagination.

Make reading time a priority for your family—don’t skip it unless absolutely necessary. Have a set time for reading so your kids can look forward to it. Once the kids are old enough, make routine visits to the library and let your kids choose their own books.

After your children are old enough, start personalizing the stories by including your child as a character, or changing the story a bit to reflect their talents and interest. Then start making up your own stories. Some popular children’s stories like Dinotopia and Alice in Wonderland started out as simple stories told to children.

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The Imagination at Play: Reading to Your Children

November 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Some parents think that when a child learns to read, it’s time to stop reading aloud. However, reading aloud before bedtime is a special parent-child activity, and it’s about more than just helping a little tot fall asleep.
When you read aloud to a child, it’s a different experience than when they read quietly to themselves. It’s a different feeling for them. When a child hears a story, his or her mind is able to absorb the deeper meaning of the tale, and also wander off into a contemplative space. In this relaxed, imaginative state, certain unconscious problems are solved.
Developing these skills is very important in the development of your child in the present and the future. Many future tests they take will emphasize verbal skills and reading comprehension. And even though you might think it is too far in the future, you child might want to go to college, law school or pursue a MBA. All of these require excellent verbal skills that you are help developing at this time. A quick look online at GMAT prep courses will give you an idea of what you can expect from the kinds of testing your child will face.
Most likely, there are a handful of books that you feel you absolutely must read to your children. These books may be classics, but they aren’t the same for everyone. Books resonate with different people for different reasons, and the same will be true for your child. Make sure the books you choose challenge your child. But make sure they interest your child as well. The books you and your child share now have an impact on their learning and their future.

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