Summer Reading & Fluency: Tips for Parents from Reading Rockets

You've got the reading lists.  You've got the books.  But what else can you do to make your children better readers this Summer?

Help them read more quickly and accurately.  Schools call this reading fluency.  Fluent readers understand what they're reading.  When they read aloud easily and with expression this makes reading a lot more enjoyable.  When their attention is focused on sounding our each word their comprehension and motivation can suffer.

Here are four things parents can do to help their child continue to develop reading fluency:

1.  Choose the right books

Help your child choose books that she/he can comfortably read.  The "five-finger test" is a useful guideline for beginning readers.  As your child reads, count the number of words he cannot read per page.  In general, there should be five words or fewer that give him trouble on each page.  If a book contains several pages on which you count more than five words that he can't read, consider reading that book to your child until he develops more reading skills.

2.  Listen every day

Once you've found a collection of books that your child can read, listen to your child read every day.  Be patient - new readers often read slowly!  Offer help when your child gets stuck, and always give lots of praise and encouragement.

3.  Read it again, Sam

Encourage your child to reread favourite books, and make it fun!  Repeated readings improve children's fluency and comprehension.  They also provide opportunities to practice reading with expression.  Children will enjoy giving the wolf a scary growl or using a squeaky little voice for a mouse.

4.  Read to your kids every day

Model your own fluent reading as you read and reread books with your child.  Even though your child may be able to read on her/his own, continue to find time each day to read books to her/him that are just beyond her/his reading level.  She/He will enjoy listening to more advanced stories, and she/he will hear a great example of fluent reading.  Cool summer reading is the perfect antidote for those hot summer days!  Enjoy.