Books, magazines, signs, letters all have one thing in common. It is important for your child to be able to read them! Being a fluent reader includes more than just being able to memorize words off the page. It requires an understanding of letter sounds, phonics, vocabulary, and more. Below are resources available at BCLS that can help your child learn to read.
Pre-Reading Skills
Rhyming, clapping out syllables, and identifying the first and last sound in a word are essential pre-reading skills. These are skills that help children recognize that there are sounds in words.
- Reading and singing nursery rhymes and songs promotes recognition of new words and rhyming patterns.
- Let your child predict the words with stories with rhymes and repetitive text. Can they sound out the first sound a word makes?
- Kanopy Kids has a Reading & Literacy for Kids, opens a new window section that features songs, read along storybooks, alphabet videos and more! Watch at home or on the go with your child.
Phonics
Learning predictable patterns of letter sounds allows students to sound out or decode words. Phonics is just that: learning the sounds represented by letters or groups of letters. The better children become at decoding, the easier it is to read with fluency and comprehension.
- Learn and all the letters and sounds they make to get a handle on the alphabet. Then, grow your skills by learning the sounds of different letter combinations. Practice and Learn all of this with our ABC & Phonics Books.
Vocabulary
It is important to understand the meaning of words heard, spoken and read. Having a strong vocabulary helps when learning to read new words and developing comprehension.
- LOTE4Kids not only has books written in different languages, but also has books that teach vocabulary about a variety of topics like feelings and sports.
- Fiction books are great way to keep readers engaged and learn vocabulary! Check out some books that focus on vocabulary about different topics.
- How do you remember how to read and spell the word "ancient"? Access Video on Demand: Just For Kids features tricks to recognize and spell tricky words.
Fluency
Fluency is when readers can read silently and orally quickly and with accuracy. By being able to group words together effortlessly, it allows children to read with greater comprehension. Listening to stories being read fluently gives an example of how reading should sound.
- Read-Along Books are available at all libraries at all levels from easy readers to chapter books. Follow along to a story being read to you. You can even pause a book after reading a page and read it with your own voice!
- Reading online? TumbleBooks is a collection of stories that you can read independently or follow along.
Comprehension
One important part of reading that is sometimes overlooked is understanding what was read. Reading comprehension can be practiced with the following resources.
- Listening to stories is one way to gain understanding of a story. Search for audio books at all different genres and reading levels with Libby. Pair it with the actual text from our catalog if you prefer. You can find popular titles from all different genres and reading levels.
- Practice makes perfect! In the Language Arts Section of Explora Primary Schools there are practice sheets for making conclusions, literacy practices, and many more.
