The 5 Things Every Parent Can Do to Help their Child Become a Better Reader in Elementary

Teach them the basics. This is not labor intensive. Teach your child their letters and sounds before coming to school. The more they know, the more they’ll grow. The students in my class who came in knowing their letters and some sounds are now reading on an almost second grade level. The children who knew no letters or sounds, didn’t know the front from the back of a book, and had never (or not often) asked their thoughts about a book, they are barely at grade level expectation. This is one of the ones that we get asked about a lot. How do I do this? What do I do? Pointing out letters on signs, name them, have your child repeat it. When they have the uppercase letters, begin on the lowercase letters. Make sure they know the difference between a letter and a number. Have bath tub toys? Let them draw and write on the tiled wall. This practices fine motors, gross motor, handwriting, letter recognition, and so many more skills.

As a parent, your child’s education is important to you. Here’s the last, and most important piece of advice I can give, pat yourself on the back. I mean it! A parent who cares and wants the best for their child is one whose child will succeed.