Suppose your child read this sentence: Sam touched a prickly cactus.

Imagine how much more your child will understand if she has actually seen a cactus. If your child has never seen a cactus plant, she may not understand the meaning of the sentence—even though she can “read” all the words.

One of our jobs as parents is to help children learn new words for the world around them.

Take a walk through your neighborhood. Talk about what you see.

When you visit the grocery store, spend a few minutes looking at the fruits and vegetables. Does your child know where an artichoke is grown?

All these experiences will help your child learn new words. These, in turn, will help her improve her reading.

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