Here are some steps you can follow to help your child read a story or an assignment in a textbook:

1. Get ready. Before your child reads a word, take a few minutes to look through the story or the chapter. Ask some questions. “What do you think this reading will be about?” Have your child look at the pictures, if there are any. What ideas does your child have after looking at these pictures?

2. Scan the reading quickly. See if there are any words that may be hard to pronounce. Point out these words. Tell your child what they mean.

3. Take a look at the questions at the end of the story or chapter, if there are any. They will help guide your child’s reading.

4. Read the story or chapter. Your child might read it silently, then later read it aloud to you. (Don’t ask your child to read the text aloud until she’s had a chance to read it silently first.)

5. Ask some questions about the reading. See if your child can tell you the main idea of what she read.

6. Ask your child to read the questions at the end of the selection aloud. Then have her restate each question in her own words.

7. Ask your child to answer a question. If she can’t, pick out one or two key words in the question. Then look back through the reading to find the place in the text that includes those words. Have your child read that part aloud.
   

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