In kindergarten and the lower elementary grades, children are mastering skills in phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension, and reading and writing. Sounding out words together is a great place for parents to start, says 1st grade teacher Jaclyn Pearson from Illinois.
“Solidifying letter sounds and encouraging children to use what they know about sounds to help them decode words is a skill parents can help with,” she says.
Pearson also recommends using printed words in your environment.
“When you are running errands with your child in the car, talk about the signs you see and what sound the beginning letter of an establishment makes.”
Being able to follow directions is an important skill that uses memory and comprehension.
“If your child enjoys grocery shopping, ask them to find a specific item from the shelf and put it into the cart,” suggests Pearson. “These two-step directions are so important for young learners.”
The simple act of clapping can be used as a measure of counting words in a sentence or syllables in words, says 2nd grade teacher Leana Malinowsky. Materials such as coins or other similar objects serve the same purpose.
“These activities are helpful for phonological awareness — the pairing of sounds with words,” Malinowsky says. “Families can have their children repeat a sentence and push a coin up from a row of coins for each word they hear.”
Malinowsky encourages parents to read the same book twice to their child: once so they can grasp the words, and a second time so they can comprehend the story.
“Shorter books are easily read twice,” Malinowsky says. Quick books are also a great solution for parents with busy schedules.
While exposure to a variety of books is important for a child, rereading favorite books is helpful because children pick up on different elements of the book with each read.
“I stress to my second graders that I read my favorite book from my childhood multiple times,” Malinowsky says. She also recommends reading series, which allow children to remain in the same “universe” they love while absorbing new words and story lines.
“Series such as Frog and Toad give readers the chance to enjoy new adventures with favorite book characters.”
First grade teacher Pearson adds that parents can ask their child’s teacher for a list of read-aloud books and picture books, if they’re not sure where to start.
“Every teacher has favorites that they know are beneficial for students,” Pearson says.
Comparing and contrasting is a skill that, like sorting and classifying, precedes higher-level thinking. For beginner readers with a favorite story — say, a fairy tale — Pearson suggests comparing the illustrations of different adaptations. This also helps to create interest in other books, for those children whose hearts are set on a standalone title.
“For example, if your child loves ‘The Three Little Pigs,’ find a fractured fairy tale or a cultural adaptation to the book,” Pearson says. “Take a side-by-side ‘picture walk’ and begin comparing similarities and differences until your child gains interest in another book.”
Don’t underestimate the power of a pencil and paper! This combo is essential for children in grades 1-2 who are working on skills like decoding (sounding out words) and encoding (spelling words).
“Simple paper and pencils or crayons allow children to write their own sentences, sound out words, and practice writing skills,” Malinowksy says, adding that a stack of index cards is “like having gold.”
“They can be used as flashcards, to review letters or words for fluency, or to write words on and build sentences with,” she says.
Plus, keep in mind that plenty of everyday materials can stand in for paper.
“Sand, salt, rice, and Play-Doh are also great options for students to write letters and words in, and to practice their sounds and spellings,” Malinowsky says.
Parents of children in middle grades still play a role in advancing learning skills. But instead of reinforcing the basics, you become what Avery Lieske, a 3rd grade teacher from Alabama, calls “a learning facilitator.”
“Parents are not telling their child what to learn, they are taking what is interesting to their child and immersing them in it to make learning come to life,” Lieske says.
For example, if your child is reading World War II material for school, introduce them to documentaries or a museum’s online archives to deepen their knowledge of the topic.
“Not only does this help children make deeper connections to their texts, but it will help them become more empathetic and curious lifelong learners,” Lieske says.
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