| tion is more than just what students learn in | | | | If you do not feed him |
| school. Education begins at home where parents | | | | This is what he'll say, |
| are the first primary teachers. Parents therefore | | | | Hee haw, hee haw, hee haw, hee haw, hee haw! |
| should never have a hands off approach about | | | | Can be changed to: tweetly tings the tonkey |
| any part of their child's education. In fact children | | | | At the break of day, |
| who are struggling in school need the support of | | | | If you do not feed him |
| their parents more than ever. The trouble is most | | | | This is what he'll say,tee taw, tee taw, tee taw, |
| parents are never quite sure exactly what they | | | | tee taw, tee taw! |
| can do to help. This article focuses on struggling | | | | In this example "t" was used as a substitute. |
| readers and what parents can do at home to help | | | | To develop phonics skills listen to your child |
| their children. | | | | reading. Play the hang man game. Let your child |
| There are certain strategies that teacher's use in | | | | touch and say words as they write them. |
| the classroom that can be adapted for use at | | | | To help your child become a fluent reader do |
| home. Teachers know that Phonological | | | | echo reading activites. During echo reading you will |
| awareness, Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency | | | | read a sentence or short phrase and then your |
| and comprehension are key skills that every child | | | | child will repeat what you have said. In this way |
| should master. However a lot a parents don't | | | | you become a model. To develop fluency you can |
| know exactly how to go about helping their child | | | | also read along with the child. Turn your home into |
| develop these core reading skills. | | | | a little theatre by acting out different scenes in a |
| To help your child to acquire phonological | | | | book using the dialogue. The whole family can get |
| awareness skills which is simply the ability to | | | | involved in this. |
| break down the language into smaller units, use | | | | Get a copy of the Dolch word list. You can get a |
| nursery rhymes. Say them along with your child | | | | copy from several sites on the internet. The |
| and play rhyming word games with them. You | | | | Dolch word list consists of 220 words. These |
| can say one word such as "cake" and have your | | | | words account for about 75% of all the words |
| child tell you a word that rhymes. Clap to syllables | | | | used in children's book. These words can be made |
| in word you call with your child for example: din | | | | into flash cards. You can make them out of |
| ner(two claps) break/fast(two claps) bed(one | | | | construction paper or on the computer. Hold up |
| clap). | | | | the words on the cards and have your child |
| Help your child develop phonemic awareness. | | | | practice calling a few of them everyday. |
| Phonemic awareness is the ability to manipulate | | | | To develop reading comprehension ask your child |
| phonemes (sounds). Teach your child songs and | | | | to predict what will happen in a story before you |
| then substitute different phonemes(sounds) for | | | | read it to them. These predictions can be based |
| the beginning sound in words. | | | | on the cover art and title. At the end of reading |
| For example: Sweetly sings the donkey | | | | ask questions that begin with the five W's: who, |
| At the break of day, | | | | what, when, where and why. |