How to help my child at home

• Choose a place that is as quiet and peaceful as possible.

• Choose a time when your child is not tired, hungry or eager to do something else.

• Provide 10-15 minutes of at-home reading time, four or five times a week.

• Stories should be of interest to the child.

• Stories should not be too difficult (no more than 5 mistakes in 50 words).

• Talk together about the story and pictures. This will help your child to gain interest and get more meaning from the story.

• Accept your child's efforts, avoid criticism.

• Try to be relaxed. Stop if you or your child become frustrated. Read to your child instead.

• Praise your child when he/she tries, even if it is wrong; when he/she finds the right word after making a mistake; when he/she reads correctly after you provide help.

• Provide opportunity for your child to figure out words independently. Wait--give your child a chance to think. If your child does not respond, tell the word, don't ask him/her to sound it out.

• When the story seems too long, read every second page with your child. After reading a few pages, talk about the story together.

• Enjoy this reading time together. Lifetime readers have fun when they read.