Learning to read is the first step to formal education. Many parents want to teach their children to read.  Developing a love of reading helps children with intellectual, language and learning, and builds skills that will help the child in every aspect of his education.  There are many ways a parent can help his child to develop reading readiness.

One way to encourage reading readiness is to help the child recognize letters of the alphabet and learn to name the sounds that the letters make.  Teaching a child to read involves encouraging reading readiness.  Make learning the letters fun by giving the child letters to play with, magnetic letters, or letters that float in the bathtub.  Play little games with your child to help him learn to identify the letters.  Sing the alphabet song, leaving out letters for the child to fill in as you sing together.  Play games rhyming words.  When the child is able to identify the letters and their sounds, start helping your child to sound out short words phonetically.  Teaching reading involves many steps.

Be patient.  A child who feels pushed, or parents who are tense will make the child less likely to want to try.  Always follow the child’s lead when the child is learning.  A child who is having fun will be receptive to learning new skills.  Wait for the child’s natural curiosity.  Be encouraging, not demanding.  If the child gets tired, or is not in the mood, move on to something else. Teaching a child to read should not involve frustration or anger.  Those emotions can block learning.

When a child is learning to sound out a word, it takes a lot of time, and many tries to get from letter sounds into blends that make a word.  Always be lighthearted and patient with the child who is trying this.

Also, remember that in English, there are many exceptions to phonetic rules, and unexpected sounds sometimes come from letters.  For example, the letters “ph” do not logically make the “f” sound; it is learned through practice and repetition.  When teaching a child to read, include “sight words” only after phonetics are mastered. 

Read to your child often, and from the youngest age possible.  Reading to your child helps him to learn language patterns and inflections, identify words with pictures, and encourages a love of reading that will last a lifetime.  Model a love of reading by reading to your child every day. Teach reading with this love in mind. 

Children learn to read at different ages, so don’t be discouraged if your child seems to be learning later than his peers.  All children learn to read when they are ready, so by building a patient, fun foundation, providing the tools, and being encouraging, everything will be ready for the child’s natural curiosity to take over. Learning is a life long process which a parent cannot guide forevery. Cultivate love of learning in children and it will benefit them forever.