One of the greatest things about having an older child who is already reading… is that she can now be tasked with helping her younger brother to learn to read! It’s a great way for both of them to advance their skills and have fun. Here is a video clip from last night’s reading session:
Storytime with Big Sister
Diary of an Emerging Reader on YouTube
Obviously every child is different and will learn at his or her own pace. As you can see, one of mine has an extremely short attention span while the other one gravitates toward bossiness. Still, this is something you, too can try at home. Here are a few tips:
- Choose a set time. Bedtime works best for us, somewhere between baths and teeth brushing but before meltdowns.
- Allow the younger child to choose the reading material.
- Make sure the older child is not challenged too much by the text. Board books and of course Bob Books are a good bet. Picture books can be wonderful too as long as they aren’t too long or the text too advanced. We’ve also had success with books with no text (i.e. Good Dog Carl) as a way to encourage talking about the illustrations.
- Keep it short. Limit to a few titles or until attention spans wear out, whichever comes first.
- Offer plenty of praise to both children.
- Let them have fun!
Have any ideas or learning to read tips you’d like to share? Let us know!
Tags: Diary of an emerging reader, learning to read, siblings