Try this! How to help your child learn to read

 The capability of hearing and managing the simplest units of sound (phonemes) in words can be described as phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is a problem for many kids with learning disabilities. Since phonemic awareness is such an important literacy ability, pupils who struggle with phonemic awareness tend to encounter difficulty when reading as well.

Reading is a skill that has to be taught using structure. You start at the simplest level and gradually increase based on the student’s progress and readiness. 

So, how do you approach this?

Start simple! 

Of course, where you begin depends on the level and abilities of your students/children, however once letter recognition and letter sounds are complete, you can begin with two letter two-sound words. Example: in, it, at, no. Students should be reminded that words are made up of sounds. Tell  them that  they'll be practising hearing all of the sounds in a word. Make it clear that they should concentrate on the sounds they hear rather than the letters they see. Model the behaviour by pointing to the letters as you sound out the word. Instruct students to join you in practising a new word. You may need to prompt or guide your pupils as you go along, depending on their capabilities. Encourage them to say each sound separately before blending the word.

Then, move on to words with three letters and three sounds. Example: cat, rat, fat, mat,

sat, bet, bit, kit, let, bet, net. It is important to guide the student to sound out the words as they go along instead of simply trying to guess. Have them identify each letter and the sound that letter makes, then blend the sounds to say the word. 

Four letter words ending in Silent ‘e’ can be introduced next. Example: cute, mute, game, fame, tame, mate.

Words with four phonemes and blends are next. These are words with letters that blend but have a separate sound. Some common blends to start with are: bl, br, cr, sl. Examples of words with these blends are blog, brag, crab, slap.  

Each step can be repeated numerous times with a variety of words based on the student’s progress. It is important to ensure that the child grasps the skill at each level before having them advance to more complicated words. This not only makes it an easier transition for the student but also contributes positively to their confidence and fluency as readers. 

At The Caribbean Academy for Reading Intervention and Development, our Individual Reading Assistance Program is designed to teach the foundational skills of reading to children with significant academic challenges, empowering them to achieve grade-level proficiency. Our dedicated tutors help struggling readers understand the basic mechanics of reading and help them develop a lifelong love of reading. 

Our programme focuses on: 

• Sight words 

• High-frequency words 

• Sounds recognition 

• Letter and word recognition 

• Phonics and phonemic awareness 

We target struggling readers between the ages 5 years to 10 years and our programme is available both online and face to face. 

Chrystal Murray 

Reading Interventionist 

Caribbean Academy for Reading Intervention and Development 

1-868-474-9819