Word Strategies for Young Readers
Good readers don't necessarily know every word - but they do have strategies for figuring them out. Here is one way that can help your child unlock tough words.
Find Words Inside Words
Many words contain smaller words (can is in candle, end is in friend). In the car or during a walk, ask your youngster to help you look for short words "hiding" in longer words (be and in inside begin, walk inside crosswalk). She'll start to see examples everywhere, and the habit will help her when she reads books.
S-t-r-e-t-c-h It Out
If your child sees a tough word, suggest that she say the sound of each letter. Then, she can put the sounds together. Try this: help her make a "word stretcher". Cut a thin strip of construction paper, and let her decorate it with stickers She can lay the strip so that it covers up a word in a book and slowly slide it to reveal each letter as she says its sound.
Use Context Clues
Encourage your youngster to read an entire sentence before trying to figure out an unknown word. Often, the word will become clear from the rest of the sentence. To give her practice, write a note for her, and leave out all but the first letter of one word. Have her think about what the missing word could be. Example: "Let's go to the p _ _ _ after school." When she figures out, help her sound out and write the word ("park").
Adapted from Reading Connection, March 2013
A Look Ahead:
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