Practising Reading at Home
cue card for parents

When you want your child to read on his own, the text should be at his/her independent reading level (95% or more known words in connected text). If you are sharing the reading of a passage with your child the text should be within the student's instructional/independent level (where your child will makes less than seven errors in every 100 words). Respond to your child's reading with enthusiasm and praise for a job well done! These activities will help your child practise reading and build his/her confidence and fluency in reading:

Echo Reading
Choral Reading
Reader's Theatre
Read aloud one sentence at a time. Your child is to read the same line immediately afterwards. Read aloud with your child, almost chanting the words. Reread the selection and eventually fade out to let your child read independently. Both you and your child assume the roles of the characters in the story, and read their parts.
Storytelling
Repeated Reading
Shared Reading
Read a story to your child using expressions and demonstrations. Then, have your child read the story as you continue to make nonverbal expressions and demonstrations that match the text your child is reading. Listen to your child read and correct any errors within 3 seconds. Discuss these words at the end of the reading. Have your child read the selection two more times and praise his/her progress (note: these selections should be short, and take only 1-2 minutes to read). Take turns reading. Pass a reading stick (or some token, e.g., a stuffed animal) to your child to indicated that it is his/her turn to start reading. Have your child pass the reading stick back to you when he/she wants you to read. Keep passing the reading stick until the passage is finished.
Timed Reading
Modeled Reading
Paired Reading
Take turns reading for one minute each until the selection is finished. Have your child join in when it is your turn if he/she wants to. Read aloud the first few pages of each reading selection so your child gets comfortable with the rate and flow. Then have your child read the same pages or carry on reading immediately after you. Read the selection together with your child and point to the words as you read. Keep rereading the selection until your child feels comfortable reading the selection independently. Have your child signal when he/she wants to read independently