Supporting your child in their quest to unravel the mystery of reading has to be one of the most exciting, yet utterly daunting tasks of parenting.

Parents of young children are often bombarded with vast amounts of educational propaganda. Most of it serves, not to illuminate, but rather to bewilder and scare. The aim of such literature, it appears, is to make us feel that if our child has not been adequately prepared for the rigors of reading before they enter school —usually by buying a certain product— then you might as well sentence them to a life of educational misery and low self-esteem.

But fear not….

The Technical Skills

While mystifying us with detailed descriptions of phonemes, diphthongs and phonic blends, these carefully marketed volumes often fail to mention a very basic fact: Those children most likely to succeed in learning to read are those who, first and foremost, love books.

Of course, this is not to undermine the value of learning the technical skills that let us, borrowing an educational phrase, to “decoding the text.” Just the opposite: It is because these skills can seem so complex, that in order to succeed one must have an overwhelming desire to continue trying even when the going gets tough!

Using external rewards such as praise, stickers and even bribery may motivate a child for a while, but the persistence necessary for success requires internal motivation.

Critical Factors for Reading

Over years of research, scientists and educators have identified five critical factors for reading, including phonological awareness, phonics or word recognition, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Students must develop competency in all such areas, with teachers emphasising them in lessons.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological and phonemic awareness refer to the ability to perceive, segment, blend, and otherwise manipulate sounds, particularly the sounds of language. Research has demonstrated that this competency is required for effective phonics instruction. If students have difficulty in perceiving and manipulating language sounds, they will be challenged when those language sounds become associated with written letters as in phonics.

Phonics or Word Recognition

Phonics or word recognition refers to the ability of readers to produce the oral representation of a written word using, primarily, the sound symbol representation of letters and letter combinations.

Fluency

Fluency is the ability to produce the oral representation of written words effortlessly so that readers can direct their attention to the meaning of the text. Fluency also includes the ability to read with appropriate expression that reflects and enhances the meaning of the written text.

Vocabulary

Like phonics, vocabulary refers to competency with words. However, vocabulary deals with the meaning of the oral and written words rather than the ability to “sound out” words. Clearly, comprehension is not possible if readers do not know the meaning of words, even if they can sound them out correctly.

Comprehension

Finally, comprehension refers to the ability of readers to gain meaning from a written text. Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading and requires meaning-making effort and strategies on the part of the reader.

Encourage Curiosity in Reading

So how do we encourage our children to develop an insatiable desire to learn to read? The simple answer is curiosity. We want them to need to know what is going to happen next! However, for this to happen they first need to understand that there is an interesting ‘next’ to know about! This revelation may be viewed as both a relief and yet another puzzle for parents. Exactly how can we stimulate in our children this curiosity and love for reading?

The answer has to be related to loving books themselves. For some of us this might not be a problem, but for any parent who for whatever reason are reluctant readers, this may be quite a frightening revelation.

To make the journey more enjoyable for us adults, we have included a few tips:

• Before committing to a book, read it first to ensure that you will enjoy it. Children have a tendency to want the same story read to them again —and again, and again— despite what any adults have to say. If your child ends up loving a story that you find dreary, having to read it over and over may eventually drive you insane. Believe me, I know!
  
• When the repetition of the same story simply gets too much for you, replace a few of the words with new ones. Ones that change the meaning just a little bit are the best. If your child is anything like mine then they will love your new twists: They will certainly appreciate the opportunity to tell you that you are wrong! This does mean that you will have to pay more attention to the story, but the added enjoyment will be worth it.
  
• Make a few books of your own on topics that you and your child enjoy. These do not need to be any more than a few photographs, drawings or short texts. You can even make them together with your child. Kids seem to love stories where they can see themselves. It brings stories to life and creates a special bond with the characters. For children, creating their own books and stories illustrates that writing is about putting pieces together, to let other people know what they want them to know.
  
• Even if you can’t find the time to make your own books, make sure that the time you do spend reading is devoted to that and that alone. It is difficult to convey the message that reading is valuable when all you are doing is thinking about your next email or laundry load. As difficult as this may be for busy parents, spending that quality time devoted to your child and their favorite book will prove itself worthwhile soon enough.
  
• Finally, don’t worry if your child does not seem to be making the progress in reading that other children are. Each child is an individual and will progress at different rates. All children, however, seem adept at picking up on the worries of their parents. Fretting about a lack of progress compared to their peers might add to their worries and put them off reading altogether. If you have concerns, speak to your child’s teacher rather than letting your child experience your anxieties. And in any case, take a step back, relax and continue to enjoy sharing stories with your child.