A Reading Checklist
There are many ways that you can encourage your child to become a reader. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to make sure that you are keeping on track:
For Babies (6 weeks to 1 year)
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Do I provide a comfortable place for our story time? Is my child happy to be in this place?
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Am I showing my child the pictures in the book? Am I changing the tone of my voice as I read to show emotion and excitement?
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Am I paying attention to how my child responds? What does she especially like? Is she tired and ready to stop?
For Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
All of the questions above, plus:
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Does my child enjoy the book we are reading?
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Do I encourage my child to “pretend read,” joining in where he has memorized a word or phrase?
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When I ask questions, am I giving my child enough time to think and answer?
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Do I tie ideas in the book to things that are familiar to my child? Do I notice if he does this on his own?
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Do I let my child know how much I like his ideas and encourage him to tell me more?
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Do I point out letters, such as the first letter of his name?
For Preschoolers (3 and 4 years)
All of the questions above, plus:
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Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify sounds and letters and to make letter-sound matches?
For Kindergartners (5 years):
All of the questions above, plus:
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Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify some printed words?
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Do I let my child retell favorite stories to show that she knows how the story develops and what’s in it?
For Beginning First-Graders (6 years):
All of the questions above, plus:
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Do I give my child the chance to read a story to me using the print, picture clues, his memory—or any combination of these ways that help him make sense of the story?
