This video contains several suggestions to help you and your child enjoy reading together, and to help your child become more well-prepared to begin reading on his own.

Before reading:

• Help your child make a personal connection to the book.
• Set a purpose.

During reading:

• Make predictions.
• Pause occasionally and review what has happened so far.
• Reread the book and read it differently.

Ask questions:

• What did you see?
• What did you notice?
• Why do you think that happened?
• What are you thinking now?
• What surprised you?
• What have you learned?
• Does this remind you of anything you have done before?
• Use pictures.
• Encourage you child to predict what will happen next.
• Reread to clarify meaning.
• Relate what your child read to his own life.
• Act out parts of the story or use different voices for different characters.
• Name and describe objects and events.
• Point out things of special interest.

After reading:

• Make personal connections.
• Create reenactments.
• Perform retellings.