Reading Strategies FOR PARENTS – 

Reading Strategies:

Reading outside of school provides the additional support and encouragement that allows students to create a deep passion for reading, to deepen their comprehension skills, and to build a broad vocabulary knowledge. Reading strategies can be developed and used before, during, and after reading takes place. These strategies reinforce what your student is learning in second grade.

Activities to do at home:

• Provide a time and space for your child to read every day.
• Find small and simple poems. Read them together and talk about the feelings they

convey. Try making up your own poems together about objects, people you know, or

anything you like!

• Read to your child or have your child read to you every day. Reading aloud to children,

of all ages, provides opportunities to discuss more challenging and complex plots and

themes which builds critical thinking skills.

• As your child learns to read new words and understand the meaning of those words,

help him/her keep track of them in his/her own dictionary. Your child can write them

down, draw pictures to illustrate the words or the definitions, or write sentences with

the words.

• Discuss any confusing parts, elements, or information in the book, chapter, or passage.
• Start a family book club. Let different members of the family pick the book. This could

be a good way to enjoy quality family time while experiencing the joy of reading

together!

• Ask your child to retell what he/she read in his/her own words.
• Ask your child to summarize what he/she read and tell what he/she learned from what was read. This could be connected to something in real life, another reading, or to events happening in the world.

• Visit the local library and make reading fun for the entire family.
• Give your child opportunities to participate in new experiences. Visit museums, the zoo, theaters, historical sites, aquariums, etc. to help build your child’s vocabulary and speaking skills.
• Pick a “special word of the week” for your child to practice writing and using when speaking.
• Begin a family project of building vocabulary. Ask all family members to contribute to the project by submitting new vocabulary words they read or hear. Vocabulary words may be compiled in a decorative container in a prominent place. Family members practice using the new vocabulary words in their speaking and writing.
• Act out a story, poem or other text as if it is a play by using different voices for the characters. This will help children practice appropriate pacing while reading and encourage reading with expression. 
• While you and your child read books together, or while your child reads a book by himself/herself, make a “W” chart. Fill out the "who," "what," "when," "where," "why," and "how" of the book while reading.