Guest Contributor: Amy Costales- Reading with a Child/ Leer con un Niño

For more information visit her site www.amycostales.com

Promote reading

~Make sure the child sees you reading books, magazines and newspapers ~Teach the child to read the newspaper (you can look for the comics, the weather, or an article together) ~Read with the child every day ~Keep books in the car, the bathroom, the family room, the bedrooms and the kitchen ~Go to the library regularly for books, magazines, books on tape or C.D, music ~Tell stories before bed, at the table, in the car, and on walks ~Give books as presents ~Take the time to express to the child that you enjoy books, newspapers or magazines ~Talk about reading the way you talk about going to the park… like it’s something special ~Read a variety of books (myths, legends, nursery rhymes, rhyming stories, fiction, non-fiction, funny, serious) ~Set limits on television and video games and stick to them ~Make a book with the child (about a dog, family photos, why the child is special, a vacation, a relative) ~Buy new or used books ~Use books as a soothing time in the middle of the day ~Never use reading as a punishment ~Join or form a book club ~Be positive

Before you read
~Read the title
~Ask the child what he/she thinks the book is about
~Ask the child if it reminds him/her of another book
~Look at illustrations
~Talk about them
~Ask the child what he/she thinks the book is about based on the illustrations
~Ask the child if he/she recognizes the artist
~Read about the author and illustrator
~See if there is a connection between the author and what he/she writes about
~Look at the table of contents if there is one
~Ask the child what chapter seems interesting

While you read
~Ask questions
~What do you think is going to happen next?
~What do you think that word means?
~Show your interest by making comments:
I wonder what’s going to happen!
Wow! Look at that illustration
I love the colors in this book!
~Show your interest by showing emotion:
Laugh if it is funny
Cry if it is sad
~Share your thoughts and feelings
~Put emotion in your voice
~Let the child ask questions, touch the book, turn pages, stop you, make comments

After you read
~Talk about how you feel
That book is so funny!
I love that book!
I don’t like that book so much
This book reminds me of….

~Ask the child questions
Did that book remind you of any other books?
Did you like the story?
What is your favorite illustration?
Do you want to read another book by this author?
Should we look for more books like this?

~Let the child talk about how he/she feels
I love that picture!
That book is silly!

~Develop the concept of plot
~Talk about change that may have occurred in the story
~Talk about conflict and resolution that may have occurred in the story
~Retell the story in the dark at bedtime
~Retell the story with puppets
~Retell the story and change an event