Learn the letters of the alphabet. This is the first step in learning to read. First, children must memorize the letters of the alphabet. Then they should learn and be able to recognize upper and lowercase letters. One fun way to accomplish this is to use music, such as the "ABC song," which uses rhyming as a memorization aid. Next, use flash cards, as they continue to be an effective method for children learning the alphabet.
Teach phonics. Learning phonics is an essential step in learning to read. Phonics consists of the relationship between written letters and spoken sounds. Once students have memorized the letters of the alphabet, they must then learn the corresponding short and long sounds that each letter makes. Mastering phonics is necessary for students to be able to combine specific sounds to form individual words. There are many phonics programs available to aid parents or consult with your child's teacher.
Read aloud to your child to help him begin to building a large vocabulary. This is essential for acquiring and developing good reading comprehension skills. Students learn a great deal of their vocabulary in their day-to-day activities at home, school or by watching television.
Let your child scribble freely. Encourage her to draw often. Her fine motor skills will continue to develop as well as her small muscles. Strength needed for controlling writing instruments such as pencils and crayons is increased through writing and drawing activities that require squeezing, pinching and pressing down.
Start with the alphabets. Review the alphabet using flash cards to ensure he recognizes all letters before you begin teaching him to write. Trace the letter at first with your child's finger and then with a pencil. Show your child how to hold the pencil properly. Use tracing pages or letter practice sheets. Have him first try to write an individual letter then see if your child can write the letters of the alphabet without any example. Repeat the process for every letter of the alphabet. Let him take as much time as necessary, as this is a foundational skill necessary for future learning.
Print her name. Have her begin writing her first name one letter at a time. She can practice this until she is able to accomplish this on her own. Eventually have her practice a short story using short, easy words.
Hold up a short easy word. Have your child take his time and spell out each letter. Have him close his eyes and spell the word out loud. Then have him practice writing the word. Use the word in a sentence so that he understands the meaning of the word in context. Now have him use the word in a sentence.
Pronounce the word. For your child to develop proficiently in spelling, he must be able to recognize letters and sounds because so many children learn from spelling phonetically. Let him try to pronouce the word phonetically. If he is not able to pronouce the word correctly, say the word out loud and repeat it.
Repeat this process with other words. This will help build up the vocabulary. Have her learn at least one new word a day and make it a fun process.