Teach phonics. Although not all schools use phonics, for the majority of students, phonics seems to be the best approach. The National Reading Panel found that when students are not taught using phonics, reading levels decrease. This was seen in California between 1987 and 1994, when the state fell to nearly last place in reading levels after suspending phonics learning.
Read more. This might sound simplistic, but students who read more often will read better. Since the goal is to get students to read a lot, it doesn't matter what kind of literature the student is reading. Even comic books will work as long as text is involved. If the student has an interest in a particular author or subject, encourage reading in these areas.
Ask leading questions to help a child Improve his comprehension skills. Many students don't enjoy reading, because they don't remember what they've read or fail to understand the material. Helping students improve their comprehension can make reading a more enjoyable experience and improve test scores. Ask such questions as "why do you think the character did that?"
Get help for reading difficulties. If you suspect your child may have dyslexia or any other learning disability, get him tested and find out how to help with these issues. Reading can't be improved until problems are identified and solved.
Use a variety of resources to improve your child's reading. Resources might include packaged programs such as Hooked on Phonics and online sites like Time4Learning. Schools also offer programs to help with literacy as do many libraries. Tutors and tutoring centers can also be of help in enhancing reading skills. But, probably the best resource for improving reading is a wide range of literature, from novels to how-to books to books on CD.